Suggested IRT Projects

From EESwiki

Below are some possible IRT projects for EES Masters students, grouped by lab. Please note that the listed projects are just suggestions. Students are encouraged to come up with their own projects, especially in the later semesters.

Max Planck Institute for Ornithology Seewiesen

Prof. Dr. Bart Kempenaers, Director of the MPI for Ornithology

• Behavioral ecology of blue tits (with Dr. Mihai Valcu)
• Do zebra finches lower their voice when they meet a competitor? (with Dr. Wolfgang Forstmeier)
• Do females prefer unfamiliar sons of their foster parents? (with Dr. Wolfgang Forstmeier)
• Do females prefer males with dissimilar MHC alleles? (with Dr. Wolfgang Forstmeier)
• Candidate genetic polymorphisms for behavioral traits (with Dr. Jakob Mueller)

Evolutionary Ecology

Dr. Justyna Wolinska, Dept. Evolutionary Ecology, LMU Biozentrum

• Red Queen dynamics in nature (with Justyna Wolinska)
• Influence of (host) internal environment on the host-parasite interactions (with Justyna Wolinska)
• Parasites affecting zooplankton behavior (with Justyna Wolinska)
• Why are hybrids between species are often successful? (with Justyna Wolinska)

Evolutionary and Functional Genomics

Prof. Dr. John Parsch, Dept. Evolutionary and Functional Genomics, LMU Biozentrum

• Molecular evolution of sex-biased genes
• Functional genomics of Drosophila gene expression

Systematic Botany

Prof. Dr. Susanne Renner, Dept. Systematic Biology, LMU Botanical Institute

• Research projects on Cucurbitaceae biogeography, chromosome evolution, and flower and fruit evolution

Systematic Zoology

At The ZSM

Prof. Dr. Haszprunar, Director of the (ZSM) Zoologischen Staatssammlung München

• Systematics (morphology) on aquatic insects (with Burmeister)
• Systematics (morphology, SEM/TEM) on Orthoptera, Heteroptera, Hymenoptera (with Schönitzer)
• Systematics (morphology, SEM/TEM) on Crustacea, Pantopoda, and certain Insecta (with Melzer)
• Systematics (morphology, 3D & molecules) on opisthobranch Gastropoda (with Schrödl)
• Systematics and evolutionary biology (mainly molecular) on teleost fishes (with Schliewen)
• Systematics (morphology, bioacustics, faunistics) on amphibians and reptiles (with Glaw)
• Systematics (morphology, SEM/TEM, 3D) of basic pulmonate Gastropoda and Mollusca in general (with Ruthensteiner)

At The Martinsried Haszilab

Dr. Martin Heß, LMU Haszi lab

• 3D microanatomy of minute gastropods to clarify their systematic position
• Bivalve development and phylogeny
• Molecular taxonomy and speciation in terrestrial slugs
• Functional (high-tech) morphology of visual systems (teleosts, molluscs, arthropods)