Education

  • July 1999 to March 2004: PhD thesis at the Humboldt-University (Berlin, Germany): „Die Entwicklung des Pfeilschwanzkrebses Limulus polyphemus und anderer Arthropoden unter besonderer Berücksichtigung der Neurogenese“ (magna cum laude; The embryology of the horseshoe crab Limulus polyphemus and other arthropods with main focus on neurogenesis)
  • October 1997 to October 1998: Diploma thesis with Prof. Dr. Gerhard Scholtz at the Humboldt-University (Berlin, Germany): „Die Keimstreifbildung und das Expressionsmuster des Homoeobox-Gens Distal-less bei primär flügellosen Insekten (Collembola, Zygentoma) (The embryology and the expression pattern of the Homeobox gene Distal-less in apterygote insects (Collembola, Zygentoma)). Awarded with the Katharina-Heinroth-Award 1999 of the Gesellschaft der Naturforschenden Freunde zu Berlin
  • June 1997: Diploma in Biology (major subjects: Zoology, Morphology, Evolutionary Biology, Molecular Biology & Genetics, Ecology, Soil Science)
  • November 1991 to June 1997: Course of studies in Biology at the Julius-Maximilians-Universität (Würzburg) and the Albert-Ludwigs-Universität (Freiburg)
  • October 1987 to October 1990: Course of studies in Informatics (Computer Science) at the University of Karlsruh

Professional activity

  • As of July 2008: Postdoc at Queen Mary College, University of London, School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Lab PD Dr. Angelika Stollewerk. As of December 2009: guest scientist at Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg, Lab Prof. Dr. Karl-Friedrich Fischbach.
  • September 2007 to June 2008: Scientist (Senior Researcher III) at the Danube Delta National Institute for Research & Development (Tulcea, Romania) for biodiversity assessment (arthropods) in the Danube Delta
  • January 2003 to May 2007: Working as Study Data Manager and Project Data Manager being responsible for global clinical trials and global clinical projects in oncology and renal anemia for F. Hoffmann-La Roche, Basel, Switzerland
  • 1998/1999: Translation from English to German and editorial supervision of the book „Humans before Humanity – Menschen vor Homo sapiens“, written by the paleoanthropologist Prof. Dr. Robert A. Foley (Cambridge, UK) for the Jan Thorbecke Publishing House (2000)
  • October 1990 to October 1991: Working as Sales-Manager for Luxemburger Computers (Freiburg)

Further scientific activities

  • May/June 2000: Visiting scientist at the Marine Biological Laboratory (MBL) in Woods Hole (Massachusetts, USA; invited by Prof. Dr. Robert B. Barlow) and at the institute  for Neuroscience at the Wellesley-College (Boston, USA; invited by Prof. Dr. Barbara Beltz)
  • May/June 2001: Visiting scientist at the Marine Biological Laboratory (MBL) in Woods Hole (Massachusetts, USA; invited by Prof. Dr. Robert B. Barlow)
  • Participation in a television report (broadcaster arte) about horseshoe crabs: “Fossil mit blauem Blut” (“Blue-blooded fossil” broadcasted in June 2001 and December 2001)
  • May to September 2002: Visiting scientist at the Marine Biological Laboratory (MBL) in Woods Hole (Massachusetts, USA) as scholarship holder of the „Grass Foundation for Neuroscience“; during this research period:
  • First award winner of the MBL/Zeiss Photo contest 2002 „Scientific Imaging“
  • First award winner at the MBL „General Scientific Meeting 2002“ for graduate students talks
  • Numerous scientific lectures on behalf of different scientific organizations. For example
  • Lecture „Der Pfeilschwanzkrebs Limulus polyphemus - ein lebendes Fossil in der modernen Forschung” (September 2001, Zoo Leipzig; The horseshoe crab Limulus polyphemus – a living fossil in today’s science)
  • Lecture about „Der Pfeilschwanzkrebs Limulus polyphemus - ein lebendes Fossil in der modernen Forschung” (April 2002, Jura-Museum, Eichstätt; The horseshoe crab Limulus polyphemus – a living fossil in today’s science)
  • Lecture „Whip spiders and scorpions – Exciting mating behaviors in Arachnids” (October 2002, Zoo Leipzig)
  • Lecture „The fascinating world of insects“ (October 2003, Zoo Leipzig)
  • Lecture „The colorful world of butterflies“ (October 2004, Zoo Leipzig)
  • Lecture „Methods of Evolutionary Biology” (May 2005, University of Oradea, Romania)
  • Lecture „Octopus and squid – intelligent denizens of the Ocean” (June 2005, Zoo Leipzig)
  • Lecture „The horseshoe crab Limulus polyphemus – a living fossil in today’s science” (March 2006, Danube Delta National Institute for Research & Development, Tulcea, Romania)
  • Lecture „The fascinating life of Crustaceans” (October 2006, Zoo Leipzig)
  • Lecture „The horseshoe crab Limulus polyphemus – a living fossil in today’s science” (November 2006, Museum of Natural History, Karlsruhe)
  • June 2005 to June 2006: Teaching Natural Sciences for children between 6 and 9 years, organized by the Primary Schools Council in Heilbronn (Germany)

Teaching and research at the Universities Freiburg (1994-1999) and Berlin
(1999-2002)

