
Lab Members » Past

Jasmine Haskell
short-term ESR in ITN IGNITE 2021/2022
Genomics
Supervisor: Gert Wörheide
short-term ESR in ITN IGNITE 2021/2022
Genomics
Supervisor: Gert Wörheide

Dr. Zara-Lousie Cowan
Post-Doc (2021)
Crown-of-thorns seastars
Post-Doc (2021)
Crown-of-thorns seastars

Saudat Alishayeva
EES Internship 2021
Student Research Assistant
Genomics
EES Internship 2021
Student Research Assistant
Genomics

Vani Tirumalasetty
Student Research Assistant
SpongeTaxonOMICs v2
Student Research Assistant
SpongeTaxonOMICs v2

Leonard Namuth
MSc Student MGAP
Supervisor Dirk Erpenbeck
MSc Student MGAP
Supervisor Dirk Erpenbeck

Emily Schrödel
BSc student 2021
Deep sea sponges
Supervisor Dirk Erpenbeck, Gert Wörheide
BSc student 2021
Deep sea sponges
Supervisor Dirk Erpenbeck, Gert Wörheide

Sonja Kleucker
BSc student 2021
Moving Tethya
Supervisor: Oliver Voigt, Gert Wörheide
BSc student 2021
Moving Tethya
Supervisor: Oliver Voigt, Gert Wörheide

Stefanie Ries
MSc student 2020 MGAP
Sponge biodiversity
Supervisor: Dirk Erpenbeck
Co-Supervisor: Oliver Voigt
MSc student 2020 MGAP
Sponge biodiversity
Supervisor: Dirk Erpenbeck
Co-Supervisor: Oliver Voigt

Sebastian Gölitz
BSc student 2020
Sponge holotype barcoding
Supervisor: Dirk Erpenbeck
BSc student 2020
Sponge holotype barcoding
Supervisor: Dirk Erpenbeck

Sophie Rötzer
BSc student 2020
Sponge Biodiversity
Supervisor: Dirk Erpenbeck
BSc student 2020
Sponge Biodiversity
Supervisor: Dirk Erpenbeck

Daniela Rettenberger
BSc student 2020
Sponge Biodiversity
Supervisor: Dirk Erpenbeck
BSc student 2020
Sponge Biodiversity
Supervisor: Dirk Erpenbeck

Mortiz Dirnberger
BSc student 2020
Ancient lake freshwater sponges
Supervisor:Dirk Erpenbeck
BSc student 2020
Ancient lake freshwater sponges
Supervisor:Dirk Erpenbeck

Simone Busch
BSc student 2020
Sponge Biodiversity
Supervisor: Dirk Erpenbeck
BSc student 2020
Sponge Biodiversity
Supervisor: Dirk Erpenbeck

Neda Rahnamae
MGAP Masters Student 2018/2019
Supervisor Dirk Erpenbeck
MGAP Masters Student 2018/2019
Supervisor Dirk Erpenbeck

Madeleine Kündgen
Bachelor Student 2018/2019
Spervisor Dirk Erpenbeck
Bachelor Student 2018/2019
Spervisor Dirk Erpenbeck

Emilie Kaltenbacher
MGAP Masters Student 2018/1019
Supervisor Gert Wörheide
MGAP Masters Student 2018/1019
Supervisor Gert Wörheide

Elsa Girard
MGAP Masters Student 2018/2019
Supervisor Gert Wörheide
Since 2020 started a PhD in ITN 4D-Reef at Naturalis (NL)
MGAP Masters Student 2018/2019
Supervisor Gert Wörheide
Since 2020 started a PhD in ITN 4D-Reef at Naturalis (NL)

Ksenia Juravel
ESR in ITN IGNITE (2018-2021)
Deep phylogeny
Supervisor: Gert Wörheide
ESR in ITN IGNITE (2018-2021)
Deep phylogeny
Supervisor: Gert Wörheide

Max Bergius
Bachelor Student (Supervisor Oliver Voigt)
Summer Semester 2018
Bachelor Student (Supervisor Oliver Voigt)
Summer Semester 2018

Leonard Namuth
Bachelor Student (Supervisor Dirk Erpenbeck)
Summer Semester 2018
Bachelor Student (Supervisor Dirk Erpenbeck)
Summer Semester 2018

