Scientific Assistant (C1), associate head of the department
Current Research
The main research focus is on sensory ecology of subterranean mammals
Brain studies using fMRT
olfactory and acoustic communication
auditory threshold determination
magnetic orientation
(colour) vision
morphological studies of middle and inner ears (Spalacopus and Ctenomys)
proteomics (MUPs major urinary proteins of Cryptomys, Spalax, Spalacopus)
analyses of body growth in subterranean mammals (e.g. Gompertz growth curves)
Curriculum Vitae
Born 1968 in Germany
1985-1990 apprentice and official in the revenue office of Duisburg
1991-1996 studied mathematics and biology at the University of Essen
1996 state examination, thesis (Department of General Zoology at the University of Essen): Growth and development of Zambian common mole-rats (Cryptomys sp.); started Ph.D. study about Chilean Coruros
1997-1998 fieldwork in Chile, collaboration with Dr. Milton H. Gallardo (Univ. Austral de Chile)
1998 microsatellite analysis at Texas A&M University, USA (Wildlife and Fisheries Dept.), collaboration with Prof. Dr. Rodney L. Honeycutt
1999 PhD-Thesis. 'Behavioral-ecological and genetic analyses of the social and population structure of Coruros (Spalacopus cyanus, Octodontidae, Rodentia) from Chile.' (in German)
January-March 2000 research assistant, Dept. Gen. Zoology, Univ. Essen
March 2000 Dr. rer. nat. (PhD) in zoology, Univ. of Essen
March 2000-July 2001 Research associate (C1), Dept. Gen. Zoology, Univ. Essen
August 2001-August 2003 Maternity leave (birth of the second child)
Since September 2003 Research fellow in the Lise-Meitner scholarship program
Reviewer for: Journal of Morphology, Journal of Mammalogy, Journal of Zoology (London), Journal of Comparative Physiology A, Ethology, Animal Behaviour, Growth, Development & Aging, Naturwissenschaften, Mastozoologica Neotropical, Acta Theriologica, Journal of Ethology