CF (Clara) Köhler

I am a PhD Candidate at the Wildlife Ecology and Conservation group at Wageningen University, in cooperation with the Dutch Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM). My work focuses on how (potentially) zoonotic microorganisms interact with vertebrate host communities and the effects of ecosystem change on these interactions and the implications for public health. In particular, I am interested in nature restoration in Europe, with a special focus on forests and coastal dune ecosystems.

For my PhD project, I apply various methods to quantify the vertebrate community, including camera trapping, remote acoustic monitoring and small mammal trapping. In addition, we collect samples from vectors (ticks) and small mammals for the molecular detection of pathogens using PCR, serology and sequencing tools.