Naturhistorisches Museum Wien

Museum

Dr.

Sandra Kirchner

Position: Staff scientist, Laboratory manager

Sandra Kirchners ORCID record:

https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8715-6064

Contact:

sandra.kirchner@nhm.at

Various topics on the cyprinid fish species complex Garra from Oman including first whole genome sequencing and de novo assembly of G. longipinnis; comparative analyses of eye and brain development in cave and surface morphotypes during ontogeny via µCT scans

aDNA experiment – project on comparison of different DNA extraction methods in historic museum samples, under supervision of Anja Palandacic (fish collection)

Garra barreimiae

Garra barreimiae (Photo by Lukas Plan)

Education

18.06.2020 Ph.D. graduation with distinction (Biology) at the University of Vienna and the Natural History Museum Vienna. Title: „Shedding light on the evolution of an enigmatic fish. Comparative analyses of cavernicolous and surface-dwelling populations of Garra barreimiae.“
24.06.2013 M.Sc. graduation (Biology / Zoology) at the University of Vienna and the Natural History Museum Vienna. Title: „Phylogeografie alpiner Populationen der Felsen-Pyramidenschnecke Pyramidula pusilla. Molekularbiologische Untersuchung und morphologische Vermessungen zur Bestimmung der intraspezifischen Diversität.“
2006 – 2013 Studies of Biology / Zoology at the University of Vienna
2001–2006 School Leaving Examination (TVE-Exam), Secondary College for Business Administration, 6370 Kitzbuehel, Austria. Specialist Subject Area: Controlling and Annual Audit.

Professional History

Since 05/2019 Scientific Researcher at the Natural History Museum Vienna, Central Research Laboratories: continuing work on the Garra barreimiae project, finalisation and publication of two scientific articles (Kirchner et al., 2020a and 2020b), involvement in establishing MinION sequencing platform at the Central Research Laboratories, evaluation of µCT scans and performing morphological 3D reconstructions.
Since 07/2019 Project Researcher at the Natural History Museum Vienna, 1st Zoological Department, Fish collection: lab work on historic museum samples (DNA extractions, PCR amplifications, Primer design), involvement in ongoing project on DNA extractions from historic museum samples and comparison of different DNA extraction protocols.
01/2022 Lab Assistant at the Natural History Museum Vienna, Central Research Laboratories. Assistance in molecular genetic monitoring of dragonfly populations in Vienna in the course of the project „Molluskenfauna/LE-Geb. Wien“.
11/2021 – 01/2022 Project Researcher at the Natural History Museum Vienna, Central Research Laboratories. Microsatellite analyses and genotyping in the course of the project on genetic monitoring of Austrian brown bears (Ursus arctos).
06/2018 – 07/2019 Project Researcher, maternity leave replacement for collection manager of the Natural History Museum Vienna, 1st Zoological Department, Fish collection: lab work on historic museum samples (DNA extractions, PCR amplifications, Primer design) and performing bioinformatic analyses (DNA sequence analyses, phylogenetic reconstructions).
10/2017 – 04/2018 Project Researcher at the Natural History Museum Vienna, Central Research Laboratories. FEMtech practical training granted by the Federal Ministry for Transport, Innovation and Technology. Continuing work on the Garra barreimiae project.
10/2014 – 10/2017 Pre-doc position at the University of Vienna, Department of Evolutionary Biology, Integrative Zoology. Uni:docs fellowship programme for excellent doctoral candidates granted by the University of Vienna. Ph.D. thesis on the cyprinid Garra barreimiae with focus on population genetics, phylogeography and morphology.
01/2014 – 10/2014 Research Assistant at the Natural History Museum Vienna, Central Research Laboratories. Ongoing research for the project Garra barreimiae, preparation and submission of a publication on the previously established microsatellite markers.
07/2013 – 01/2014 Project Researcher at the Natural History Museum Vienna, Central Research Laboratories. FEMtech practical training granted by the Federal Ministry for Transport, Innovation and Technology: carrying out primer design and establishment as well as lab work and microsatellite analysis for the project on Garra barreimiae.
05/2012 – 04/2013 Research Assistant at the Natural History Museum Vienna, Central Research Laboratories. Preliminary work for the project on Garra barreimiae, common bioinformatic methods, primer design, microsatellite detection.
04/2012 Project Researcher at the Natural History Museum Vienna, 3rd Zoological Department. FEMtech practical training granted by the Federal Ministry for Transport, Innovation and Technology. Carrying out morphometric analysis and statistical evaluation in alpine populations of Pyramidula pusilla.
01/2010 – 03/2012 Lab Assistant at the Natural History Museum Vienna, Central Research Laboratories. Lab work including preparation of samples, extraction of DNA and PCR, cloning techniques, editing and aligning sequences, insight into scientific work process by participating in different projects.

