The main theme of my research is the systematics and comparative anatomy of free-living and parasitic copepods, and the application of phylogenetic reconstruction to examine their evolution and ecological radiation, using morphology and molecular markers. Copepods are one of the best models to study fundamental phenomena like the evolution of parasitism and the marine-freshwater transition, and to test fundamental hypotheses such as the claim of oligomerization being the predominant mode of character transformation in Crustacea, and the enemy release hypothesis in invasion ecology. Part of my research focuses on these intrinsically interesting questions.
Teaching students and professionals the methods how to observe, illustrate and describe copepods defines the red line throughout my career. Training the next generation is key to the survival and success of our research community and I have devoted much time to it which brought me great satisfaction. I was involved as a tutor or organizer in student training workshops on free-living and symbiotic copepods since 2001. In 2022 I co-organized the international copepod conference (ICOC) which was widely considered as the most successful ICOC ever, welcoming an unprecedentedly high participation of students. I have served the World Association of Copepodologists (WAC) as a member of the Executive Council (1996–2002; 2022–present, and as Vice-President (2008–2011), President (2011–2014) and Past-President (2014–2017).
In 2017 I became the recipient of the Monoculus Award for research excellence and exceptionally devoted service and contributions to the activities of WAC.
For the last ten years I have assisted the editors of WoRMS in solving nomenclatural issues related to copepods and related crustaceans.
Taxonomische term: Copepoda
[WoRMS]
