Katrine Worsaae Lab
My research group study evolution, development, morphology, functional adaptations and anatomy of marine macro- and meiofaunal invertebrates (annelids in particular). The three main focus areas of our research is 1) the organization and evolution of the early nervous system, 2) evolution of meiofauna (incl. theories on progenesis) and 3) evolution and adaptations to extreme habitats (e.g., deep sea, interstitial, anchialine caves).
Our studies concerns macro- and meiofaunal Annelida (e.g., Osedax, Nerillidae, Psammodrilidae, Diurodrilidae, Histriobdellidae, Protodrilidae, Protodriloidae, Saccocirridae, Dinophilidae, Dorvilleidae, Aphroditformia) as well as the meiofaunal taxa Kinorhyncha, Gastrotricha, Micrognathozoa, Gnathostomulida and Enteropneusta. While some of these are cultured in our aquarium facilities most are collected at expeditions with subsequent extensive genetic and microscopical studies.
We integrate a range of scientific fields including comparative transcriptomics, morphology, systematics, taxonomy, and phylogenomics. Besides, we work with development and application of advanced bioimaging techniques such as microscopic video-recordings, SEM, TEM, immunohistochemistry, multi-stainings protocols, neuropeptides and CLSM, histology and advanced 3D computational modeling.
- Evolutionary and developmental pathways (e.g. progenesis) to miniaturization and meiofauna
- Evolution and development of nervous- and muscle systems
- Phylogenomics, biogeography and systematics of segmented worms (Annelida) and meiofauna.
- Morphological & molecular adaptations of marine invertebrates to extreme environments (e.g. anchialine caves, deep sea, Arctic, interstitial realm)
- Bioimaging and molecular techniques such as EM, histology, immunohistochemistry, multi-staining protocols, CLSM, TEM and 3D computational modeling, molecular sequencing, total evidence phylogenetics, phylogenomics, transcriptomics and gene expression studies.
CURRENT EMPLOYMENT
Professor, and Deputy Head of Department for Teaching
Marine Biological Section, Department of Biology (BIO)
University of Copenhagen (UCPH), Denmark
SCIENTIFIC KEY INTERESTS
- Evolutionary and developmental pathways to miniaturization and meiofauna
- Evolution & diversification of marine invertebrates (focus: Annelida and meiofauna)
- Evolution and development of invertebrate nervous- and muscle systems
- Morphological & molecular adaptations of marine invertebrates
- Bioimaging: EM, histology, immunohistochemistry, CLSM, TEM, connectomics
- DNA/RNA: phylogenomics, comparative genomics, transcriptomics & gene expression studies
EDUCATION
| 2022 | PhD supervision course, Department of Didactics, UCPH |
| 2016 | Course in responsible conduct of research (RCR), SCIENCE, UCPH |
| 2013 | Leadership Course UC, Summit Consulting, CPH, Denmark |
| 2009 | Course in pedagogy (250 hours): Higher education didactic program for assistant professors (Adjunktpædagogikum), UCPH |
| 2004 | PhD (Zoology), Natural History Museum, UCPH |
| 2000 | Cand. Scient. Biology [B.Sc & M.Sc.] (Zoology), Natural History Museum, UCPH |
POSITIONS/ FELLOWSHIPS
| 2023— | Professor, Marine Biological Section, BIO, UCPH (from August 2023) |
| 2022— | Research affiliate, JAMSTEC, Japan |
| 2017— | Research Associate, Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, USA |
| 2011-2023 | Associate Professor, Marine Biological Section, BIO, UCPH |
| 2009-2010 | Associate Research Professor, Marine Biological Section, BIO, UCPH. Tenure-track-like Freja fellowship, Faculty of Science; UCPH |
| 2007-2009 | Assistant Research Professor, Marine Biological Section, UCPH. Post doc Steno-fellowship & 'Young elite researcher award', Danish Independent Research Council |
