Work experience
| 01/2022 – | Guest scientist at working group of Applied Bioinformatics, Faculty of Life Sciences, Goethe University Frankfurt |
| 03/2022 – 02/2023 |
FULL PATERNAL LEAVE |
| 04/2018 – 12/2021 |
Research associate, group leader at Institute for Insect Biotechnology, Justus Liebig University Gießen/Fraunhofer IME & coordinator of Animal Venomics in LOEWE Center for Translational Biodiversity Genomics, Senckenberg Frankfurt |
| 10/2015 – 03/2019 |
Scientific associate at the Natural History Museum, Department of Life Sciences, London. |
| 10/2015 – 03/2018 | Research associate (“Assistant Professor”) and group leader at Institute of Biology, University Leipzig. |
| 01/2015 – 07/2015 | Postdoc at the Center for Molecular Biodiversity, Researchmuseum Koenig (ZFMK) Bonn. |
| 10/2012 – 01/2015 | Research Fellow at the Natural History Museum, London [United Kingdom]. |
| 07/2012 – 09/2012 | Freelancing Researcher at Protec Sardina, Cala Gonone [Italy] |
| 02/2010 – 06/2012 | Postdoc position at the Researchmuseum Koenig (ZFMK) Bonn |
University & education
| 04/2023 – 06/2023 |
Data Scientist. Data Science Bootcamp, Le Wagon. Python, API, SQL, Statistics, Calculus, Modelling, AI, Machine & Deep Learning |
| 02/2020 | Dr. rer. nat. habil. (Habilitation) “Phylogenomics and venomics of remipede crustaceans and evolutionary venomics of other neglected invertebrates” University of Leipzig (03.02) |
| 10/2005 – 01/2010 | Dr. (PhD) [Magna cum laude] “Molecular insights to crustacean phylogeny” within DFG priority program: “Deep Metazoan Phylogeny “, at University Bonn/Researchmuseum Koenig (ZFMK) |
| 03/2004 – 03/2005 | Diplom (Master) [Sehr gut] “Phylogeography of the Zygaena angelicae/transalpina complex based on phylogenetic and Nested Clade Analysis using mt-DNA”, at Researchmuseum Koenig (ZFMK) |
| 02/2004 | Master exam: Zoology. Cell Biology and Chemistry |
| 10/1999 – 01/2003 | Study of Biology at the Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms Universität, Bonn |
| 05/1997 | Degree “Allgemeine Hochschulreife”, Kopernikus Gymnasium Lülsdorf-Ranzel [Final Mark: 1.6] |
| 06/1994 | Stay at College Karl Marx, Villejuef, Paris [France] |
| 03/1990 | Stay at Forfar Academy, Secondary School, Speyside Destrict [Scotland] |
Non-universitary employment
| 07/2005 – 09/2005 | Scientific assistant for network & computational administration at the ZFMK, Bonn |
| 08/1999 – 04/2005 | Student assistant at “Informatikzentrum der Sparkassenorganisation (SIZ) GmbH Bonn“ |
| 10/1997 | Training course at the Nature Conservation Academy NABU Deutschland: Nature & Species conservation, Public relations |
| 09/1997 – 1998 | Zivildienst (Civilian Service) at Naturschutzbund (NABU Bonn-Rhein-Sieg): Habitat protection and preservation, field mapping, public relations, excursions |
Competitive funding/grant proposals
| 04/2020 | EU COST Action CA19144: EUVEN (European Venom Network). Secondary proposer, Management committee member for Germany, WG2 leader |
| 04/2018 | DFG grant (RE-3454/6-1):”Assessing venom variation and toxin evolution in solitary and eusocial aculeate hymenopterans by genomics, transcriptomics and proteomics“ |
| 02/2017 | DFG grant (RE-3454/4-1):”Venom evolution in robber flies: An integrative approach applying functional morphology in venomics“ |
| 05/2016 | Paul Scherer Institut Switzerland (PSI Synchrotron Tomcat Beamline, proposal 20160644) |
| 04/2016 | Co-PI: Doktorandenförderplatz Universität Leipzig, PhD project: “Comparative venom evolution of robber flies“ |
| 06/2015 | DAAD congress grant (Invited talk, International Society of Toxinology, Oxford, UK) |
| 05/2015 | NHM DIF bid, “First characterisation of robber fly venom composition by transcriptomics and proteomics“ |
| 01/2015 | DFG grant (RE-3454/2-1, Rückkehrstipendium), own position |
| 11/2014 – 01/2015 | NHM DIF bid, own position |
| 05/2014 | DAAD travel grant (SMBE congress 2014), successful but I had to decline |
| 04/2014 | Paul Scherer Institute Switzerland (PSI Synchrotron Tomcat Beamline, proposal 20140194), successful but I had to decline |
| 09/2013 | NHM DIF bid (Cave diving expedition to Mexico to explore and collect the first venomous crustacean) |
