Research interests

My research interests lie within the framework of evolutionary biology and behavioral ecology, with special focus on ecophysiology and immunoecology. I use experimental approaches to investigate evolutionary mechanisms underlying phenotypic variation. A central aspect of my most recent projects is the role of oxidative stress and telomeres as physiological mediators of life history strategies and trade-offs. Past work as well as current side projects concern variation in (maternally derived) steroid hormones and their effect on the offspring phenotype. For my work, I use lizards and birds as a study species.

Short biography

I graduated in Integrative Biology at the University of Basel, Switzerland, in 2002 and subsequently moved to Sweden where I went on to do a PhD at the Department of Animal Ecology, Lund University, between 2003 and 2007. After my PhD defense, I have been involved in several research projects in Sweden and Australia (supported by a post-doctoral fellowship from the Swiss National Science Foundation and a Marie Curie International Outgoing Fellowship (FP7)). I am currently involved in a research project on immune-ecology and ageing in birds.