Fabian Deister
PhD student in SPP "Taxon-OMICS" (DFG funded project on Sponge TaxonOMICs)
2018 - 2021
(PhD not finished yet)
PhD student in SPP "Taxon-OMICS" (DFG funded project on Sponge TaxonOMICs)
2018 - 2021
(PhD not finished yet)

Benedetta Fradusco
PhD student (DFG)
Biomineralization in calcareous sponges
(supervisor Oliver Voigt)
until June 2019
PhD student (DFG)
Biomineralization in calcareous sponges
(supervisor Oliver Voigt)
until June 2019

Cüneyet Caglar
MGAP Masters student 2016/2017
Xenia regeneration
(supervisor Sergio Vargas)
MGAP Masters student 2016/2017
Xenia regeneration
(supervisor Sergio Vargas)

Thorsten Zimmer
MGAP Masters student 2016/2017
Pinnigorgia biomineralization
(supervisor Sergio Vargas)
MGAP Masters student 2016/2017
Pinnigorgia biomineralization
(supervisor Sergio Vargas)

Laura Leiva
MGAP Masters student 2016/2017
Collospongia auris
(supervisor Sergio Vargas)
MGAP Masters student 2016/2017
Collospongia auris
(supervisor Sergio Vargas)

Dr. Dan Mills
Visiting PhD student and now PostDoc
from Canfield Lab in Odense (Denmark)
various visits from 2014-2017.
Visiting PhD student and now PostDoc
from Canfield Lab in Odense (Denmark)
various visits from 2014-2017.

Markus Roller
BSc Student 2016
BSc Student 2016

Laurent Garbay
BSc Student 2016
BSc Student 2016

Sarah Benning
BSc Student 2016
BSc Student 2016

Emilie Kaltenbacher
BSc Student 2016
BSc Student 2016

Benjamin Eickhoff
BSc Student 2016
BSc Student 2016

Stephanie Wandinger
BSc Student 2016
BSc Student 2016

Melanie Sommer
BSc Student 2016
BSc Student 2016

Dr. Yu Liu
Post Doc 2016 (LMUexcellent)
Cambrian arthropods
Post Doc 2016 (LMUexcellent)
Cambrian arthropods

Carolin Gut
2015/2016 MGAP Masters student:
Diversity and Phylogenetic Relationships of Tetractinellids from the Bahamas
2015/2016 MGAP Masters student:
Diversity and Phylogenetic Relationships of Tetractinellids from the Bahamas

Dr. Nicola Conci
(PhD student 2015-2020, DFG)
Genetics of coral biomineralization
(supervisor Gert Wörheide & Sergio Vargas)
June 2020- April 2021: PostDoc
since April 2021 working in the Industry
(PhD student 2015-2020, DFG)
Genetics of coral biomineralization
(supervisor Gert Wörheide & Sergio Vargas)
June 2020- April 2021: PostDoc
since April 2021 working in the Industry

Peter Hofstetter
Bachelor student, SoSe 2015
Calcification and climate change in hydrocorals
Bachelor student, SoSe 2015
Calcification and climate change in hydrocorals

Raúl González Pech
2015: EES Masters student
Coral Transcriptomics
2015: EES Masters student
Coral Transcriptomics

Dr. Warren Francis
PostDoc
Comparative genomics and transcriptomics
Funded by LMUexcellent project MODELSPONGE 2014-2016
Funded by VILLUM Fonden (DK) grant 2016/2017
Now in Denmark doing a PostDoc.
PostDoc
Comparative genomics and transcriptomics
Funded by LMUexcellent project MODELSPONGE 2014-2016
Funded by VILLUM Fonden (DK) grant 2016/2017
Now in Denmark doing a PostDoc.

Dr. Michael Eitel
PostDoc
Project Manager
ITN IGNITE
PostDoc
Project Manager
ITN IGNITE

Dr. Martin Dohrmann
Post Doc (2016 - 2020)
DFG Research Fellow
(2013-2016)
Post Doc (2016 - 2020)
DFG Research Fellow
(2013-2016)

André Kittelmann
MSc student 2014/15
Expression and Function of Biomineralization genes in Calcareous Sponges
BSc student 2013: Climate change and marine organisms: soft-corals
MSc student 2014/15
Expression and Function of Biomineralization genes in Calcareous Sponges
BSc student 2013: Climate change and marine organisms: soft-corals