| 2005-2006 | Post doc research fellow, Natural History Museum DK (SNM), UCPH (2 x ½year) & South Australian Museum & University of Adelaide, South Australia (1 year), Carlsberg Foundation |
LEADERSHIP
| 2022— | Deputy head of department for teaching, BIO, UCPH. Part of the 5 people daily leadership group at BIO, and representative at Faculty of SCIENCE for BIO’s educational programmes |
| 2023— | Head of own research group: currently 3 Postdocs, 1 PhD student, 2 research assistants, 2 M.Sc. students, 1 lab technician (part time) |
| 2012— | Previous research group members: 7 Postdocs, 7 PhD students, 30 MSc stud., 18 BSc stud. |
| 2010— | Leading multiple larger grant projects & field expeditions e.g., to Israel 2013/14, Greenland 2010 & 2013, Cuba 2014 & 2015, Japan 2018 & 2019, Turks & Caicos 2019, Maldives 2021 - each trip w/ 4-15 participants and complicated logistics (cave diving, underwater sampling) |
TEACHING
I teach seven BSc & MSc courses annually at BIO: Sensory Biology, Evolutionary ecology, Animal morphology, Marine Biology, Organisms & Diversity, Marine Field Biology. Course coordinator: Marine Faunistics
SELECTED COMMISSIONS OF TRUST
| 2014— | Elected board member and Honoree treasurer, Int. Soc. for Invertebrate Morphology (ISIM) |
| 2020 | Assessment committee, Assoc. Prof. position, Dep. of Earth Science, Univ. Bergen, Norway |
| 2019, 2014 | Assessment, R. Rieger Award, https://www.uibk.ac.at/zoology/reinhard-rieger-award/ |
| 2017 | Assessment committee, Assoc. Prof. position, Faculty of Biology, LMU Munich, Germany |
| 2013 | Single opponent, PhD defense of Erika Norlinder, Göteborg University, SE |
| 2007-2008 | Appointed Member, Future panel, Ministry of Science, Technology & Innovation, DK |
| 2007 | Single opponent, PhD defense of Erica Sjölin, Stockholm University, SE |
EDITORIAL SERVICES
| 2017— | Associate Editor, Journal: Invertebrate Systematics (CSIRO-publishing) |
| 2011-2022 | Associate Editor, Journal: Acta Zoologica (Wiley-Blackwell) |
| 2022-2023 | Editorial board, Journal: BMC Zoology (Springer) |
| 2020— | Editorial Board, Journal: Diversity (MDPI) |
| 2020— | Editorial Board, Journal: Zoologica Scripta (Wiley) |
| 2011— | Editorial Board, Journal: Zoomorphology (Springer) |
MAIN CURRENT FUNDING (100% share unless otherwise noted)
| 2024-2027 | Host-PI, research project 'Meiofaunal methylation- Exploring Epigenetic Influences on Heterochronic Shifts in Development' (US-NSF) (3 year salary to post doc) |
| 2024-2027 | PI, Applied project 'Testing of knife clam fishery' (Danish Fisheries Agency) (654600€) |
| 2024-2029 | PI, Research project 'Meiofauna genomics' (Carlsberg Semper Ardens grant) (1.340.000€) |
| 2023-25 | PI, Research project 'Unravelling the genome of one of the smallest and rarest animal phyla: Micrognathozoa' (Villum Foundation) (268.000€) |
| 2021-25 | PI, Research project 'How to reduce body size - a dwarf male's tale' (DFF-FNU)” (387.000€) |
| 2021-25 | Co-PI, research project 'Genomic Darwin ToL, Symbiosis Hub'. Moore Foundation/Sanger Institute (KW's share: 60.000€) |
| 2021-24 | Co-PI, research project 'Body size evolution in Priapulida' (DFG, German Research Foundation) (50% share)(220.000€) |
ORGANIZATION OF SCIENTIFIC MEETINGS
| 2023 | Organizer (funded by INP grant to KW) of 1 week workshop on 'Diff gene expr. & invertebrate development', CPH, March |
| 2017 | Invited co-organizer of the symposium 'Minute metazoans' at the 4th International Congress on Invertebrate Morphology, Moscow, Russia |
| 2016 | Session chair at the European Evo-Devo conference, Uppsala, Swede |
