Dr. Daniela Perez
Alexander von Humboldt Postdoc Fellow
dperez(at)ab.mpg.de
Main Focus
I am a biologist interested in the evolution of the fascinating diversity of animal behaviours that we see in nature. How does social, life-history and environmental factors shape the evolution of a mesmerizing range of sexual signals, extended phenotypes, and collective movements that we observe across animal species? To address such a complex question, I use key study species and combine theoretical and empirical approaches. I harvest my data from all available sources, such as online databases, museum collections, and global collaborations to perform macroevolutionary research. I also design experimental research to test and propose theories for the adaptive meaning and evolution of behaviours.
I am now a postdoctoral researcher at the Genes and Behavior lab working with collective behaviour in nematodes. Currently, I am developing a project to understand the adaptive meaning of exceptional although poorly explored 3D collective phenomena. I will run experiments using wild and mutant strains of Caenorhabditis elegans under controlled lab environment to unveil the core mechanisms and conditions that lead to complex collective group decisions.
