
Group photo September 2023

Dr. Jonas Wolff
Research Group Leader
Zoologisches Institut und Museum
Evolutionäre Biomechanik
Soldmannstraße 14
2. OG, Raum 2.09
17489 Greifswald
Tel.: +49 (0)3834 420-4243
j[dot]wolff[at]uni-greifswald[dot]de
Research Interests
My topic of research is phenotypic and functional biodiversity. With broad integrative comparative and phylogenetic approaches I aim to contribute to the understanding of why life on our planet is so diverse, the drivers of phenotypic and functional change, and how different components of the phenotype (morphology, behaviour and mechanical properties) evolve in concert and affect ecological functions. One focus of research is 'evolutionary biomechanics', i.e. I aim to clarify the evolutionary origins and effects of outstanding physical performance of biological materials, structures and organisms. This is crucial for the understanding of the biological roles of organisms (such as in predator prey interactions) and their change over time. Furthermore, my research helps to identify interesting model systems that can inform technological innovations in a process called 'biomimetics'. Besides, I am interested in the phylogenetics, systematics, biogeography and functional morphology of arthropods, especially arachnids.
since 09/2022 | Research Group Leader at the University of Greifswald, Germany. ERC-project SuPerSilk - Melding behavioural ecology and biomaterials research to track the evolution of mechanical super-performance of spider silk composites |
since 02/2021 | Project Leader at the University of Greifswald, Germany. DFG-project A window into key events of spider evolution: Tracking the phylogenetic history of a phenotypically dynamic clade of spiders - the Austral marronoids |
since 02/2021 | Honorary Postdoctoral Fellow at Macquarie University, Sydney. PhD supervisor and collaborative research projects |
01/2019 – 01/2021 | ARC Discovery Early Career Researcher Award Research Fellow at Macquarie University, Australia. DECRA-project Building your future: builder-building coevolution in animal architectures |
01/2016 – 12/2018 | Macquarie University Research Fellow at Macquarie University, Australia. MQRF-project Tough stickers: How are thread anchors of spiders structurally optimized and ecologically adjusted? |
08/2015 – 12/2015 | PostDoc at the University of Kiel, Germany. Research on surface effects in biological materials. Lecturing Grundlagen der Zoologie, Praktikum |
01/2013 – 06/2013 | Scientific Employee at the Zoological Institute, University of Kiel, Germany. Research on arthropod attachment organs |
11/2009 – 12/2012 | Scientific Student Employee at the Zoological Institute, University of Kiel, Germany. Research on spider attachment organs. Educational assistant |
09/2006 – 08/2007 | Volunteer (FöJ als Zivildienst-Ersatz) at the Species Conservation Department at the district exchange Treptow-Köpenick, Berlin. Field work and data processing (monitoring of bat, amphibian and reptile populations), practical species conservation measures, processing of applications for keeping internationally protected (WA) species |
01/2013 – 08/2015 | Dr. rer. nat. at the University of Kiel, Germany, as a Scholar of the German National Merit Foundation, graded Summa cum laude (with distinction). Project title: Comparative functional morphology of attachment devices in Arachnida. Supervisor: Prof. Stanislav Gorb. Referees: Prof. Hinrich Schulenburg (University of Kiel), PD Dirk Brandis (Zoological Museum Kiel), Prof. Rolf Beutel (Friedrich Schiller University Jena) |
10/2010 – 02/2013 | Master of Science in Biology at the University of Kiel, Germany. Majors: Biodiversity and Evolution; Ecology. Minors: Environmental Management and Conservation; Geography. Master’s Thesis: Phylogenetic analysis of hairy adhesive pads in spiders (Arachnida, Araneae); Supervisor: Prof. Stanislav Gorb |
10/2007 – 09/2010 | Bachelor of Science in Biology at University of Kiel, Germany |