| 2014 | Invited organizer of the symposium 'Life cycle and nervous system' at the 3rd International Congress on Invertebrate Morphology, Berlin, Germany |
| 2011 | Invited organizer of 'Meiofauna symposium' at the 2nd Int. Congress on Invertebrate Morphology, Boston, USA |
| 2008 | Co-organizer of the 1st International Congress on Invertebrate Morphology, CPH, DK |
PLENARY & INVITED TALKS SINCE 2018
| 2024 | Euro Evodevo Conference, Helsinki, June. 'Postembryonic development and male paedomorphosis in Osedax (Siboglinidae, Annelida)' |
| 2022 | Cambridge University, Oct. 'Dimorphic development of the bone-eating Osedax' |
| 2022 | University of Göttingen, June. 'How to reduce body size - a dwarf male's tale” |
| 2022 | Ecol & Evol seminar series, UCPH, May. 'How to reduce body size - a dwarf male's tale'. |
| 2021 | ForBio and MEDUSA course, White Sea station & Bergen Museum, Sept. 'Evolution of interstitial annelids' |
| 2020 | BIO seminar, UCPH, Feb. 'Is there a genomic signature for animal miniaturization?' |
| 2019 | Talk, IPEV expedition, R/V Marion Dufresne, Dec. 'Meiofauna diversity & evolution' |
| 2019 | Scalidophora Conference, Pontal, Brazil. Feb. 'Evolution and development of meiofauna, molecular-morphological coupling at cellular level' |
| 2018 | Japan Agency Marine-Earth Science & Technology, Yokohama, Nov. 'Meiofauna & annelids from 3 extreme environments of Japan' |
RECENT OUTREACH
| 2024 | Podcast w/ M. Pryds Helle on early nervous systems and intelligence (June, Podcast Piloten) |
| 2024 | Newspaper interview for article on deep sea diversity & mining (27. April, Kristelig Dagblad) |
| 2022 | Science report podcast: The big question: Kan ledorme hjælpe os med at forstå os selv? |
| 2021 | 2-hour interview in 'Den dyriske time' podcast & YouTube-video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e4E76OPi4lQ) on the evolution of brains |
| 2021 | New York times (https://www.nytimes.com/2021/10/14/science/scale-worms-swimming.html) & Videnskab.dk interviews on article, Allentoft-Larsen et al. 2021 |
| 2021 | Podcast and article series (https://www.zetland.dk/historie/seAA3VG4-a8dQKjjz-e711c) on Deep sea life and mining, Zetland (Magazine) |
BIBLIOMETRICS
| Articles, peer reviewed (2001- ) | 101 |
| Books & book chapters, peer reviewed | 16 |
| Scientific reports (w/ ISBN) & popular papers | 19 |
| Citations (cf. Google Scholar) | >3357 |
| H-index (cf. Google Scholar) | 30 |
| Researcher ID | L-8739-2014 |
| Orchid ID | 0000-0003-0443-4298 |
| Google scholar profile | Katrine Worsaae |
LARGER GRANTS, AWARDS AND PRIZES SINCE 2007-
- 2024-2029, PI, Carlsberg Foundation research project "Meiofauna genomics: the new frontier in animal evolution" 1.340.317€
- 2024-2027 PI, Danish Fisheries Agency applied project "Testing of razor clam fishery" 654600€.
- 2024-2027 Host-PI, US-NSF research project "Meiofaunal methylation - Exploring Epigenetic Influences on Heterochronic Shifts in Development". 3 year salary to post doc.
- 2023-2025 PI, Villum experiment research project on “meiofauna genomics – Micrognathozoa” 267.000€
- 2021-2025 PI, DFF-FNU, Research project “How to reduce body size - a dwarf male's tale” 387.000€
- 2021-2025 Co-PI Genomic Darwin ToL, Symbiosis Hub, Moore Foundation/Sanger Institute est. 600.000€
- 2021-2024 Co-PI, DFG research project. “Body size evolution in Priapulida” 220.000€
- 2021-2023 Co-PI, Villum Experiment research project “Tiny dragons answering big questions” 254.000€
- 2021-2022 PI, DK’s agency for Science & Education “Advancing developmental Biology” 36.000€
- 2020-2022 PI, New laser for confocal microscope (Carlsberg Foundation (CF)) 15.860€
- 2020-2022 PI, expedition grant to Maldive Coral reef project (CF) 38.350€
