Daniel Rankin

Group Leader and SNF Ambizione Researcher
Institute of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies
University of Zürich

E-mail:

Institute webpage can be found here.

Research Interests

I am a researcher at the Institute of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies at theUniversity of Zürich,Switzerland, wheremy research focuses on various aspects of evolutionary biology and ecology.

Computational and mathematical models are used to understand the world of evolution and ecology. The rules of evolution and ecology can be expressed using very simple mathematical formulae. Various techniques, such as game theory, non-linear dynamical systems, adaptive dynamics and individual-based modeling approaches can be applied. These models are designed and tested by using data, and working closely with empiricists. My research focuses on feedbacks between ecology and evolution. In particular, my research focuses on three main themes:

• Mobile DNA and the evolution of horizontal gene transfer
• Social evolution and the evolutionary tragedy of the commons
• The link between ecology and evolutionary systems
  

Selected Publications

• Rankin, D.J., Dieckmann, U. & Kokko, H. (2011) Sexual conflict and the tragedy of the commons. American Naturalist. 177: 780-791.
• Rankin, D.J., Rocha, E.P.C. & Brown, S.P. (2011) What traits are carried on mobile elements and why? Heredity.106: 1-10.
• Rankin, D.J. (2011) The social side of Homo economicus. Trends in Ecology and Evolution. 26: 1-3.
• Nogueira, T., Rankin, D.J., Touchon, M., Taddei, F., Brown, S.P. & Rocha, E.P.C. (2009) Horizontal gene transfer of the secretome drives the evolution of bacterial cooperation and virulence. Current Biology. 19: 1683-1691.
• Kokko, H., Heubel, K. & Rankin, D.J. (2008) How populations persist when asexuality requires sex: the spatial dynamics of coping with sperm parasites. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London: Biological Sciences 275: 817-825.
• Rankin, D.J., Bargum, K. & Kokko, H. (2007) The tragedy of the commons in evolutionary biology. Trends in Ecology and Evolution 22: 643-651.
• Rankin, D.J. & López-Sepulcre, A. (2005) Can adaptation lead to extinction? Oikos 111: 616-619.

Career History

• March 2009 - March 2012: Swiss National Science Foundation Ambizione Fellow/Group Leader, University of Zürich, CH
• September 2008 - February 2009: Post-doctoral Forschungskredit Fellow, University of Zürich, CH
• March 2008 - May 2008: Visiting Researcher, Harvard University, USA
• March 2007 - August 2008: Post-doctoral research fellow, University of Bern, CH
• November 2006 - February 2007: Research Assistant, University of Bern, CH
• October 2004 - December 2004: Visiting Researcher, Uppsala University, SE
• March 2004 - October 2006: Researcher, Helsinki University, FI
• November 2003 - February 2004: Research Assistant, University of Zürich, CH
• January 2002 - December 2003: Msc Biology, Leiden University, NL
• 1998-2001: BSc (Hons), University of York, UK

Funding and Awards

• Swiss National Science Foundation Project Grant - Oct 2009 - Oct 2012
• Swiss National Science Foundation Ambizione Fellowship - Mar 2009-Mar 2012
• CSF grant to organise conference - April 2011
• Cogito foundation grant to organise conference - April 2011
• CUSO grant to organise workshop - Jun 2009
• University of Zürich Forschungskredit Fellowship Sept 2008 - Mar 2009
• Cogito foundation short term research grant - Mar-May 2008
• University of Bern Nachwuchsförderung - Aug 2007
• University of Helsinki Chancellor's travel grant - Jul 2006
• Leverhulme Trust Study-Abroad Studentship - 2002-2003

Editorial Work

• 2008 - present: Academic Editor, PLoS ONE
• 2006 - 2011: Associate Editor, JNR Ecology and Evolutionary Biology

Talks and Presentations

See here for the list.