2022 – 2027 | ERC Starting Grant (PI) |
2021 – 2024 | DFG Individual Research Grant (PI) |
2020 | Company of Biologists Scientific Meeting Grant |
2019 – 2021 | ARC Discovery Early Career Researcher Award (PI) |
2017 | Early Career Researcher Outstanding Paper Prize of the Journal of Experimental Biology |
2017 | Company of Biologists Travel Grant (PI) |
2016 – 2018 | Macquarie University Research Fellowship (PI) |
2016 – 2017 | DFG Research Fellowship (PI) [declined in favour of MQRF] |
2016 | KiNSIS PhD-Award for Nano Life Science of the core network Kiel Nano, Surface and Interface Science |
2016 | Annual Faculty-Award ‘Best PhD-Thesis’ of the Faculty of Mathematics and Science, University of Kiel |
2013 – 2015 | PhD Scholarship of the German National Merit Foundation (Studienstiftung des Deutschen Volkes) (PI) |
2015 | DAAD (German Academic Exchange Service) Travel Grant (PI) |
2014 | Biodiversity Award (Förderpreis Biodiversität) of the Academy of Sciences and Literature Mainz |
2014 | DAAD (German Academic Exchange Service) Travel Grant (PI) |
2014 | Society of Experimental Biology Student Travel Grant (PI) |
2013 | Student Grant of the 19th International Congress of Arachnology (PI) |
2012 | Annual Award of the ‘Förderverein der Mathematisch-Naturwissenschaftlichen Fakultät der Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel’ |
2011 | Society of Experimental Biology Student Travel Grant (PI) |
Teaching Experience
Lecturer | University of Kiel biol-102 Grundlagen der Zoologie (2015): practical course for first semester undergraduates on animal anatomy |
Guest lecturer | University of Greifswald Tieranatomische Übungen and Großpraktikum Zoologie (since 2021) |
Macquarie University BIOL316 Invertebrate Biology (2020) | |
University of Bern Arachnological Colloquium (2013) | |
Instructor | Macquarie University BIOL711 Topics in Evolution (2017): writing skill course for graduates |
University of Kiel biol-251 Biologie der Insekten (2015): practical course on insect biomechanics for graduates | |
University of Kiel biol-252 Biomechanik und Bionik (2015): practical course on insect biomechanics for graduates | |
University of Kiel biol-167 Grundlagen der Bionik (2014): practical course on insect biomechanics for undergraduates | |
University of Kiel biol-104 Exkursionen (2010-11): Zoological excursions for undergraduates | |
Teaching Assistant | University of Kiel biol-104 Bestimmungsübungen, biol-102 Grundlagen der Zoologie, biol-151 Baupläne und deren Wandlungsfähigkeit im Tierreich (2009-12): Undergraduate courses on animal anatomy and species identification |
Supervisor | PhD thesis (Macquarie University, co-supervision, 2019-23) |
PhD thesis (University of Greifswald, co-supervision, since 2022) | |
PhD thesis (University of Greifswald, co-supervision, since 2022) | |
Master’s thesis (University of Greifswald, 2022-23) | |
Master’s thesis (Macquarie University, co-supervision, 2017-18) | |
Master’s thesis (University of Bern, external co-supervision, 2014-15) | |
5 Bachelor’s theses (University of Kiel, 2013-16) |
Google Scholar |
Research Gate |
Names underlined were students under my supervision. |
* equal contribution |
Wolff JO, Cherry BR, Yarger JL, Adler L, Thomas DS, Hook JM, Blamires SJ (2023) Organic salt composition of pressure sensitive adhesives produced by spiders. Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution 11, 1123614. doi.org/10.3389/fevo.2023.1123614 |
Ramírez MJ, Wolff JO, Jäger P, Pavlek M, Pérez‐González A, Magalhaes I, Michalik P (2023) Geometric regularity in webs of non‐orb‐weaving spiders. Ecology and Evolution 13, e9839. doi.org/10.1002/ece3.9839 |
Aceves-Aparicio A, Narendra A, McLean DJ, Lowe EC, Christian M, Wolff JO, Schneider JM, Herberstein ME (2022) Fast acrobatic manoeuvres enable arboreal spiders to hunt dangerous prey. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA 119, e2205942119. doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2205942119 |
