Julia is now at Senckenberg Deutsches Entomologisches Institut (SDEI)

I am a postdoctoral researcher in the Nehring Lab. My main interest is the usage of molecular methods to identify species, and to infer phylogenetic relationships and evolutionary processes for all kinds of animals. In this context, gene and genome sequencing provide a solid basis to study species relatedness, movement and evolution as well as their population structures.

Current Project: Mite biodiversity (Poecilochirus carabi) and their co-evolution with the burying beetle genus Nicrophorus

The mites of the P. carabi species complex are known to disperse by their phoretic interactions with the burying beetle genus Nicrophorus. Behavioral studies have shown that certain mites have a preference for a specific beetle species. However, it is still unknown how diverse this mite species complex is and how much the mites on one beetle species differ. My current work investigates the molecular/genetic mite diversity. I will also establish a mite phylogeny to analyze biogeographic patterns.

CV

2019 – PhD Evolutionary Biology, University of Potsdam

2014 – M. Sc. Biodiversity, Ecology and Evolution, University of Göttingen/ Leibniz Institute of Zoo and Wildlife Research Berlin

2011 – B. Sc. Biology, Technical University of Braunschweig