PhD student

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As a PhD student in evolutionary ecology, I am interested in the evolution of interactions and biological entities (both molecular and organismal) along antagonism-cooperation continuums. In particular, I am interested in how cooperative interactions evolve, both within and between species. An example of this is endosymbiosis, which has played a significant role in major evolutionary transitions.

Thomas Travers Cook


Current Students

  • Aryahi ANIL KUMAR, MSc Student

  • Lars STURM, MSc Student

  • Yara CADUFF, BSc Student

  • Adrian JONSSON, BSc Student

  • Timo SIEGRIST, BSc Student


    • If you are interested in joining the group, please contact me.


    Current Collaborators

    Jukka Jokela, ETH Zurich Consuelo De Moraes, ETH Zurich, Mat Goddard, University of Lincoln, UK, Hanna Hartikainen, University of Nottingham, UK, Sarah Knight,, University of Auckland, NZ Oliver Martin,ETH Zurich, Katja Räsänenn, Eawag, CH, Roland Regös, ETH Zurich, Paul Rowley, University of Idaho, US, Christoph Vorburger, ETH Zurich, Gabriel Neurohr, ETH Zurich, Yves Barral, ETH Zurich, Hugo Stocker, ETH Zurich



    Former group members

  • Jana Junker (technician)

    • Former MSc Students

  • Nathan CAMP, Msc student 2012-2013,“Food, Wine and Sex: Strategic signal hierarchies in D. melanogaster and D. simulans.”(lab-based, with Anne Gaskett)

  • Ramon DALLO, MSc student 2018-2019, “The Frequency and Consequences of L-A and M Satellite Killer Viruses Infecting Yeast in Switzerland.” (lab-based, with Oliver Martin + Jukka Jokela)

  • Aijuan LIAO, Msc student 2018-2019, “Comparisons of the microbiome between hindguts and midguts of acanthocephalan -​infected and -​uninfected Asellus aquaticus.” (lab-based, with Hanna Hartikainen + Jukka Jokela)

  • Christina SKIRGAILA, Msc student 2020-2021, "Attracted by a Killer: Do Viruses Influence Host Attractiveness and Sexual Reproduction Rate?" (lab-based, with Oliver Martin + Jukka Jokela)

  • Jeremias STADLER, MSc Student 2022-2023, "Changes in marking behaviour following dominance acquisition in male and female meerkats." (with Marta Manser, UZH)

    • Former BSc Students

  • Florence GILLIERON, Project student 2019, “Influence of killer yeast diet on the fitness of different Drosophila species.” (lab-based, with Oliver Martin, ETH)

  • Raphael STÖCKLI, Bachelor Project 2019-2020, “Occurrence of Saccharomyces cerevisiae in Switzerland and interaction of killer yeasts with Drosophila species.” (lab-based, with Oliver Martin, ETH)

  • Christina SKIRGAILA, Project student 2019-2020,“Interaction and attraction of killer yeast and Drosophilidae and the distribution of Saccharomyces cerevisiae in Switzerland.” (lab-based, with Oliver Martin, ETH)

  • Alexandre COTTIER, Bachelor Project 2019-2020, “Investigating the potential for sexual selection in the Tribolium castaneum male.” (lab-based , with Tim JANICKE, Montpellier and Oliver Martin, ETH)

  • Pablo ROSSI ORTS, Bachelor project 2020, "Fermentation, olfaction and speciation: the role of ab3A neuron in the evolutionary history of Drosophila genus" (literature based, with Oliver Martin, ETH)

  • Hektor SCHNORF, Project student 2020, "Insight on manipulation through extended experiments" (literature based, with Oliver Martin, ETH)

  • Janika ANGST, project student 2020 - 2021, "Fungal Diversity in Spontaneous Wine Fermentation" (lab-based)

  • Eliane HIRT, project student 2020 - 2021, (lab-based, with Christoph Vorburger, Eawag)

  • Pablo ROSSI ORTS, Internship at IUCN 2021, "Biodiversity analysis and communication in the Mediterranean Sea" (supporting lecturer)

  • Melina EISENRING, Project student 2021-2022, "Air sac nematodes and other internal parasites of birds in the region of Radolfzell", (field and lab-based , with Salamatu ABDU, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior Radolfzell and Damien FARINE, UZH)

  • Anja PÜNTENER, Bachelor Project 2022, "The Effect of Drosophila simulans on outcrossing in killer and non-killer Saccharomyces cerevisiae" (lab based)

  • Levi GRAF, Bachelor Project 2022, "How does infection with an acanthocephalan parasite affect cadmium resistance in Gammarus fossarum?" (lab based with Cristina Llopis-Belenguer and Jukka Jokela, Eawag)

  • Claudio BROGER, Semester Project 2022, "A protocol to study the change in yeast abundance in the digestive system of Drosophila melanogaster"(lab based with Lina Heistinger and Hugo Stocker, ETH)

  • Lars STURM, Bachelor Project 2022, "Metapopulation dynamics and the influence of the killer system in a natural S. cerevisae population" (lab based with Jukka Jokela and Thomas Travers Cook, Eawag)
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