Wolff JO, Wierucka K, Paterno G, Coddington JA, Hormiga G, Kelly MBJ, Herberstein ME, Ramírez MJ (2022) Stabilized morphological evolution of spiders despite mosaic changes in foraging ecology. Systematic Biology 71, 1487–1503. (Journal Cover) doi.org/10.1093/sysbio/syac023 |
Herberstein ME, McLean DJ, Lowe E, Wolff JO, Khan MK, Smith K, Allen AP, Bulbert M, Buzatto BA, Eldridge MBD, Falster D, Winzer LF, Griffith SC, Madin JS, Narendra A, Westoby M, Whiting MJ, Ian Wright, Carthey A (2022) AnimalTraits: a curated animal database for body mass, metabolic rate and brain size. Scientific Data 9, 265. doi.org/10.1038/s41597-022-01364-9 |
Seiter M, Schwaha T, Prendini L, Gorb SN, Wolff JO (2022) Cerotegument microstructure of whip spiders (Amblypygi: Euamblypygi Weygoldt, 1996) reveals characters for systematics from family to species level. Journal of Morphology 283, 428-445. doi.org/10.1002/jmor.21452 |
Blamires S, Nobbs M, Wolff JO, Heu C (2022) Nutritionally induced nanoscale variations in spider silk structural and mechanical properties. Journal of the Mechanical Behavior of Biomedical Materials 125, 104873. doi.org/10.1016/j.jmbbm.2021.104873 |
Pekár S, Wolff JO, Černecká L, Birkhofer K, Mammola S, Lowe EC, Fukushima CS, … , Cardoso P (2021) The World Spider Trait database (WST): a centralised global open repository for curated data on spider traits. Database 2021, baab064. doi.org/10.1093/database/baab064 |
Wolff JO, Michalik P, Ravelo AM, Herberstein ME, Ramírez MJ (2021) Evolution of silk anchor structure as the joint effect of spinning behavior and spinneret morphology. Integrative and Comparative Biology 61, 1411-1431. doi.org/10.1093/icb/icab003 |
Wolff JO, Wierucka K, Uhl G, Herberstein ME (2021) Building behaviour does not affect rates of phenotypic evolution in spiders. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA 118, e2102693118. doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2102693118 |
Wolff JO, Liprandi D, Bosia F, Joel A-C, Pugno NM (2021) Robust substrate anchorages of silk lines with extensible nano-fibres. Soft Matter 17, 7903-7913. doi.org/10.1039/D1SM00552A |
Seiter M, Schwaha T, Ferreira RL, Prendini L, Wolff JO (2021) Fine structure of the epicuticular secretion coat and associated glands of Pedipalpi and Palpigradi (Arachnida). Journal of Morphology 282, 1158-1169. doi.org/10.1002/jmor.21360 |
Wolff JO, von Byern J, Piorkowski D, Fang J, Wang X, Adler L, Thomas DS, Hook JM, Blamires S (2021) Adhesive droplets of glowworm snares (Keroplatidae: Arachnocampa spp.) are a complex mix of organic compounds. Frontiers in Mechanical Engineering 7, 27. (invited for Research Topic ‘Bioadhesion’). doi.org/10.3389/fmech.2021.661422 |
Wolff JO (2021) Locomotion and kinematics of arachnids. Journal of Comparative Physiology A 207, 99-103. (Editorial for themed issue) doi.org/10.1007/s00359-021-01478-2 |
Wolff JO (2020) Evolutionary kinematics of spinneret movements for rapid silk thread anchorage in spiders. Journal of Comparative Physiology A 207, 141-152. doi.org/10.1007/s00359-020-01453-3 |
Wolff JO, Little D, Herberstein MH (2020) Limits of piriform silk adhesion – similar effects of substrate surface polarity on silk anchor performance in two spider species with disparate microhabitat use. The Science of Nature – Naturwissenschaften 107, 1-10. doi.org/10.1007/s00114-020-01687-w |
Lowe E*, Wolff JO*, Aceves-Aparicio A, Birkhofer K, Branco VV, Cardoso P, …, and Marie E. Herberstein (2020) Towards establishment of a centralized spider traits database. Journal of Arachnology 48, 103-109. doi.org/10.1636/0161-8202-48.2.103 |
Greco G, Wolff JO, Pugno NM (2020) Strong and tough silk for resilient attachment discs: the mechanical properties of piriform silk, in the spider Cupiennius salei (Keyserling, 1877). Frontiers in Materials 7, 138. (invited for Research Topic ‘Frontiers in Silk Science and Technology’). doi.org/10.3389/fmats.2020.00138 |
