Torsten Struck

Research interests

  • Phylogenomic, comparative genomics and systematics of animals
  • Phylogenetic methods and Bioinformatics
  • Biodiversity and evolution of marine invertebrates
  • Evolution and taxonomy of cryptic species


Professional experience

Since 2015

Professor of Evolutionary Genomics & Curator of the Helminth collection at the NHM, Department of Research and Collections, University of Oslo, Norway

Since 2009

Affiliated Assistant Professor at the Department of Life Sciences in the College of Science and Mathematics of Auburn University, Auburn, AL, USA

2011 – 2015

Heisenberg fellowship of the DFG at the Zoologisches Forschungsmuseum Alexander Koenig, Bonn, Germany

2005 – 2011

Head of the molecular-phylogenomics laboratory within the working group “Zoology” of Prof. Dr. Achim Paululat, position funded by my own grants from the DFG, University of Osnabrück, Germany

2003 – 2005

Postdoctoral Fellow in the working group of Dr. Kenneth M. Halanych, Auburn University, Auburn, AL, USA

2002 – 2003

Scientific assistant in the working group  „Systematic Zoology” of Prof. Dr. Wilfried Westheide, University of Osnabrück, Germany

1999

Scientific assistant in the working group  „Systematic Zoology” of Prof. Dr. Wilfried Westheide, University of Osnabrück, Germany

1997

Trainee in the Department of „Physical Biochemistry“ of Prof. Dr. Roger Goody, Max Planck Institute of Molecular Physiology, Dortmund, Germany


Scientific cruises and expeditions

2022

ArtsDatabanken: Havbruksstasjonen Tromsø, Norway

2022

ArtsDatabanken: Havforskningsinstitutet Austevoll, Norway

2021

ArtsDatabanken: Marine Station Slettvika, Norway

2021

InvertOmics: AWI Wadden Sea Station Sylt, List, Germany

2021

EU ASSEMBLE+ program: Station Biologique de Roscoff, Roscoff, France

2019

Cryptic species: Northwestern USA, USA

2018

Cryptic species: Sea of Japan, Russia

2015

Cryptic species: Western Australian Coastline from Perth to Augusta, Australia

2014

Cryptic species: Langebaan Bay, South Africa

2013

WormNet II: Lizard Island, Great Barrier Reef, Australia

2012

AnnEvol: Qeqertarsuaq, Greenland, Denmark

2011

WormNet: Stellenbosch, South Africa

EU ASSEMBLE program: Dunstaffnage Marine Laboratory, Scottish Association for Marine Science, Oban, Scotland

2006

R/V Atlantis with the submersible Alvin (WHOI Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, MA, USA): Eel River (CA, USA) and Hydrate Ridge (OR, USA), Northeast Pacific

2005

R/V Western Flyer with ROV Tiberon (MBARI Aquarium, Monterey, CA, USA): Eel River (CA, USA) and Hydrate Ridge (OR, USA), Northeast Pacific


Grants (PI and Co-PI)

Current:

  1. RCN - Forskerprosjekt - FRIPRO “InvertOmics - Phylogeny and evolution of lophotrochozoan invertebrates based on genomic data”
  2. RCN - Artsdatabanken “Cirratulid polychaetes in Norwegian waters: A museum based approach to species diversity and distribution.”

  3. RCN - Artsdatabanken “Assessing biodiversity in the marine algae belt”
  4. RCN - Collaborative and Knowledge-building Project “A Norwegian BioGenome initiative: the initial Launch phase” (CoPI)


  5. EU - HORIZON-CL6-2021-BIODIV-01 – “Biodiversity Genomics Europe (BGE)” (Beneficiary)

  6. Biodiversity Research Consortium Brazil‐Norway “Metabarcoding and metagenomics for high throughput inventory and monitoring of terrestrial arthropod biodiversity” (CoPI)
  7. DIKU - NORPART 2018 “ANTENNA: Norwegian – African network for training a new generation of entomologists in DNA-based molecular methods” (CoPI)

Finished:

  1. SIU - Russia 2017-2020 “Multidisciplinary EDUcation and reSearch in mArine biology in Norway and Russia (MEDUSA)” (CoPI)
  2. NSF-ATOL-10-513 “Collaborative Research: WormNet II: Assembling the Annelid Tree of Life” (CoPI)
  3. DFG-STR-683/7-1 “AnnEvol – Evolution and phylogeny of Annelida based on phylogenomic data (i.e. EST libraries)”
  4. DFG-STR-683/6-1 & 6-2 “Phylogenetic position of interstitial polychaete taxa of supposedly paedomorphic origin (i.e., Dinophilidae, Protodrilida, Polygordiidae and Nerillidae) using mitogenomic data”
  5. DFG-STR-683/5-2 “Phylogenomics of worm-like lophotrochozoans and platyzoans (Nemertea, Gastrotricha, Gnathostomulida)” within DFG priority program SPP 1174 “Deep Metazoan Phylogeny – Stammesgeschichte der Großgruppen der Tiere”
  6. DFG-Pu-84/5-1 “Phylogenomics of worm-like lophotrochozoans (Annelida, Sipuncula, Nemertea, Platyzoa)” within DFG priority program SPP 1174 “Deep Metazoan Phylogeny – Stammesgeschichte der Großgruppen der Tiere”
  7. DFG-STR-683/3-1 “Phylogenetic position of Annelida and possible subordinated annelid taxa (e.g. Sipuncula and Myzostomida) within Lophotrochozoa based on molecular data” within DFG priority program SPP 1174 “Deep Metazoan Phylogeny – Stammesgeschichte der Großgruppen der Tiere”
  8. NSF-OCE-0425060 “Metazoan life at extreme sulphide concentrations: The ecology and evolution of Dorvilleidae at methane seeps.” (CoPI)


Fellowships

2011 – 2015

Heisenberg fellowship of DFG

2000 – 2002

Graduate Fellowship of the Bischöflichen Cusanuswerk, Bonn, Germany

1999 – 2000

Graduate Fellowship of the Graduiertenförderung des Landes Niedersachsen, Hannover, Germany