Fabio Cortesi

I am an ARC Future Fellow and Senior Lecturer in marine biology and evolution at UQ’s School of the Environment, where, together with A/Prof Karen Cheney, I have been co-leading the Marine Sensory Ecology Group since 2023. My main interests lie in the forces, from molecule to environment, which shape biodiversity. Focusing on the evolution of visual systems in fishes and cephalopods, I am trying to understand how other animals perceive the world, how this contributes to the formation of colours and patterns and how this can lead to species diversity. In recent years, the focus has shifted to anthropogenic disturbances and to how plasticity and flexibility in sensory systems may enable animals to adapt to the rapid changes they face.

I received a PhD in Zoology, Summa Cum Laude, in 2014 from the University of Basel, Switzerland, studying the molecular and behavioural functions of colourful signals in coral reef fishes. After completing my remaining Swiss National Service duties, I moved to Australia in 2015 to start a short-term postdoctoral appointment at UQ’s School of Biology. Upon winning prestigious postdoctoral Fellowships from the Swiss National Science Foundation and UQ, I transferred to the Queensland Brain Institute in early 2016, where I developed my leadership skills under the supervision of Emr. Professor Justin Marshall. In 2020, I received an ARC DECRA Fellowship, which enabled me to start my junior group under the mentorship of Emr. Prof. Marshall and A/Prof Karen Cheney.