Wolff JO (2020) The Evolution of Dragline Initiation in Spiders: Multiple Transitions from Multi- to Single-Gland Usage. Diversity 12, 4. (invited for Special Issue ‘Systematics and Evolution of Spiders’ (ed. Goodacre S, Dimitrov D)) doi.org/10.3390/d12010004 |
Jeliazkov A, Mijatovic D, Chantepie S, Andrew N, Arlettaz R, Barbaro L, …, Wolff JO, …, Chase JM (2020) A global database for metacommunity ecology, integrating species, traits, environment and space. Scientific Data 7, 1-15. doi.org/10.1038/s41597-019-0344-7 |
Wolff JO, Paterno GB, Liprandi D, Ramírez MJ, Bosia F, van der Meijden A, Michalik P, Smith HM, Jones BR, Ravelo AM, Pugno N, Herberstein M (2019) Evolution of aerial spider webs coincided with repeated structural optimization of silk anchorages. Evolution 73, 2122-2134. (Journal Cover) doi.org/10.1111/evo.13834 |
Seiter M, Lemell P, Gredler R, Wolff JO (2019) Strike kinematics in the whip spider Charon sp. (Amblypygi: Charontidae). Journal of Arachnology 47, 260-5. doi.org/10.1636/JoA-S-18-089 |
Gibbons AT, Idnurm A, Seiter M, Dyer PS, Kokolski M, Goodacre SL, Gorb SN, Wolff JO (2019) Amblypygid-fungal interactions: The whip spider exoskeleton as a substrate for fungal growth. Fungal Biology 123, 497-506. doi.org/10.1016/j.funbio.2019.05.003 |
Wirth M, Wolff JO, Appel E, Gorb SN. (2019) Ultrastructure of spider thread anchorages. Journal of Morphology 280, 534-43. doi.org/10.1002/jmor.20962 |
Kruppert S, Deussen L, Weiss LC, Horstmann M, Wolff JO, Kleinteich T, Gorb SN, Tollrian R (2019) Zooplankters’ nightmare: The fast and efficient catching basket of larval phantom midges (Diptera: Chaoborus). PloS One 14, e0214013. doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0214013 |
Wolff JO, Wiegmann C, Wirkner CS, Koehnsen A, Gorb SN (2019) Traction reinforcement in prehensile feet of harvestmen (Arachnida, Opiliones). Journal of Experimental Biology 222, jeb192187. doi.org/10.1242/jeb.192187 |
Wolff JO, Jones B, Herberstein ME (2018) Plastic material investment in load-bearing silk attachments in spiders. Zoology 131, 45-7. doi.org/10.1016/j.zool.2018.05.002 |
Frost KF, Gorb SN, Wolff JO (2018) Adhesion and friction in hunting spiders: The effect of contact splitting on their attachment ability. Zoologischer Anzeiger – A Journal of Comparative Zoology 273, 231-239. doi.org/10.1016/j.jcz.2018.01.003 |
Wolff JO, van der Meijden A, Herberstein ME (2017) Distinct spinning patterns gain differentiated loading tolerance of silk thread anchorages in spiders with different ecology. Proceedings of the Royal Society: Biological Sciences 284, 20171124. doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2017.1124 |
Wolff JO, Wells D, Reid CR, Blamires SJ (2017) Clarity of objectives and working principles enhances the success of biomimetic programs. Bioinspiration & Biomimetics 12, 051001. doi.org/10.1088/1748-3190/aa86ff |
Wolff JO, Řezáč M, Krejčí T, Gorb SN (2017) Hunting with sticky tape: functional shift in silk glands of araneophagous ground spiders (Gnaphosidae). Journal of Experimental Biology 220, 2250-2259. (Editor’s Choice) doi.org/10.1242/jeb.154682 |
Labarque FM, Wolff JO, Michalik P, Griswold CE, Ramírez MJ (2017). The evolution and function of spider feet (Araneae, Arachnida): Multiple acquisitions of distal articulations. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 181, 308–341. doi.org/10.1093/zoolinnean/zlw030 |
Filippov AÉ, Wolff JO, Seiter M, Gorb SN (2017). Numerical simulation of colloidal self-assembly of superhydrophobic arachnid cerotegument structures. Journal of Theoretical Biology 430, 1-8. doi.org/10.1016/j.jtbi.2017.07.001 |
Wolff JO, Lovtsova J, Gorb E, Dai Z, Ji A, Zhao Z, Jiang N, Gorb SN (2017). Strength of silk attachment to Ilex chinensis leaves in the tea bagworm Eumeta minuscula (Lepidoptera, Psychidae). Journal of The Royal Society Interface 14, 20170007. doi.org/10.1098/rsif.2017.0007 |