  • Assistant teacher in many practical courses for the institutes of Zoology and Developmental Biology at the University Freiburg (Anatomy of vertebrates; Embryology; Morphology and Systematics of animals; Evolutionary Zoology; several practical courses (outdoor) for the determination of animals and plants etc.)
  • Research with Scanning Electron (SEM) and Chaetotaxonomics with larvae of beetles for the institute of Evolutionary Zoology
  • Preparation, determination and statistical analysis of the beetles (Coleoptera) of the „Kaiserstuhl-Collection“, which is working on fauna-changes of the Kaiserstuhl area for more than 20 years (institute of Evolutionary Zoology)
  • Behaviour research with parasitic beetles (Staphylinidae); (Institute of Evolutionary Zoology)
  • Ecological examinations and statistical analysis of the beetles population in the area Freiburger Mooswald; shared project with Prof. Dr. Josef K. Müller, (Institute of Evolutionary Zoology, department of ecology)
  • Guided tours through the Museum of Anatomy (Basel, Switzerland) and the Museum of Natural History (Basel, Switzerland) for upper grade students of Zoology, Botany, Medicine and Geology
  • May 1999 to July 1999: Development of new immunocytochemical methods for the department of Prof. Dr. Gerhard Scholtz (Comparative Zoology) at the Humboldt- University Berlin; continued during PhD
  • Since 1999: Cooperation with Prof. Dr. Robert B. Barlow (Medical School, Syracuse, New York, USA)

Professional membership

  • Deutsche Zoologische Gesellschaft (DZG, German Zoological Society)
  • European Society for Evolutionary Biology (ESEB)
  • Deutsche Gesellschaft für Mykologie (DGFM, German Society for Mycology)
Publications

  • Peschke, K., Fuldner, D., Mittmann, B. (1996): A. clavicornis, a stepping stone in the evolution of parasitoid behaviour in the rove beetles genus Aleochara (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae). Abstr.XX.Intern.Congr.Entomol., Firenze.
  • Mittmann, B. (1997): Rezension über: Bense, U. (1995): Longhorn Beetles, Illustrated Key to the Cerambycidae and Vesperidae of Europe (Markgraf Verlag). Mitteilungen des badischen Landesverbandes für Naturkunde und Naturschutz, 3/4, 653f.
  • Mittmann, B., Scholtz, G. (1998): The expression pattern of the homeobox gene Distal-less in apterygote insects. Zoology, 101 (Suppl.I), 22.
  • Scholtz, G., Mittmann, B., Gerberding, M. (1998): The pattern of Distal-less expression in the mouthparts of crustaceans, myriapods and insects: new evidence for a gnathobasic mandible and the common origin of Mandibulata. International Journal of Developmental Biology 42: 801-810.
  • Maus, C., Mittmann, B., Peschke, K. (1998): Host record of parasitoid Aleochara Gravenhorst species (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae) attacking puparia of cyclorrhapheous Diptera. Deutsche Entomologische Zeitschrift 45 (2): 231 – 254.
  • Robert Foley (2000): Menschen vor Homo sapiens. Wie und warum unsere Art sich durchsetzte. Translated by Beate Mittmann. Editor Wighart v. Koenigswald. Thorbecke SPECIES Band 5.
  • Mittmann, B. (2000): Die Keimstreifbildung und das Expressionsmuster des Homoeobox Gens Distal-less bei primär flügellosen Insekten (Collembola, Zygentoma). Sitzungsberichte der Naturforschenden Freunde Berlin (N.F.) 38: 93-103.
  • Mittmann, B., Scholtz, G. (2000): The expression pattern of the homeobox gene Distal-less in the horseshoe crab Limulus polyphemus (Chelicerate, Xiphosura) and the silverfish Lepisma saccharina (Insecta, Zygentoma): Is Distal-less directly correlated with the differentiation of sensory bristles? Zoology 193 (Suppl. III): 11.
  • Mittmann, B., Scholtz, G. (2001): Distal-less expression in embryos of Limulus polyphemus (Chelicerata, Xiphosura) and Lepisma saccharina (Insecta, Zygentoma) suggests a role in the development of mechanoreceptors, chemoreceptors, and the CNS. Development Genes and Evolution 211(5): 232-243.
  • Errigo, M., Mc Guinnes, C., Meadors, S., Mittmann, B., Dodge, F., Barlow, R. (2001): Visually guided behaviour of juvenile horseshoe crabs. Biol. Bull. 201: 271- 71.
  • Mittmann, B. (2002): Early Neurogenesis in the Horseshoe Crab Limulus polyphemus (Chelicerata, Xiphosura) and its Implication for Arthropod Relationships. Biol. Bull. 203: 221-222.
  • Mittmann, B., Scholtz, G. (2003): Development of the nervous system in the „head“ of Limulus polyphemus (Chelicerata: Xiphosura): morphological evidence for a correspondence between the segments of the chelicerae and of the (first) antennae of Mandibulata. Dev. Genes Evol. 213: 9-17. Scholtz, G., Braband, A., Tolley, L., Reimann, A., Mittmann, B., Lukhaup, C., Steuerwald, F., Vogt, G. (2003): Parthenogenesis in an outsider crayfish. Nature: 421: 806.
  • Mittmann, B. (2010): Bleiben wir auf dem Boden der Wissenschaft. Kritik am Artikel „Evolutionäre Ethik (Hans Mohr). Erwägen, Wissen, Ethik (Hsg. Benseler, F., Blanck, R., Loh, W.), Jg. 21/2010, Lucius et Lucius Verlagsgesellschaft Stuttgart.
  • Kauz, R. Mittmann, B. (in press): Der Pfeilschwanzkrebs (Tachypleus tridentatus) in der chinesischen Literatur, Medizin und Küche. In Ptak, R. (Ed., with technical support of Nürnberger, M.), Marine Animals in Traditional China: Studies in Cultural History/Meerestiere im alten China: Studien zur Kulturgeschichte, ser. Maritime Asia 21
    (Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz, 2010/11), p. 3-20.