Sandra Schüler

I’ve always been interested in muscles, bones, and limb function—even as a child. My bachelor’s thesis was conducted at the BAM under Dr. rer. nat. Michael G. Weller, where I worked on an ELISA test for a heart attack biomarker. The biomarker analyzed was troponin, a protein involved in muscle contraction. For my master’s degree in Organismal Biology, Biodiversity and Evolution, I was working at the Nyakaturalab. Here, I compared the ‘cervicalized’ first thoracic vertebra in giraffes with other artiodactyls using finite element analysis to visualize stress and strain under compressive and tensile loads.

My fascination with bats (Chiroptera) and their wing movements began during an ecology field trip to Ballenstedt, Germany, where we observed and captured bats for ringing. Building on this interest, my PhD project further explores the morphological adaptations of Chiroptera for active flight and roosting behavior. This second-largest order of mammals is divided into Yangochiroptera and Yinpterochiroptera, exhibiting diverse hunting styles during prey hunting or feeding. The project focuses on form and function of the pectoral girdle and its adaptation to those hunting styles.