Max Planck Research Groups

We explore the genetic basis of polygenic adaptation in complex traits such as body size, temperature adaptation, and developmental timing. Using a multidisciplinary approach, we combine experimental evolution in Drosophila populations, time-resolved genomic analyses, and theoretical models. We investigate how factors like population size, selection pressure, and genetic redundancy influence adaptation. Our goal is to uncover the underlying genetic mechanisms and the repeatability of adaptation across populations and species. [more]

Nature is structured in time by the continuous cycles of the seasons, night and day, the moon phases and the tides. Most organisms use endogenous biological clocks to anticipate these regular changes in their environment. To date we have a good understanding of the molecular basis of circadian clocks, which control the daily rhythms of physiology and behaviour. However, the molecular clockworks underlying seasonal, lunar and tidal rhythms are still largely enigmatic. [more]

Our research explores three key questions in evolutionary developmental biology: How do conserved genes create diverse structures and drive morphological variability? How did vertebrate cell types evolve, and what role did de novo genes play? What mechanisms underlie the co-evolution of the brain and skull? By addressing these, we aim to uncover the origins of complexity and diversity in vertebrates. [more]

Our lab bridges cell and evolutionary biology by studying the origins and diversification of dynamic cellular features, focusing on bacterial endospore formation to uncover key evolutionary processes. [more]

With our research we want to identify and map the genes behind the components shaping the migratory phenotype. We want to understand: What is the genetic basis of migration, and which signalling pathways are associated with variation of the migratory phenotype? [more]