Wolff JO, Herberstein MH (2017) Three-dimensional printing spiders: back-and-forth glue application yields silk anchorages with high pull-off resistance under varying loading situations. Journal of The Royal Society Interface 14, 20160783. (Journal Cover) doi.org/10.1098/rsif.2016.0783 |
Heepe L, Petersen DS, Tölle L, Wolff JO, Gorb SN (2017) Sexual dimorphism in the attachment ability of the ladybird beetle Coccinella septempunctata on soft substrates. Applied Physics A: Materials Science and Processing 123, 34. doi.org/10.1007/s00339-016-0684-5 |
Seiter M, Wolff JO (2017) Stygophrynus orientalis sp. nov. (Amblypygi: Charontidae) from Indonesia with the description of a remarkable spermatophore. Zootaxa 4232, 397-408. doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4232.3.8 |
Wolff JO, Seiter M, Gorb SN (2017) The water-repellent cerotegument of whip-spiders (Arachnida: Amblypygi). Arthropod Structure and Development 46, 116-129. (part of Special Issue ‘Arthropod Cuticle Function: from Molecules to Structures to Ecology’, ed. Fabritius H-O, Moussian B) doi.org/10.1016/j.asd.2016.10.010 |
Wolff JO, Schwaha T, Seiter M, Gorb SN (2016). Whip-spiders (Amblypygi) become water-repellent by a colloidal secretion that self-assembles into hierarchical microstructures. Zoological Letters 2, 23. doi.org/10.1186/s40851-016-0059-y |
Heepe L, Wolff JO, Gorb SN (2016) Influence of ambient humidity on the attachment ability of ladybird beetles (Coccinella septempunctata). Beilstein Journal of Nanotechnology 7, 1322–1329. (invited) doi.org/10.3762/bjnano.7.123 |
Wolff JO, Martens J, Schönhofer AL, Gorb SN (2016) Evolution of hyperflexible joints in sticky prey capture appendages of harvestmen (Arachnida, Opiliones). Organisms Diversity & Evolution 16, 549-557. doi.org/10.1007/s13127-016-0278-2 |
Wolff JO, Schönhofer AL, Martens J, Wijnhoven H, Taylor C, Gorb SN (2016) The evolution of pedipalps and glandular hairs as predatory devices in harvestmen (Arachnida, Opiliones). Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 177, 558-601. doi.org/10.1111/zoj.12375 |
Wolff JO, Seiter M, Gorb SN (2015) Functional anatomy of the pretarsus in whip spiders (Arachnida, Amblypygi). Arthropod Structure and Development 44, 524-540. doi.org/10.1016/j.asd.2015.08.014 |
Eggs B, Wolff JO, Kuhn-Nentwig L, Gorb SN, Nentwig W (2015) Hunting without a web: how lycosoid spiders subdue their prey. Ethology 121, 1166-1177. doi.org/10.1111/eth.12432 |
Seiter M, Wolff JO, Hoerweg C (2015) A new species of the South East Asian genus Sarax Simon, 1892 (Arachnida: Amblypygi: Charinidae) and synonymization of Sarax mediterraneus Delle Cave, 1986. Zootaxa 4012, 542-552. doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4012.3.8 |
Wolff JO, Huber S, Gorb SN (2015) How to stay on mummy's back: Morphological and functional changes of the pretarsus in arachnid postembryonic stages. Arthropod Structure and Development 44, 301-312. doi.org/10.1016/j.asd.2015.04.004 |
Hüsken M, Hufnagel K, Mende K, Appel E, Meyer H, Peisker H, Tögel M, Wang S, Wolff J, Gorb SN, Paululat A (2015) Adhesive pad differentiation in Drosophila melanogaster depends on the Polycomb group gene Su(z)2. Journal of Experimental Biology 218, 1159-1165. doi.org/10.1242/jeb.108332 |
Wolff JO, Grawe I, Wirth M, Karstedt A, Gorb SN (2015) Spider’s super-glue: Thread anchors are composite adhesives with synergistic hierarchical organization. Soft Matter 11, 2394. doi.org/10.1039/C4SM02130D |
Wolff JO, Gorb SN (2015) Adhesive foot pads: an adaptation to climbing? An ecological survey in hunting spiders. Zoology 118, 1-7. (Journal Cover) doi.org/10.1016/j.zool.2014.04.006 |
Wolff JO, Schönhofer A, Schaber C, Gorb SN (2014) Gluing the ‘un-wettable’: Soil-dwelling harvestmen use viscoelastic fluids for capturing springtails. Journal of Experimental Biology 217, 3535-3544. doi.org/10.1242/jeb.108852 |
Seiter M, Wolff JO (2014) Description of Sarax buxtoni (Gravely 1915) (Arachnida: Amblypygi: Charinidae) and a new case of parthenogenesis in Amblypygi from Singapore. Journal of Arachnology 42, 233-239. doi.org/10.1636/Ha14-13.1 |
