Dr. Stefania Casagrande

Project Leader

Evolutionary Physiology
+49 8157 932-248

5/1.17

Main Focus

I am interested in understanding the fitness consequences of endocrine and metabolic adjustments in response to environmental changes. My focus lies on glucocorticoids, metabolic hormones secreted by the adrenal glands in response to different stressors, and how these hormones regulate the energy balance of the organism. Mainly, I measure mitochondrial activity, telomere dynamics, oxidative status and the behaviour of an individual in relation to their corticosterone levels in a wild population of our model species, the great tit (Parus major)

Current projects:

1. Bioenergetic-endocrine perspective of telomere dynamics (DFG funded project granted to SC).

2. Adaptive changes of mitochondrial bioenergetics and glucocorticoids in different environmental gradients

Past project:

3. Glucocorticoid reaction norms across diverse life history stages using a comparative approach.

Curriculum Vitae

Professional positions

08/2014 - present: Research scientist. Max Planck Institute for Biological Intelligence (formerly Ornithology), Department of Evolutionary Physiology (Group Hau). P.I. DFG project 2017-2018.
2012-2014: Marie Curie FWO Fellow, University of Antwerp. Belgium
2008-2011: Marie Curie ERG Fellow, University of Parma. Italy
2006-2008: Marie Curie EIF Fellow, University of Groningen, Netherlands
2004-2005: Post-doc, University of Parma, Italy
2003: Post-doc, Association Ornis Italica, Rome, Italy
2000-2003: PhD student, University of Parma, Italy

Academic appointments and editorial activity

2022 - present: Associate editor of Journal of Avian Biology
2019 - 2022: Member of the Flanders Research Foundation (FWO) board Research Funding Panel Bio 3 (Biodiversity and Ecology). FWO Board of Trustees, Brussels.