Grants

2011 Scholarship University of Vienna
2010 Scholarship University of Vienna

Original articles in peer-reviewed scientific journals

KIRCHNER, S., SATTMANN, H., HARING, E., VICTOR, R. & KRUCKENHAUSER, L. (2020b): Hidden diversity—Delimitation of cryptic species and phylogeography of the cyprinid Garra species complex in Northern Oman. – Journal of Zoological Systematics and Evolutionary Research, 59/2: 411-427. doi: 10.1111/jzs.12438.

KIRCHNER, S., KRUCKENHAUSER, L., PICHLER, A., BORKENHAGEN, K., & FREYHOF, J. (2020a). Revision of the Garra species of the Hajar Mountains in Oman and the United Arab Emirates with the description of two new species (Teleostei: Cyprinidae). Zootaxa, 4751(3), 521-545. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.4751.3.6

BULATOVIĆ, A., MARKOVIĆ, J., HARING, E., PINSKER, W., MASON, K., DUDA, M., et al. (2019). First data on population estimates and dispersal of Montenegrina subcristata - a field study at Virpazar, Montenegro. Ecologica Montenegrina, 26, 147-165.

HARING, E., PINSKER, W., DUDA, M., MASON, K., ASCHBERGER, M., BAUMGARTNER, G., BISENBERGER, A., BULATOVIC, A., DE MATTIA, W., ESCHNER, A., FEHER, Z., GIOKAS, S., HARL, J., HILLE, A., KIRCHNER, S., KRUCKENHAUSER, L., KYSELA, P., MACEK, O., MARKOVIC, J., PINSKER, D., REIER, S., RICHLING, I., SCHILEYKO, A., SCHINDELAR, J., SLAPNIK, R., SONNLEITNER, M., VALENTINCIC, J. & SATTMANN, H. (2018). Snails on the rocks. Arianta 6: 31–40, Wien.

PICHLER, A., AHNELT, H., KIRCHNER, S., SATTMANN, H., HARING, E., HANDSCHUH, S., et al. (2018). The morphological diversity of Garra barreimiae [Teleostei: Cyprinidae]. Environmental Biology Of Fishes, 101(6), 1053–1065. doi:10.1007/s10641-018-0758-7

KIRCHNER, S., SATTMANN, H., HARING, E., PLAN, L., VICTOR, R., & KRUCKENHAUSER, L. (2017). Investigating gene flow between the blind cavefish Garra barreimiae and its conspecific surface populations. Scientific Reports, 7(1), 5130. doi:10.1038/s41598-017-05194-3

KIRCHNER S., HARL J., KRUCKENHAUSER L., DUDA M., SATTMANN H. & HARING E. (2016): Phylogeography and systematics of Pyramidula (Pulmonata: Pyramidulidae) in the eastern Alps: still a taxonomic challenge. – Journal of Molluscan Studies, 82/1: 110-121. doi:10.1093/mollus/eyv047

CALDERONI, L., ROTA-STABELLI, O., FRIGATO, E., PANZIERA, A., KIRCHNER, S., FOULKES, N. S., KRUCKENHAUSER, L., BERTOLUCCI C. & FUSELLI, S. (2016). Relaxed selective constraints drove functional modifications in peripheral photoreception of the cavefish P. andruzzii and provide insight into the time of cave colonization. Heredity, 117: 383-392. doi: 10.1038/hdy.2016.59