Lea Wiser
BSc student 2013: Climate change and marine organisms: Tethya wilhelma
BSc student 2013: Climate change and marine organisms: Tethya wilhelma

Angelo Poliseno
(PhD student, graduated 2016)
Systematics of Octocorals
(supervisor Gert Wörheide & Sergio Vargas)
(PhD student, graduated 2016)
Systematics of Octocorals
(supervisor Gert Wörheide & Sergio Vargas)

Dr. Verena Witt
(PostDoc)
Coral reef ecology
(PostDoc)
Coral reef ecology


Markus Steiner
Student Research Assistant - Aquaria
BSc student 2013: Phylogeny of freshwater sponges
Student Research Assistant - Aquaria
BSc student 2013: Phylogeny of freshwater sponges

Fabian Keller
Student Research Assistant
BSc student 2013: Phylogeography of Indo-Pacific Echinoderms
Student Research Assistant
BSc student 2013: Phylogeography of Indo-Pacific Echinoderms

Daniel Frank
MSc Student 2012/2013
Microbiome of Antarctic sponges
MSc Student 2012/2013
Microbiome of Antarctic sponges

Nicola Heckeberg
(PhD student) (Elitenetzwerk Bayern, DAAD) (2013 - 2017)
Molecular Palaeobiology of Cervidae.
(co-supervision with PD Dr. Gertrud Roessner, BSPG, and Dr. Rob Asher, University of Cambridge, UK)
(PhD student) (Elitenetzwerk Bayern, DAAD) (2013 - 2017)
Molecular Palaeobiology of Cervidae.
(co-supervision with PD Dr. Gertrud Roessner, BSPG, and Dr. Rob Asher, University of Cambridge, UK)

Maria Tsekhmistrenko
BSc student 2012
Calcification and climate change
BSc student 2012
Calcification and climate change

Gaurav Shimpi
(PhD Student 2012-2015) (DAAD)
Mitochondrial repair in non-bilaterian animals.
(PhD Student 2012-2015) (DAAD)
Mitochondrial repair in non-bilaterian animals.

Miriam Küstner
MSc student 2012/2013
Phylogeography of Leucetta chagosensis
MSc student 2012/2013
Phylogeography of Leucetta chagosensis

Niklas Petschko
MSc student 2014/15
Investigating the microbiome of Sponges
BSc student 2012
Reef Check in the Red Sea
MSc student 2014/15
Investigating the microbiome of Sponges
BSc student 2012
Reef Check in the Red Sea

Beaty Slaby
MSc Student 2012
Microbiome of Tethya wilhelma
MSc Student 2012
Microbiome of Tethya wilhelma

Kerstin Pick
Deep poriferan phylogeny.
DFG project Wo896/6-1.
Deep poriferan phylogeny.
DFG project Wo896/6-1.

Astrid Schuster
(PhD student, DFG):
Evolution and systematics of lithistid sponges (2014 - 2017)
(supervisor Dirk Erpenbeck & Gert Wörheide)
(PhD student, DFG):
Evolution and systematics of lithistid sponges (2014 - 2017)
(supervisor Dirk Erpenbeck & Gert Wörheide)

Iris Kokkonen
MSc Student 2010
Coral microbiome
MSc Student 2010
Coral microbiome

Saskia Boerner
MSc-Student 2011
Gazella phylogenetics
(co-supervised with PD Dr. Gertrud Roessner)
MSc-Student 2011
Gazella phylogenetics
(co-supervised with PD Dr. Gertrud Roessner)

Katharina Sacher
MSc Student 2012/2013
Coral Calcification and climate change
MSc Student 2012/2013
Coral Calcification and climate change

Benedikt Kuttner
2010-2014: Student Research Assistant - Aquaria
MSc Student 2014/15
Rapid phylo-diversity assessment of the Kimberley’s Archipelago octocoral fauna
BSc student 2012
Assessment of symbiont diversity in stony corals around Sichang Island, Gulf of Thailand. In collaboration with Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand.
2010-2014: Student Research Assistant - Aquaria
MSc Student 2014/15
Rapid phylo-diversity assessment of the Kimberley’s Archipelago octocoral fauna
BSc student 2012
Assessment of symbiont diversity in stony corals around Sichang Island, Gulf of Thailand. In collaboration with Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand.

