Molecular Phylogeny & Systematics of Invertebrates

Molecular phylogenetics and systematics is the centrepiece of our research projects. In this context, we have been dealing with various organisms, from bacteria to arthropods, including ticks and flies. Systematic and phylogenetic studies in biology are important in a number of ways (e.g. provision of names for organisms, identification keys) and encompass several areas of study (e.g. biotechnology, ecology, agriculture, evolutionary biology, pharmacology, human and veterinary medicine, parasitology, conservation biology, and many others). It is also becoming increasingly realised that taxonomy, and phylogenetic studies in particular, can add greatly to other areas of biological science in which the comparative method is central to experimental design and data interpretation.

Former head of group: Dr. Marco Bernasconi