Spider & Insect Genomics

Gene/Genome duplication

Gene duplications are exntensivley studied in vertebrates and plants. We increased the number of chromosome-level spider genomes to reveal gene content evolution in chelicerates and insects to reveal their impact on phenotypic diversification and evolutionary novelties. 
Combining comparative developmental biology, gene function studies, and mutli-omics we reveal how paralogs can diverge in expression and function.

Climate Change 

Implications of heat waves on arthropod fitness, development, and, gene expression 

While the impact of temperature on adult survival and behaviour is intensively studied, the impact of increasing tempartures on the underlying gene expression changes as well as crucial processes during developmental stages is often overlooked. To close this gap we study these aspects in various insects and spiders.

Arthropod sense organs

Evolution and Development 

We study external sense organ development and determination in closely related Drosophila species and spiders to reveal cis-regulatory and gene function changes underlying the diversification in number, distribution and type.

Check Out the Individual Projects and the Team