apl. Prof. Dr. Gunter Purschke, Senior Scientist and Group Leader

guenter.purschke (et) uni-osnabrueck.de

Educated in Biology and Chemistry, Philosophy and Educational Sciences at the Georg August University in Göttingen, Germany, I earned my PhD in Biology at Göttingen in 1984. I then moved as a scientific assistant (post doc) at the Department of Biology and Chemistry at the University of Osnabruck. After several short-term research fellowships aboard I earned my Venia Legendi in Zoology (Habilitation) at the University of Osnabruck in 1997. After being assistant professor I became an “Extraordinary Professor” in 2004. My research focusses on phylogeny, evolution, systematics and morphology applying a variety of different methods. Special emphasis is laid on annelids, which constitute one of the most important invertebrate taxa. Especially the marine forms, known as polychaetes, are one of the most widespread, abundant and diverse elements of the marine fauna. The evolution of certain organ systems is in the center of my research. I am involved in various book projects, i. a. in editing the annelid volumes of the Handbook of Zoology. I am teaching phylogeny, systematics and marine biology and I am offering excursions to Sylt and Roscoff (Fr) for our students