Grawe I*, Wolff JO*, Gorb SN (2014) Composition and substrate-dependent strength of the silken attachment discs in spiders. Journal of the Royal Society Interface 11, 20140477. doi.org/10.1098/rsif.2014.0477 |
Wohlfart E, Wolff JO, Arzt E., Gorb SN (2014) The whole is more than the sum of all its parts: collective effect of spider attachment organs. Journal of Experimental Biology 217, 222-224. doi.org/10.1242/jeb.093468 |
Wolff JO, Nentwig W, Gorb SN (2013) The great silk alternative: Multiple coevolution of web loss and adhesive setae in spiders. PloS One 8, e62682. doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0062682 |
Wolff JO, Gorb SN (2013) Radial arrangement of Janus-like setae permits friction control in spiders. Scientific Reports 3, 1101. doi.org/10.1038/srep01101 |
Wolff JO, Gorb SN (2012) Comparative morphology of pretarsal scopulae in eleven spider families. Arthropod Structure and Development 41, 419-433. doi.org/10.1016/j.asd.2012.04.004 |
Wolff JO, Gorb SN (2012) Surface roughness effects on attachment ability of the spider Philodromus dispar (Araneae, Philodromidae). Journal of Experimental Biology 215, 179-184. doi.org/10.1242/jeb.061507 |
Wolff JO, Gorb SN (2011) The influence of humidity on the attachment ability of the spider Philodromus dispar (Araneae, Philodromidae). Proceedings of the Royal Society: Biological Sciences 279, 139-143. doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2011.0505 |
Wolff JO, Gorb SN (2016) Attachment structures and adhesive secretions in arachnids. Biologically-inspired systems, Vol. 7. Springer, Cham, Switzerland. 184 pp. doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-45713-0 |
Wolff JO (2017) Structural effects of glue application in spiders – What can we learn from silk anchors? In: Heepe L, Xue L, Gorb SN (eds.) Bio-inspired structured adhesives. Springer, Cham, Switzerland. pp 63-80. (invited) doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-59114-8_5 |
Wolff JO, García-Hernández S, Gorb SN (2016) Adhesive Secretions in Harvestmen (Arachnida: Opiliones). In: Smith AM (ed.) Biological adhesives, 2nd edition. Springer, Cham, Switzerland. pp. 281-301. (invited) doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-46082-6_12 |
Wolff JO, Schneider J, Gorb SN (2014) How to pass the gap - Functional morphology and biomechanics of spider bridging threads. In: Miller T, Asakura T (eds.) Biotechnology of silk. Springer, Heidelberg. pp. 165-177. (invited) doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-7119-2_9 |
Dr. Daniele Liprandi
Postdoctoral Researcher
Soldmannstraße 14
2. OG, Raum 2.07
17489 Greifswald
Tel.: +49 (0)3834 420-4265
daniele[dot]liprandi[at]uni-greifswald[dot]de
Research Interests
My preferred research topic is computational modelling of soft biological materials. By combining computational physics and the mechanics of elastic soft bodies, I aim to investigate the behaviour of complex composite materials, as spider silk threads and anchorages. One focus of this topic of research is understanding how different natural systems can have different response to external stimuli while using similar "building blocks", e.g. a small set of proteins. This is usually achieved by exploiting different geometries with peculiar degrees of freedom, which allows for a tunability of the physical properties of the system. This tunability is crucial, for example, in the vertical locomotion of the animals. During locomotion, arthropods and reptiles continuously alternate strong adhesion and easy detachment by tuning the angles formed by their pads and toes, or the direction of the applied force. The same principles can be extended to other biological bodies, e.g. human organs, and aid in the development of biomedical devices. Other topics I like to explore are soft tissue mechanics, bone mechanics, artificial and biological adhesive systems, extreme mechanics, molecular dynamics, C/C++/Python developing.