| 10/2012 – 09/2014 | DFG Research Grant (RE- 3454/1-1, 1-2), own position. “On the trail of the first venomous crustacean: venom gland transcriptome profiling of Remipedia“ |
| 2009 | Raiffeisenbank Rhein Sieg, Bonn, material expenses |
| 2008 | Alexander Koenig Stiftung, travel allowance |
| 2004 | Alexander Koenig Stiftung, travel allowance |
| Equipment | Poseidon Tauchprodukte GmbH (Sponser 2008), Protec Sardinia (Sponser 2008 -2012) |
Unsuccessful grant proposals
| 10/2018 | Böhringer Ingelheim Exploration Grant. Stirred stings: alter pesticides toxin expression in bumblebee venom? |
| 02/2017 | Sächsische Landesstiftung Natur und Umwelt Naturschutzfonds. Diversität und räumliche Verteilung von Fledermäusen im Leipziger Auwald. |
| 07/2016 | VW Experiment! Stirred stings: do pesticides alter bumblebee venoms and their toxin expression? |
| 12/2016 | iDiv Flexible pool. Venom evolution in sawflies, wood wasps and parasitoid wasps: Toxin variation as key adaptations for early hymenopteran diversity. 1st Co-PI. |
| 07/2016 | DAAD Australia PPP exchange program. Comparative venom evolution and biology in flied (Diptera). |
| 06/2016 | VW Stiftung Experiment! Venom variation and neurotoxin evolution in adult robber flies and their predatory larvae tackled by an interdisciplinary venomics approach. |
| 02/2012 | DAAD researcher grant.On the trail of the first venomous crustacean: venom gland transcriptome profiling of Remipedia. |
Teaching experience (Details/evaluations see “teaching”)
| 07/2019 – 2021 | Co-Lecturer: Milestones of Insect biotechnology and bioresource, “Evolutionary and applied venomics I & II”, 2 hours |
| 07/2019 – 2020 | Co-Lecturer: Entomology II“NGS Sequencing atechniques and biodiversity assessment”, 1hour |
| 11/2018 | Co-Lecturer: Entomology I“Molecular evolution and systematics”, 1hour |
| 01/2016 – 02/2018 | Lecturer & Organizer: Practical and seminar (M. Sc., Biology), 3 weeks “Molecular systematics & phylogeny, transcriptomics and phylogenomics“ |
| 10/2015 – 01/2018 | Lecturer and organizer: Literature seminar, “Methods of scientific working”, 1hour/week |
| 07/2016 – 2017 | Lecturer & Organizer: Field course for magister/bachelor students “Spezielle Zoologie”, 1 week Topics: Biological & chemical water quality, insect ecology, bat ecology, general invertebrate zoology, biology and diversity. |
| 01/2017 – 02/2018 |
Co-Lecturer: Evolutionary Ecology, M. of Sc., Biology, 3 lectures |
| 12/2016 – 2017 | Co-lecturer: Evolution – Sequence analyses and molecular systematics, B. Sc., Biology, 2 days |
| 10/2015 – 01/2016 | Co-lecturer: “Biologisches Grundpraktium I, Allgemeine Zoologie” (General practical zoology), 2days/week 1st semester B. Sc. |
| 10/2013 – 2014 | Lecturer for M. Res. at UCL/NHM London (Biodiversity, Evolution and Conservation): “Data quality in phylogenetics and phylogenomics“, 1day |
| 07/2009 | Teaching assistant: ”Marine Arthropoda and Annelida“, 2 weeks |
| 05/2007, 07/2008 | Teaching assistant: “Marine Invertebrate Zoology“, 2 weeks |
| 12/2005 – 2006 | Teaching assistant: “Phylogeny and Systematics“, 2 weeks |
| Generally: | introduction of students into principles of evolutionary theory and laboratory molecular work |
Fieldwork – research stays (only > 5 days)
| 07/2019-2020 | Collection of assassin bugs, hymenopterans and robber flies [Germany] |
| 07/2016 | Collection of robber flies [South of France/Eastern Germany] |
| 06/2014 | Collection of robber flies [Germany/France] |
| 03/2014 | Cave diving expedition to collect remipedes for proteomic work [Yucatan, Mexico] |
| 07 – 09/2012 | Research stay/cave explorations to collect crustaceans and hexapods [Sardinia, Italy] |
| 01/2012 | Cave diving expedition [Yucatan, Mexico] |
| 08/2011 | Deeper diving ’Meiofauna’-exploration (Cephalocarida), Cala Gonnone [Sardinia, Italy] |
| 10/2010 | Coastal diving ’Meiofauna’-exploration (Cephalocarida), Cala Gonnone [Sardinia, Italy] |
| 08/2010 | Material collection “Interstitialfauna’ (Mystacocarida), Biological Marine Station Ferrol, [Galicia, Spain] |
| 09/2009 | Material collection ’Interstitialfauna’ (Mystacocarida, Crustacea), Biological Marine Station Ferrol, [Galicia, Spain] |
