Recent News

01-06-2024

Marta Cortés Mediavilla returns as a lab assistant

28-05-2024

Fataha Rahmen is joining us as an intern from Cornell University

01-04-2024

Welcome to our new MSc student Ekaterine Kikodze (under Tom Ratz's primary supervision)

14-02-2024

Our study on the trade-offs between testes and parenting in glassfrogs is out now in Proceedings B

02-02-2024

Our collaborative effort within the STN Thermal Fertility has resulted in our first paper, published in Ecological Solutions and Evidence

Our research

Our research centers around understanding the evolution and functional significance of mating behaviour and of traits under pre- or postmating sexual selection. We use comparative, experimental and molecular approaches in different groups of species. For more information see our Research page.

Drosophila

Fruit flies

Processes of postcopulatory sexual selection in Drosophila

Photo credit: Stefan Lüpold

View
Frogs

Frogs

Intra- and interspecific variation in reproductive investments and trade-offs

Photo credit: Stefan Lüpold

View
Mammals

Mammals

Reproductive investments, ejaculate evolution and trade-offs

Photo credit: Diego Torres

View

Birds

Evolution of sperm and testis morphology

Photo credit: Alan D. Wilson

View

Sperm gigantism

Evolution of extreme phenotypes

Photo credit: Romano Dallai

View

Spermatogenesis

Evolution of testicular function; costs of sperm production

Photo credit: Stefan Lüpold

View

Sexual traits

Function and evolution of ornaments and armaments

Photo credit: Stefan Lüpold

View

Sperm morphology

Evolution of sperm form and function; ejaculate investments

Photo credit: Stefan Lüpold

View

Our Funding

Financial support for our past and current work has been provided primarily by the following institutions:

Swiss National Science Foundation
University of Zurich
URPP Evolution in Action
Research Talent Development Fund
University of Manchester
National Science Foundation
University of Sheffield
Janggen-Pöhn Foundation