About Dr Doreen Werner

Doreen Werner was born in Berlin in 1969. Influenced by her nature-loving family environment, her interest in insects was awakened at an early age. Her biology studies at the Humboldt University (1987–1992) were characterised by the unique exception of a special study plan in special zoology with implementation at the Museum of Natural History in Berlin. With her diploma thesis in the field of blackfly research (Diptera: Simuliidae), her first love was initiated, which is still deeply rooted in her scientific interests today. Doreen Werner received her doctorate in 1996, also at the Humboldt University/Museum of Natural History, in the field of special zoology, after having worked intensively on the subject of synanthropic diptera. As winner of the Leopoldina Sponsorship Award, she was given the opportunity following this qualification phase to deepen her research questions within the Simuliidae in Great Britain (Natural History Museum London), Australia (University of Queensland, Brisbane) and the USA (Clemson University). This work was pursued in combination with museum approaches (collection research/ type catalogues) in subsequent years at the Natural History Museum and at the Humboldt University in Berlin.

With the outbreak of bluetongue disease in 2006, it became clear that taxonomic expertise within the blood-sucking mosquitoes was urgently needed in Germany. For this reason, Doreen Werner was appointed to the group of scientists accompanying the outbreak of the disease in 2007, where she was assigned the coordination and leadership of the entomological-taxonomic section for the midges (Ceratopogonidae). From 2007–2011, Doreen Werner worked at the German Entomological Institute and from 2011 was given the opportunity to establish her own working group at the Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research (ZALF) e.V. by expanding her field of research and carrying out Germany-wide mosquito monitoring and associated research (Culicidae). In 2012, in collaboration with the Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Friedrich-Loeffler Institute, she launched the citizen science project "Mosquito Atlas", which is one of the most successful entomological projects in citizen research in Germany.

Within the Diptera, Doreen Werner is involved in the extensive field of vector research (Simuliidae, Ceratopogoidae, Culicidae) as well as hygiene and health pests of selected families and corresponding target species (Muscidae, Fanniidae, Calliphoridae). Particular attention is paid to questions of the spread of antimicrobial resistance factors as part of the Leibniz research network "Infections in an urbanising world".

Due to the lack of taxonomic expertise, numerous areas of research are neglecting the study of dipterans, which are of considerable importance in almost all biotopes. This need is becoming increasingly clear, especially in the field of agricultural research, such as the study of ecosystem services in pollination, decomposition and water purification. For this reason, and taking into account changing climatic conditions and increasing globalisation, the areas of activity in the diversity of Ms Werner's research are constantly expanding.

Mrs Werner is a member of the board of the German Society for Medical Entomology and Acarology and of the National Expert Commission "Mosquitoes as vectors of pathogens" as well as an expert for national and international research committees.