| 07/2009 | Research stay at DESY Hamburg (Synchroton scanning of crustaceans) [Germany] |
| 01/2009 | Material collection ’Interstitial – and Benthosfauna’ (Mystacocarida, Leptostraca), Biological Marine Station Ferrol [Galicia, Spain] |
| 11/2008 | Cave diving expedition to collect Remipedia [Yucatan, Mexico] |
| 09/2008 | Collecting Crustacea by Scuba Diving [Sardinia, Italy] |
| 07/2008 | Collecting Crustacea (Leptostraca, Ostracoda, Cephalocarida) by Scuba Diving [Giglio, Italy] |
| 06/2008 | Research Stay Rutgers University, [New Jersey, USA] |
| 07/2007 | Research Stay TAMUG University, [Texas, USA] / Cave diving [Yucatan, Mexico] |
| 05/2007 | Collection of Crustacea by Meiofauna sampling, [Giglio, Italy] |
| 05/2006 | Research Stay at DZMB Wilhelmshaven, “Meionord-Expedition” on Research Vessel ’Heincke’ (benthic/pelagic meiofauna collection), [Germany] |
| 03/2006 | Collecting Mystacocarida and other Crustacea, Biological Marine Station Ferrol [Galicia, Spain] |
| 06 – 07/2004 | Collection of butterflies, [Germany, Austria, Czech Republic, Greece] |
| 08/1997 | International nature conservation project [Portugal]: “Vulture protection in the nature conservation area “Parque natural do Tejo International (PNTI)“ |
Editorial & membership activity
| Since 01/2024 |
Editorial board member, “Biologie in Unsere Zeit“, VBIO |
| Since 01/2022 |
Editorial board member, “Toxins“, MDPI |
| Memberships | Systematics Association, SMBE |
| Reviewer for |
MPE (Molecular Phylogeny and Evolution), MBE (Molecular Biology and Evolution), BMC Evolutionary Biology, BMC Genomics, Journal of Crustacean Biology, JZSEB (Journal of Zoological Systematics and Evolutionary Research), Integrative and Comparative Biology |
Workshops (Own & participated)
| 10/2023 |
Naturschutz Kompakt (Umweltinstitut Offenbach): Gesetze (BNatSch, EU), Verfahren, Umweltprüfung, Eingriffsregelungen, Schutzgüter, Gebiets/Artenschutz, Landschaftsplanung, 09. – 12.2023. |
| 05/2022 |
Dealing with Nagoya regulations (EU COST Action “EUVEN” Workshop), course organiser/moderator, 31.05.2022 |
| 11/2021 |
Eucaryotic genome assembly using PacBio and Hi-C (Physalia courses, 15. – 19.11.2021). |
| 11/2021 |
RNA-Seq data analysis with R/Biodconductor (Physalia courses, 01. – 12.11.2021). |
| 12/2018 | The Nagoya protocol – challenges and perspectives (Das Nagoya Protokoll – Herausforderungen und Perspektiven, VBU, Dechema and VBIO, Frankfurt, 03.12.2018). |
| 05/2017 | Organizer of the 3D reconstruction workshop in Leipzig (16.05. – 19.05.): “From synchrotron based µ-CT scans to 3D reconstructions and beyond”, cooperation with A. Blanke. |
| 01/2014 | Introduction to Project Management, NHM HR, London, United Kingdom (21.01.2014). |
| 12/2013 | Scientific Simulation and High Performance Computing, QMUL, London, United Kingdom (11.12.2013). |
| 02/2012 | High quality 3D reconstruction for everyone: open-source solutions and their workflow to analyse and publish microCT data (25.02.2012) |
| 02/2008 | Co-organizer of the 5th “European Basal Hexapod Workgroup meeting” and the 1st “Arthropod Primer Toolbox Meeting”, ZFMK Bonn |
| 11/2007 | Organizer of the workshop “Alignment masking and analyses of secondary structures”, ZFMK Bonn |
| 07/2007 | “Tropical Marine Ecology” course Texas A&M University (TAMUG, USA) |
| 11/2006 | Co-organizer of the “3rd European Basal Hexapod Workgroup meeting”, ZFMK Bonn |
| 02/2006 | Co-organizer of the “ 2nd European Basal Hexapod Workgroup meeting”, ZFMK Bonn |
| 04/2007 | Phylogeny workshop: “tree alignment and databases”, Vienna. Austria |
| 05/2006 | Laboratory workshop: “cDNA libraries and cloning”. Max Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics. Berlin. Germany |
Non-universitary activities & skills
| 03/2011 – 03/ 2012 | Economic Course (AKAD): Project management & decision techniques. |
| Since 05/2007 | Scuba diving (PADI: OW, AOWD, Nitrox), Technical diving (Tech Essential, IANTD/NACD: Full Cave diver, IANTD: Sidemount Diver). |
| 1998 – 2006 | Founder and member of the “Bonner Arbeitskreis für Fledermausschutz, (BAFF)”: Research and protection of local bat fauna, Diversity in local cave systems |
| Language skills | English fluently. French basic knowledge |