My Research

To what extent is olfactory perception and chemical signalling affected by ocean acidification? For my PhD, I am linking computational chemistry with the ecology of climate change. A major part of the aquatic world is sensing its way through the environment, using a rich cocktail of chemical cues. With decreasing oceanic pH ocean acidification can affect the structure and charge of these signalling molecules. My work aims to promote the understanding of how climate change can alter the function and impact of chemical signalling cues. I model their changes with pH using quantum chemical methods validated by NMR spectroscopy and compare chemical changes to behavioural observations. Thereby, I am especially interested in stress-related and neurotransmitter-related chemical communication.

Brief C.V.