Tobias Engl

Tobias Engl is a Project Group Leader at the Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology in Jena, Germany, leading the Department of Insect Symbiosis. His research focuses on symbiotic relationships between insects and microbes, particularly exploring how these interactions influence host defense, nutrition, and evolutionary adaptation.

Engl holds a PhD in Zoology (2011) and a Diploma in Biology (2008) from the University of Regensburg, with postdoctoral training at the Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology. His career includes roles as a Project Group Leader at the Max Planck Institute and Johannes Gutenberg University of Mainz.

His research interests span symbiosis evolution, microbial communities in insects, and chemical ecology. Recent work emphasizes bacterial symbionts' roles in host survival, reproduction, and adaptation to environmental challenges. He has contributed to studies on symbiont-mediated defenses against pathogens, nutrient recycling, and symbiotic evolution in diverse insect taxa.

Engl actively promotes symbiosis research through conferences (e.g., organizing events in Rothenburg o.d. Tauber) and collaborates internationally. He mentors students and oversees the International Max Planck Research School (IMPRS) on Chemical Communication in Ecological Systems, offering PhD projects on topics like metabolic exchanges in ancient insect symbioses.

His work bridges fundamental and applied science, addressing ecological and agricultural challenges posed by invasive species and symbiotic dynamics.