- 2020-2023 PI on 2-year Marie-Curie fellowship (EU) for post doc Ekin Tilic 207.312€
- 2019 Co-PI on 4-year IPEV project “ Biodiversity of Crozet Islands”, 2 seats OP3 exped. 53.000€
- 2018-2020 Co-PI of Post Doc fellow, B. Gonzalez (Smithsonian Post Doc fellow, USA) 155.345€
- 2018 Co-PI, Global Genome Initiative, Turks & Caicos cave exped. & nextgen seq. costs. 25.880€
- 2018/19 PI, Sasakawa Foundation & Ragna Rask Foundation, Okinawa cave expedition 5000€
- 2018 Co-PI, Invited researcher to JAMSTEC, Japanese Society for Promotion of Science 12.000€
- 2018 PI on 2-year Marie-Curie fellowship (EU) for post doc Maria Herranz 195.000€
- 2017-2020 PI, DFF- FNU, Research project, “The essence of sex” (Grant# 112709) 346.700€
- 2016 PI, Slide scanner system & software (Simon Fougner Hartmann Familiefond) 47.075€
- 2016-2017 PI, New lasers for CLSM (CF: grant no. CF15_0946) 33.625€
- 2014-2015 Co-PI, Book on La Corona cave system, Lanzarote (Gov. of Lanzarote/ EU grant) 37.800€
- 2014-2015 Co-PI/Host of Post Doc fellow, A. Martínez (CF 2013_01_0779) 200.000€
- 2014-2016 PI, Research project: Evolution in the dark (CF 2013_01_0501) 61.870€
- 2014 PI, Assemble grant (EU FP7), field work at Eilat Marine Station 5.380€
- 2011-2015 PI, Young Investigator Program (Villum Foundation, grant no. 102544) 654.472€
- 2011 PI, Assemble grant (PI, EU FP7), field work at Roscoff Marine Station 3.362€
- 2011 Co-PI, Research project on La Corona lava tube (Government of Lanzarote) 16.140€
- 2011-2013 PI, Research proj. ‘Adaptations to a life among sand grains’ (CF, no. 2010_01_0802) 40.350€
- 2010 Co-PI Meiofauna Workshop at Arctic Station 2010 (CF, no. 2009_01_0053) 20.175€
- 2009 PI, Freja research fellowship (University of Copenhagen) 349.697€
- 2008 The Reinhard Rieger Award of Zoology, Germany/USA. (Journal of Morphology,
- Springer; Zoomorphology, Wiley; & University of Innsbruck) 3000$
- 2007 PI, Steno-fellowship & Young Elite Researcher's Award (DFF-FNU) 342.972€ + 32.280€
Regular Course organizer/developer & teacher
- "Marine Faunistics, biology and systematics of marine fish and invertebrates". Dep. Biology, UC (MSc course, summer course).
- "Marine Biology,Theme 2, Benthic fauna and conditions of the Ocean". Dep. Biology, UC (MSc course, 1. seskumester).
Regular Course teacher
- "Animal Morphology", UC (MSc. Course, BIO, Univ. Copenhagen, 4'th seskumester).
- "Organismernes diversitet" (BSc. Course, BIO, Univ. Copenhagen, 1'th seskumester).
- "Field Biology, Marine" (BSc. Course, BIO, Univ. Copenhagen, 4'th seskumester)
- "Sensory Biology" (MSc. Course, BIO, Univ. Copenhagen, 3'th seskumester)
Postdocs
|
Maikon Di Domenico |
2012-2015 |
|
Alejandro García Martinéz |
2014-2015 |
|
Alexandra Kerbl |
2016-2019 |
|
Brett Gonzalez |
2018-2020 |
|
Ekin Tilic |
2021-2022 |
|
Maria Herranz |
2019-2023 |
PhDs
|
Maikon Di Domenico |
2009-2012 |
|
Alejandro García Martinéz |
2010-2013 |
|
Nicolas Bekkouche |
2012-2016 |
|
Alexandra Kerbl |
2012-2015 |
|
Brett Gonzalez |
2014-2017 |
|
Zandra Maria Skandrup Zidvardt |
2016-2019 |
|
Ole Bjørn Brodnick |
2020-2023 |
Master students
|
Martin Mac Naughton |
2008 |
|
Veronica Colmander |
2009 |
|
Randi Schjøtt Huusgaard |
2010 |
|
Tobias Frykman |
2013 |
|
Kirsten Kvindebjerg |
2013 |
|
Vibe Gram Thomsen |
2014 |
|
Haidi Cecilie Petersen |
2015 |
|
Tobias Bolt Jørgensen |
2015 |
|
Akí Wang |
2015 |
|
Maria Mikkelsen |
2015 |
|
Sebastian-Alexander Stamatis |
2017 |
|
Simone Fie Andersen |
2017 |
|
Anna Aagard |
2017 |
|
Majken Sejr Islin |
2018 |
|
Angèle Frisdahl |
2018 |
|
Paula Mendoza Gonzalez |
2019 |
|
Anne-Cecilie Severin Koefoed |
2019 |
|
Malte Jarlgaard Hansen |
2020 |
