Former PhD students

Nikolaus Koniszewski (until 2011) has established Tribolium as model for embryonic central complex development and has identified several novel genes required for its formation.

Nico Posnien (until 2010) has performed an RNAi screen to identify genes required for head development. He found that many genes known to be involved in vertebrate neural plate patterning do also have specific expression and function in the insect head. In addition, Nico has worked on the nature and evolution of the labrum - a structure that has puzzled entomologists for decades.
Currently postdoc at Institut für Populationsgenetik, Veterinärmedizinische Universität Wien(Dr. Alistair McGregor), Vienna, Austria

Johannes Schinko (until 2010) has has analyzed expression and function of the head gap gene orthologs orthodenticle, empty spiracles and buttonhead in Tribolium. Moreover, he has identified mutants and enhancer traps in the head and has contributed in developing enhanced mutator constructs. Finally, he has established heatshock mediated misexpression and the binary UAS/Gal4 system.
Currently postdoc at IMBB, Crete, Greece (Dr. Michalis Averof)

© Gregor Bucher, last update: January 2012