Here at the worm-lab at the University of Cologne we study all kinds of vermiform animals, with a strong focus on the roundworms (phylum Nematoda).
Under the umbrella of research in ecology, evolution and/of development (EcoEvoDevo) our goal is to: — understand why roundworms are locked into a vermiform Bauplan; — study their biodiversity in the face of climate change and learn how they can thrive in extreme environments, some of them without sex; and last but not least — to fight the parasitic worms causing neglected tropical diseases.
We are always open for collaborations and we love to talk to everyone about our science, so please don't hesitate to get in touch through any of the channels listed below. Also if you want to work with us, maybe have a crazy cool idea for a research project, please get in touch as well.
Together with Ann-Marie Waldvogel here in Cologne we are now part of the CRC1211 a research cluster working in the Atacama and Namib deserts. Along with the nematode taxonomist Oleksandr Holovachov from the Natural History museum in Sweden we will investigate the biodiversity of roundworms in one of the driest places on earth. We will also analyse if asexual species are more successful than sexual ones in extreme environments. Looking at how stressful abiotic conditions influence the speed of evolution we will predict how climate change will affect organisms.
See how we work in the lab and in the field. Take a look at our lablife page to learn more about what we are doing in our projects in photos and videos. There is also a blog about science, the world, and everything.
Pictures in the "Our Science" section are: by courtesy of Einhard Schierenberg / from Blaxter 2012 / from wikipedia.org (under CC BY 2.0, CC BY-SA 4.0 licences).