|
Sidsel Hald Simonsen |
2020 |
|
Marc Allentoft-Larsen |
2020 |
|
Tobias Nilson Stecher |
2020 |
|
Rafael Joos |
2020 |
|
Camilla E. Hansen |
2021 |
|
Elisabeth Nybro Bjerking |
2021 |
|
Pernille Fornitz Marloth |
2022 |
|
Éloïse Defourneaux |
2022 |
|
Tessa Brorly |
2023 |
|
Bernhard L. Andersen |
2023 |
|
Maria Berg Rose-Møller |
2023 |
| Caroline Amalie Haack Assum |
2024 |
Bachelor students
|
Kirsten Kvindebjerg |
2010 |
|
Ida Hedal |
2011 |
|
Kathrine Oddershede |
2012 |
|
Simone Fie Andersen |
2013 |
|
Haidi Cecilie Petersen |
2013 |
|
Michelle Grace Pinto Jørgensen |
2014 |
|
Sebastian-Alexander Stamatis |
2014 |
|
Alexander Ravndal Højsting |
2016 |
|
Sofie Holdflod Nielsen |
2017 |
|
Julie Terp Jørgensen |
2017 |
|
Emilie Hernes Vereide |
2017 |
|
Margrethe Thusholt |
2019 |
|
Sigrid Pedersen |
2019 |
|
Oscar Axelsen |
2019 |
|
Cecilie Wadt Børglum Kjeldsen |
2020 |
|
Olivia Ingrid Ben Lundgreen |
2020 |
|
Alberte Vad Mathiesen |
2021 |
|
Shanna Ninett Christensen |
2021 |
Research group
| Name | Title | Phone | |
| Katrine Worsaae | Professor | +4535321987 | |
| Cecilie Fryland Appeldorff | Lab Technician | +4535334287 | |
| Alice Rouan | Postdoc | +4535327118 | |
| Shoyo Sato | Postdoc | +4535326499 | |
| Jan Raeker | Phd Student | ||
| Éloïse Defourneaux | Research Assistant | +4535328718 | |
| Malte Jarlgaard Hansen | Research Assistant | ||
| Meghan Kathleen Yap-Chiongco | Postdoc | ||
| Pernille Klausholt Pedersen | MSc student | ||
| Angelina Lynggaard Corvinius | BSc student |
Contact
Professor Katrine Worsaae
Universitetsparken 4, 1st floor
DK-2100 Copenhagen Ø
kworsaae@bio.ku.dk
Phone: +45 35 300433
Mobile: +45 41230073
News & outreach
New large-scale project
Many animals occupy the microscopic realm (i.e., the meiofauna), exhibiting a tiny size but still astonishingly complex behaviors and life strategies. How do animals become small? Which mechanisms allow them to adapt to life in the meiofaunal realm? These and other intriguing questions we wish to investigate through phylogenomics and comparative genomics including >30 microscopic lineages (meiofauna). We hope you wish to be part of this largescale project, which seeks a more complete understanding of animal evolution and miniaturization – and the underpinning genomic mechanisms and phenotypic consequences hereof. Open positions: Two post docs with deadline 17 November 2024 and one PhD with deadline 13 November 2024.
Happy to get funding for the following applied project: Assessing the ecological impact of a new, potentially sustainable hydraulic fishery targeting the invasive American razor clam on both macro- and meiobenthic communities. The data and assessment from the this 3-year long project, funded by EHFAF, will be used for guidance to stakeholders and develop a management plan that balances ecological sustainability with economic viability for razor clam fisheries.
Welcome to Malte Jarlgaard Hansen! Research assistant at the K. Worsaae labs 2024-2027 - working on the invasive razor clams impact on macro- and meiobenthic communities.
Welcome to Meghan Yap-Chiongco! Post-doc at the K. Worsaae labs 2024-2027 - working on Meiofaunal methylation in Dimorphilus gyrociliatus.
Did a fun podcast on some of our large-scale research questions: Kan ledorme hjælpe os med at forstå os selv?
Interview podcast & YouTube-video on the evolution of brains, “Den dyriske time”
New York Times & Videnskab.dk interview-articles on our swimming scale worm paper (Allentoft-Larsen et al. 2021)
Podcast and article series on Deep sea life and mining, Zetland (Magazine).
K. Worsaae gave an interview to Universitetsavisen: Katrine Worsaae's double life above and below water