Tanja Schulz-Mirbach

Dr. Tanja Schulz-Mirbach is an Associate Scientist at LMU Munich's Department Biology II, specializing in Fish Bioacoustics. Her research focuses on functional morphology in teleost fish ears, particularly the structural-functional relationships between otoliths and hearing abilities. She employs advanced imaging techniques like micro-CT, synchrotron radiation, and confocal microscopy. Her work bridges biology and paleontology, studying otolith evolution and their fossilization processes.

Education: PhD in Palaeontology and Geobiology (LMU Munich, 2008), Diploma in Biology (2003), and studies in Human Genetics and Anthropology. She has held postdoctoral positions at LMU Munich and the University of Vienna.

Research interests include otolith motion dynamics, environmental influences on brain morphology, and evolutionary adaptations in fish auditory systems. Key projects involve 4D visualization of otolith motion and modeling otolith dynamics in collaboration with UC San Diego.

Awards include DAAD Postdoctoral Fellowships and grants from the Bavarian Equality Promotion. She has published over 30 peer-reviewed articles and contributed to books on fish hearing and sensory organs.

Her work integrates experimental biology with paleontological methods, addressing how otolith morphology reflects evolutionary and ecological pressures. She leads projects valued over €300,000, including studies on otolith evolution and fish auditory system adaptations.