Liprandi D, Misseroni D, Bosia F, Fraldi M, Pugno NM (2022) A 3D Griffith peeling model to unify and generalize single and double peeling theories. Meccanica 57, 1125–1138. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11012-022-01480-1
Wolff JO, Liprandi D, Bosia F, Joel AC, Pugno NM (2021) Robust substrate anchorages of silk lines with extensible nano-fibres. Soft Matter 17, 7903–7913. https://doi.org/10.1039/D1SM00552A
Liprandi D, Bosia F, Pugno NM (2020) A theoretical-numerical model for the peeling of elastic membranes. Journal of the Mechanics and Physics of Solids 136, 103733. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jmps.2019.103733
Wolff JO, Paterno GB, Liprandi D, Ramírez MJ, Bosia F, van der Meijden A, Michalik P, Smith HM, Jones BR, Ravelo AM, Pugno N, Herberstein M (2019) Evolution of aerial spider webs coincided with repeated structural optimization of silk anchorages. Evolution 73, 2122–2134. doi.org/10.1111/evo.13834
Brely L, Liprandi D, Bosia F, Pugno NM (2017) Optimal adhesion control via cooperative Hierarchy, grading, geometries and non-linearity of anchorages and adhesive pads. In: Heepe L, Xue L, Gorb SN (eds.) Bio-inspired structured adhesives. Springer, Cham, Switzerland. pp. 81–93. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-59114-8_6

Dr. Michael Kelly
Postdoctoral Researcher
Soldmannstraße 14
2. OG, Raum 2.07
17489 Greifswald
Tel.: +49 (0)3834 420-4265
michael[dot]kelly[at]uni-greifswald[dot]de
Research Interests
My research interests include animal behaviour (especially predator-prey interactions), neuroanatomy, and evolutionary ecology. I aim to contribute to our understanding of the macro-scale dynamics involved in evolution and natural selection, including the limitations of trait evolution. For this purpose, I am combining diverse comparative trait measurements and imaging techniques with phylogenomic methods. My previous research was focused on mimicry, more specifically the paradox of inaccurate mimicry, using ant-mimicking (myrmecomorphic) spiders. With the production of a large phylogenetic dataset and the development of a new method to quantify mimicry accuracy, I uncovered the tempo and mode of mimicry evolution in myrmecomorphic spiders. Further, I studied the consequences of a myrmecomorphic habitus on anatomical features (central nervous system and venom glands) as an example for a potential trade-off between functional traits, driving the evolutionary dynamics of trait expression. During my research I have also obtained experience in behavioural assays. Specifically, I ran predator experiments in which I presented video simulations to predatory jumping spiders to test what the key traits are for predator decision making in relation to ant mimicry. My current work focuses on the evolutionary dynamics of the marronoid clade of spiders - a group of closely related spiders known for possessing an array of prey capture techniques including cursorial and snare-based hunting.
Kelly MJB, Khan K, Wierucka K, Jones BR, Shofner R, Derkarabetian S, Wolff JO (2023) Repeated evolution of extreme locomotor performance independent of changes in extended phenotype use in spiders. EcoEvoRxiv (preprint). https://doi.org/10.32942/X2BP44
Wolff JO, Wierucka K, Paterno G, Coddington JA, Hormiga G, Kelly MJB, Herberstein ME, Ramírez MJ (2022) Stabilized morphological evolution of spiders despite mosaic changes in foraging ecology. Systematic Biology 71, 1487–1503. https://doi.org/10.1093/sysbio/syac023
Kelly MJB, McLean DJ, Wild ZK, Herberstein ME (2021) Measuring mimicry: methods for quantifying visual similarity. Animal Behaviour 178, 115-126. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anbehav.2021.06.011
Umbers KD, Riley JL, Kelly MJB, Taylor‐Dalton G, Lawrence JP, Byrne PG (2020) Educating the enemy: Harnessing learned avoidance behavior in wild predators to increase survival of reintroduced southern corroboree frogs. Conservation Science and Practice 2, e139. https://doi.org/10.1111/csp2.139
Kelly MJB, Truscott H, Andersen TR, Shibuya A (2017) Amazon wildlife ecology. An introduction to wildlife conservation in the Brazilian Amazon: a view from northern Australia. Brazilian Amazon Field Intensive (BAFI). Charles Darwin University, Darwin, 13-24.

Maitry Jani
PhD candidate
Soldmannstraße 14
2. OG, Raum 2.07
17489 Greifswald
Tel.: +49 (0)3834 420-4265
Thesis topic
Comparative analysis of the behavioural use of different silk glands in spiders
Research Interests
I am interested in animal behavior and ecology. My past research experiences on reptiles, mammals, and arachnids in broad-spectrum have motivated me to appreciate and understand the complex systems of animal phylogeny and ecology. Invertebrates, especially arachnids have fascinated me since my college days. With passion, I strived to pursue my interest, especially in spiders by choosing it as a study model. My current research focuses on studying the biology of spiders and their silk glands. This will be achieved by combining field and behavioral studies in the lab. I aim to establish a detailed understanding of the functioning of spider silk glands through morphological studies and experiments in the lab. This will allow a comprehensive study on silk gland diversification, web architecture, and behavioral applications.
