Quick CV
Education
2000: BS degree in Biology, University of Geneva.
2002 : MS degree in Biology, University of Geneva. Diploma thesis on “Circadian cycles in the Anthozoa Discosoma sp. (Corrallimorpharia) and Porites porites (Scleractinia) probed by the fluorescence emission of their symbionts”, Laboratory of Bioenergetics, University of Geneva.
2007: PhD thesis on the molecular phylogeny and ecology of the order Zoantharia (Cnidaria, Hexacorallia). Co-directed by the Prof. Zaninetti and Prof. Pawlowski (University of Geneva) and Dr. Chevaldonné (Université de la Méditerranée Aix-Marseille II). PhD obtained in June 2007 with highest distinction in both Universities.
Postdoctoral activities
October 2007-October 2009: JSPS (Japan Society for Promotion of Science) Postdoctoral fellow in the University of the Ryukyus, Okinawa, Japan (Dr. J.D. Reimer's laboratory) on diversity and evolution of zoanthids.
November 2009 - May 2010: Postdoctoral researcher at Florida State University, Florida, USA (Dr. A. Baco-Taylor's laboratory) on the gold coral and other associated Hawaiian deep sea zoanthids.
Since June 2010: MarieCurie incoming international fellow at Bangor University with Dr. S. Creer and Prof. G. Carvalho on the Marine Meiobenthos Diversity (MARMEDIV) project.
Selected publications
Sinniger F., Reimer J.D., Pawlowski J. (2010) The Parazoanthidae (Hexacorallia: Zoantharia) DNA taxonomy: description of two new genera. Mar. Biodiv. 40: 57–70.
Sinniger F., Häussermann V. (2009) Zoanthids (Cnidaria: Hexacorallia: Zoantharia) from shallow waters of the southern Chilean fjord region with the description of a new genus and two new species. Org. Div. Evol. 9:23–36
Sinniger F., Reimer J.D., Pawlowski J. (2008) DNA Barcoding in Zoantharia: a promising future for molecular for molecular taxonomy of Anthozoa. Zool. Sci. 25:1253–1260.
Sinniger F., Chevaldonné P., Pawlowski J. (2007) Mitochondrial genome of Savalia savaglia (Cnidaria, Hexacorallia) and early metazoan phylogeny. J. Mol. Evol. 64: 196-203.
Sinniger F., Montoya-Burgos J.I., Chevaldonne P., Pawlowski J. (2005) Phylogeny of the order Zoantharia (Anthozoa, Hexacorallia) based on the mitochondrial ribosomal genes. Mar. Biol. 147 (5): 1121-1128.