Erik T. Frank
Principal Investigator
I am interested in animal behaviour, ecology and evolution. More specifically predator-prey interactions, social immunity and chemical communication in social insects.
My main study organisms are the termite-hunting ant species Megaponera analis (sub-Saharan Africa) and the army ants of the genus Eciton (South and Central America). The evolutionary arms race from their predator-prey interactions has led to some ingenious mechanisms to increase their efficiency as predators and lower their mortality (like caring for their injured). Further study organisms include ants from the genus Camponotus, Dinoponera, Cataglyphis, Pseudomyrmex and the clonal raider ant Ooceraea biroi.
CV
2022–onwards
Emmy Noether Group Leader, Department of Animal Ecology and Tropical Biology, University of Würzburg, Germany
2021–2022
Assistant Professor, Department of Animal Ecology and Tropical Biology, University of Würzburg, Germany
2018–2021
Acting Managing Director, Comoé National Park Research Station, Côte d'Ivoire
2018–2021
Post-doc, Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Lausanne, Switzerland
2015–2017
Coordinator Comoé National Park Research Station, Côte d'Ivoire
2014–2017
PhD-Student Graduate School of Life Sciences, University of Würzburg, Germany
2013–2014
M.Sc. Biology, University of Würzburg, Germany
2010–2013
B.Sc. Biology, University of Würzburg, Germany
2007–2010
B.A. International Relations, University of Exeter, UK
1995–2007
Baccalaureate, European School Munich, Germany