Jani M, Caleb JT, Kapoor V, Kulkarni S, Uma D (2023) Aliens in the society: foreign arthropods and small vertebrates associated with the social spider Stegodyphus sarasinorum Karsch, 1892 (Araneae: Eresidae). Journal of Arachnology 51, 57–62. https://doi.org/10.1636/JoA-S-22-004
Babu N, Caleb JT, Jani M, Uma D, Prasad G (2022) On the taxonomy and distribution of the orb-weaving spider Philoponella feroka (Bradoo, 1979) n. comb. from India (Araneae, Uloboridae). Zootaxa 5087, 497–500. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5087.3.8
Jani M (2019) Indotyphlops braminus (Brahminy Blind Snake): Diet. Herpetological Review 50, 159–160.
Sharma V, Jani M (2015) Geographical Distribution: Lycodon travancoricus (Travancore wolf-snake). Herpetological Review 46, 574.

Siripanyo Promnil
PhD candidate
Soldmannstraße 14
2. OG, Raum 2.07
17489 Greifswald
Tel.: +49 (0)3834 420-4265
Thesis topic
Comparative tensile mechanics of spider silk bundles
Research Interests
I am passionate about polymeric materials, biomaterials, and tissue engineering. My previous research was on the topic of biomimetic meniscus scaffolds from electrospun Poly(lactic acid) / Silk fibroin. I have gained experience in biomaterials, electrospinning process, materials characterization (mechanical properties, thermal properties, morphology, degradation), and in vitro cell culture studies (such as cytotoxicity, cell viability, and histological studies). For my present study, I focus on the mechanical properties of the bundles of spider silk.
Publications
Promnil S, Ruksakulpiwat C, Numpaisal P-o, Ruksakulpiwat Y (2022) Electrospun poly(lactic acid) and silk fibroin based nanofibrous scaffold for meniscus tissue engineering. Polymers 14, 2435. https://doi.org/10.3390/polym14122435
Promnil S, Ruksakulpiwat Y, Ruksakulpiwat C, Numpaisal P-o (2022) Effect of silk fibroin content on physical and mechanical properties of electrospun poly(lactic acid)/silk fibroin nanofibers for meniscus tissue engineering scaffold. Journal of Physics: Conference Series 2175, 012016. https://doi.org/10.1088/1742-6596/2175/1/012016
Promnil S, Numpaisal P-o, Ruksakulpiwat Y (2021) Effect of molecular weight on mechanical properties of electrospun poly(lactic acid) fibers for meniscus tissue engineering scaffold. Materials Today: Proceedings 47, 3496–3499. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.matpr.2021.03.504

Josefine Kreuz
M.Sc. candidate
Loitzer Str. 26
17489 Greifswald
Thesis topic
Comparative anatomy of the spinneret musculature in spiders
Research Interests
I am broadly interested in the morphology of athropods of all types, especially with regards to the reproductive system, the musculature and the structure of the nervous system. I find the comparative approach particularly interesting and like to work with imaging methods with a focus on 3D reconstruction.
Kreuz J, Monika JB Eberhard MJB (2022) Asymmetry of the male internal reproductive organs in Mantophasmatodea. BMC Zoology 7, 1-9. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40850-021-00105-6
Paula Heinz
B.Sc. candidate and student research assistant
Soldmannstraße 14
2. OG, Raum 2.07
17489 Greifswald
Tel.: +49 (0)3834 420-4265
Thesis topic
Comparative tensile mechanics of ecologically distinct silk threads in Pholcus phalangioides
Ronja Eilhardt
student research assistant
Soldmannstraße 14
2. OG, Raum 2.07
17489 Greifswald
Tel.: +49 (0)3834 420-4265
Alumni
Milena Zerbe | 2023 - Student Research Assistant | ||
Annika Schönfeld | 2022/23 - External MSc. Candidate | Thesis topic: 3D-kinematics of web construction in Pholcus phalangioides (Primary supervisor: Anna-Christin Joel, RWTH Aachen) | |
Dr Kawsar Khan | 2020 - Casual Research Assistant | Currently Humboldt Fellow at Freie Universität Berlin: LINK / GoogleScholar | |
Dr Kaja Wierucka | 2019 - Casual Research Assistant | Currently Postdoc at the Leibniz Institute for Primate Research: LINK / GoogleScholar | |
Braxton Jones | 2017/18 - Casual Student Research Assistent | Currently PhD Student at the University of Sydney: LINK / GoogleScholar |