Dr. Susanne Schmitt
(Assistant Professor) 2011/2012
(Assistant Professor) 2011/2012

Dr. Tetyana Nosenko
2009-2012: Post-Doctoral Researcher (DFG Project : Wo896/6, SPP1174 Deep Metazoan Phylogeny): Deep non-bilaterian phylogeny.
Now PostDoc in Wolfgang Stephan's group at LMU Biology.
2009-2012: Post-Doctoral Researcher (DFG Project : Wo896/6, SPP1174 Deep Metazoan Phylogeny): Deep non-bilaterian phylogeny.
Now PostDoc in Wolfgang Stephan's group at LMU Biology.

Dr. Nikolaus Császár
(Post-Doc)
Genetics of coral calcification
(Post-Doc)
Genetics of coral calcification

Dr. Azizur Rahman
(Humboldt Research Fellow, 2009-2012)
Proteomics of biomineralization in soft- and hard corals
from June 2012: Senior Researcher at the University of Hongkong
(Humboldt Research Fellow, 2009-2012)
Proteomics of biomineralization in soft- and hard corals
from June 2012: Senior Researcher at the University of Hongkong

Dr. Sergio Vargas
(PhD Student 2009-2012)
Evolution and Phylogeography of Antarctic sponges
DFG project Wo896/9-1.
Now back in Costa Rica.
(PhD Student 2009-2012)
Evolution and Phylogeography of Antarctic sponges
DFG project Wo896/9-1.
Now back in Costa Rica.

Ratih Aryasari
(PhD student) (Indonesian Government)
Molecular biodiversity and ecology of East-Asian marine invertebrates.
(PhD student) (Indonesian Government)
Molecular biodiversity and ecology of East-Asian marine invertebrates.

Klementyna Karlinska
PhD Student 2007 - 2013
(DFG: Wo896/7-1 "Deep Downunder" 2008-2010)
Geomicrobiology of coralline sponges
Has a good job in the industry from January 2014.
PhD Student 2007 - 2013
(DFG: Wo896/7-1 "Deep Downunder" 2008-2010)
Geomicrobiology of coralline sponges
Has a good job in the industry from January 2014.

Dr. Christine Böhmer
PhD student 2010-2013 (Studienstiftung des Deutschen Volkes)
Evo-devo of archaeosaurs
From Feb 2014 Post-Doc in Japan.
PhD student 2010-2013 (Studienstiftung des Deutschen Volkes)
Evo-devo of archaeosaurs
From Feb 2014 Post-Doc in Japan.

Edwin Setiawan
(PhD Student) (DAAD)
Biodiversity and radiation of selected indonesian petrosiid sponges
(PhD Student) (DAAD)
Biodiversity and radiation of selected indonesian petrosiid sponges

Paul Klar
Student Reasearch Assistant 2010
Informatics
Student Reasearch Assistant 2010
Informatics

Philip Comans
Student Research Assistant 2010/2011
Bioinformatics
Student Research Assistant 2010/2011
Bioinformatics

Dr. Catherine Vogler
(PhD Student 2006-2010, Research Associate 2011)
(PhD Student 2006-2010, Research Associate 2011)

Dr. Claire Larroux
(Humboldt Research Fellow, 2010/2011)
Evo-Devo of tissue evolution
(Humboldt Research Fellow, 2010/2011)
Evo-Devo of tissue evolution

Benjamin Läuchli
Student Research Assistant 2010
Student Research Assistant 2010

Vincent Eichmann
BSc-Student 2010
Phylogeography of sponges
BSc-Student 2010
Phylogeography of sponges

Julia Almes
MSc-Student 2010
Coral microbiome
MSc-Student 2010
Coral microbiome

Annamarie Gabrenya
Student Research Assistant 2009/2010
Student Research Assistant 2009/2010

Lena Wilde
Student Research Assistant 2009/2010
Student Research Assistant 2009/2010

Janine Arloth
Student Research Assistant 2009/2010
Student Research Assistant 2009/2010

Stephan Lautenschlager
Student Research Assistant 2009/2010
Student Research Assistant 2009/2010

Sarah Adolf
BSc-Student 2010
DNA barcoding of deep-sea organisms
BSc-Student 2010
DNA barcoding of deep-sea organisms

Kristian Karl
MSc-Student 2010
Biomineralisation of Octocorals
MSc-Student 2010
Biomineralisation of Octocorals

Fabian Schreiber
(PhD Student)
Project:
Deep poriferan phylogeny.
DFG project Wo896/6-1.
2010: Post-Doc in Sweden.
(PhD Student)
Project:
Deep poriferan phylogeny.
DFG project Wo896/6-1.
2010: Post-Doc in Sweden.

