Vita

Research:

Using the ‘comprehensive organism concept’, a holistic understanding of evolutionary processes is possible. Therein, the whole life of an organism – from fertilization to dead – is understood as a process of development on which selection can act through evolution. Heterochronies – changes in the developmental timing of characters – are hypothesized to have fundamental impact on shaping an adult structure. In mutual dependence with those, spatial reorganizations take place during development, so called heterotopies. Both mechanisms, together with allometric change, enable the evolution of new morphotypes.
With the help of standardized developmental characters, I study the patterns of embryonic timing in a variety of land vertebrate species, including turtles, snakes, lizards, and diverse mammalian groups. Given the recent advances in molecular systematics, a comprehensive (falcifiable) phylogenetic framework is provided, which I use to trace evolutionary developmental changes and discuss those in the context of morphological diversification. Besides organogenesis, also patterns of skeletogenesis and some genetic aspects of development and evolution are observed.
On a histological scale, development of particular organs is studied – a classic comparative embryological approach – in order to detect homologies, to uncover patterns of recapitulation, and to trace spatial developmental changes that lead to adult morphology. For adult anatomy, similar to my embryological studies, I concentrate on the craniocervical system of amniotes and some fish. One focus lies on the morphology of the musculature and other soft tissues, their anatomical diversity, phylogenetic distribution, and functional integration. Another focus lies on the interrelationship of head and neck morphology.

For further information:
www.ingmar-werneburg.de

Positions:

since 2016 Curator of the Palaeontological Collections, Senckenberg Centre for Human Evolution and Paleoenvironment, Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen / Germany
2015 Postdoc, Museum für Naturkunde Berlin/Germany, labs of Prof. Dr. Nadia Fröbisch and Prof. Dr. Johannes Müller
2013-2014 Postdoc, Paläontologisches Institut und Museum, Universität Zürich / Switzerland, lab of Prof. Dr. Marcelo R. Sánchez-Villagra
2012-2013 Postdoc, Fachbereich Geowissenschaften, Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen / Germany, lab of Prof. Dr. Walter G. Joyce
2011 Postdoc, RIKEN Center for Developmental Biology in Kobe / Japan, lab of Prof. Dr. Shigeru Kuratani
2010-2011 Postdoc, Paläontologisches Institut und Museum, Universität Zürich / Switzerland, lab of Prof. Dr. Marcelo R. Sánchez-Villagra

Education:

2017/18 Habilitation (Paleobiology) (~Ass.Prof. equivalent), Fachbereich Geowissenschaften, Universität Tübingen / Germany, lab of Prof. Dr. Madelaine Böhme
2007-2010 PhD-studies, Paläontologisches Institut und Museum, Universität Zürich / Switzerland, lab of Prof. Dr. Marcelo R. Sánchez-Villagra
2006-2007 Diploma (~MSc equivalent), Institut für Spezielle Zoologie und Evolutionsbiologie mit Phyletischem Museum, Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena / Germany, lab of Prof. Dr. Martin S. Fischer
2001-2006 Studies in Biology (major: Zoology) and Prehistory, Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena/Germany