Dr. Martin Dohrmann
(Post-Doctoral Researcher)
Phylogeny and Evolution of hexactinellid sponges.
2010/2010 Post-Doc at the Smithsonian Institution (Washington DC)
(Post-Doctoral Researcher)
Phylogeny and Evolution of hexactinellid sponges.
2010/2010 Post-Doc at the Smithsonian Institution (Washington DC)

Ana Catalan
(Student Research Assistant)
(Student Research Assistant)

Monica Arias
(Student Research Assistant)
(Student Research Assistant)

Dr. Nina Yasuda
(JSPS Research Fellow)
Population genetics of Linckia laevigata (blue sea star)
(JSPS Research Fellow)
Population genetics of Linckia laevigata (blue sea star)

Mehmet Gültas
(Student Research Assistant)
(Student Research Assistant)

Andreas Dietzel
(BSc candidate)
Project:
DNA barcoding of sponges.
(BSc candidate)
Project:
DNA barcoding of sponges.

Judith Pöppe
(MSc student)
Project:
DNA barcoding of sponges.
(MSc student)
Project:
DNA barcoding of sponges.

Luciana Macis
(Research Associate)
Project:
Biocalcification in coralline demosponges.
DFG project Wo896/4-1.
(Research Associate)
Project:
Biocalcification in coralline demosponges.
DFG project Wo896/4-1.

Kerstin Morcinek
(MSc student) May 2007-Feb 2008
Project:
Population genetics of crown-of-thorns starfish.
(MSc student) May 2007-Feb 2008
Project:
Population genetics of crown-of-thorns starfish.

Jana Groeneveld
(Student Research Assistant)
(Student Research Assistant)

Christine von Leliwa
(BSc student)
Analysis of 10 years Reef Check in the Red Sea
In cooperation with ReefCeck Europe.
(BSc student)
Analysis of 10 years Reef Check in the Red Sea
In cooperation with ReefCeck Europe.

Wiebke Kallweit
(Student research assistant)
(Student research assistant)

Christian Menke
(Student research assistant)
(Student research assistant)

Dr. Daniel Jackson
(Postdoctoral Fellow)
August 2005-November 2006.
Project: Biocalcification in coralline demosponges. DFG project Wo896/4-1.
January-December 2007
ARC International Linkage Project:
Evolution of the biofabrication of mineralized structures in animals (with Prof. Degnan, The University of Queensland).
(Postdoctoral Fellow)
August 2005-November 2006.
Project: Biocalcification in coralline demosponges. DFG project Wo896/4-1.
January-December 2007
ARC International Linkage Project:
Evolution of the biofabrication of mineralized structures in animals (with Prof. Degnan, The University of Queensland).

Katja Hunold
(Student Research Assistant)
(Student Research Assistant)

Eilika Wülfing
(Student Research Assistant)
(Student Research Assistant)

Ricarda Banse
(Student Research Assistant)
(Student Research Assistant)

Bastian Bentlage
Project:
Comparative phylogeography of Australasian sponges. MSc project from March 2005 to February 2006.
Now doing a PhD at the University of Kansas, USA.
Project:
Comparative phylogeography of Australasian sponges. MSc project from March 2005 to February 2006.
Now doing a PhD at the University of Kansas, USA.

Julia Goldberg
Project:
Intragenomic variation of the rDNA internal transcribed spacers in sponges (Porifera).
(MSc project from August 2002
to June 2003).
Now doing a PhD in New Zealand.
Project:
Intragenomic variation of the rDNA internal transcribed spacers in sponges (Porifera).
(MSc project from August 2002
to June 2003).
Now doing a PhD in New Zealand.

Anne Müller
(Student Research Assistant)
(Student Research Assistant)

Laura Epp
Project:
Phylogeography of Indo-Pacific
Leucettidae.
(MSc project from March 2003 to December 2003)
Now doing a PhD in Potsdam and Africa.
Project:
Phylogeography of Indo-Pacific
Leucettidae.
(MSc project from March 2003 to December 2003)
Now doing a PhD in Potsdam and Africa.