KIRCHNER S., HARL J., KRUCKENHAUSER L., DUDA M., SATTMANN H., HARING E. (2015) Phylogeography and systematics of Pyramidula (Pulmonata: Pyramidulidae) in the eastern Alps: still a taxonomic challenge. Journal of Molluscan Studies, 82:doi: 10.1093/mollus/eyv047

KIRCHNER S., WEINMAIER T., RATTEI T., SATTMANN H., KRUCKENHAUSER L. (2014) Characterization of 19 new microsatellite loci for the Omani barb Garra bareimiae from 454 sequences. BMC Research Notes 2014, 7:522, doi:10.1186/1756-0500-7-522

HARL J., PÁLL-GERGELY B., KIRCHNER S., SATTMANN H., DUDA M., KRUCKENHAUSER L., HARING E. Phylogeography of the land snail genus Orcula (Orculidae, Stylommatophora) with emphasis on the Eastern Alpine taxa: speciation, hybridization and morphological variation. BMC Evolutionary Biology, 14:223, doi:10.1186/s12862-014-0223-y

KRUCKENHAUSER L., DUDA M., BARTEL D., SATTMANN H., HARL J., KIRCHNER S., HARING E. (2014) Paraphyly and budding speciation in the hairy snail (Gastropoda, Pulmonata, Hygromiidae).- Zoologica Scripta, 43(3): 273-288. doi: 10.1111/zsc.12046.

Conference proceedings

HARING, E., PINSKER, W., DUDA, M., MASON, K., ASCHBERGER, M., BAUMGARTNER, G., et al. (2018). Snails on the rocks. In E. Haring, S. Reier, & H. Sattmann (Eds.), Arianta 6 (Vol. 6, p. 31-40). Wien: Verlag des Naturhistorischen Museums Wien.

HARING, E., PINSKER, W., MASON, K., KIRCHNER, S., & SATTMANN, H. (2018). Mapping small scale distribution patterns of Pyramidual populations. In Workshop Alpine Land Snails - Anniversary (p. 27). Presented at the Workshop Alpine Land Snails 2018, Johnsbach, Austria.

Congress Contributions: Talks

KIRCHNER, S., SATTMANN, H., PLAN, L., KRENN, H., VICTOR, R., HARING, E., & KRUCKENHAUSER, L. (2016). As above, so below? Testing for gene flow between cave and surface-dwelling populations of Garra barreimiae. 23^rd International Conference on Subterranean Biology, Fayetteville, Arkansas (USA).

KIRCHNER S., SATTMANN H., HARING E., KRUCKENHAUSER L. (2015). To see or not to see - that is the question. Population genetic analyses in cave-dwelling populations of Garra barreimiae. XV European Congress of Ichthyology, Porto (PRT). Student award for best oral presentation

KIRCHNER, S., KRUCKENHAUSER, L., SATTMANN, H., DUDA, M., HARL, J. & HARING, E. (2014). Alpine populations of Pyramidula pusilla: A closer look into the species phylogeography (Gastropoda: Pulmonata: Pyramidulidae). Workshop Alpine Land Snails, Johnsbach (AUT).

KIRCHNER S., KRUCKENHAUSER L., SATTMANN H., HARL J., DUDA M., HARING E. (2013). Making a start on the phylogeographic puzzle of Alpine populations of Pyramidula pusilla. 7th Annual Meeting of NOBIS Austria - Young Researchers' Day, Wien (AUT).

KIRCHNER S., KRUCKENHAUSER L., SATTMANN H., HARL J., DUDA M., HARING E. (2013). The case of Pyramidula pusilla: adding the first pieces to the phylogeographic puzzle of Alpine populations. World Congress of Malacology, Ponta Delgada (PRT).

KIRCHNER S., KRUCKENHAUSER L., SATTMANN H., HARL J., DUDA M., HARING E. (2013). Phylogeographic analysis of Alpine populations of Pyramidula pusilla (Gastropoda: Pulmonata: Pyramidulidae). 2^nd BioSyst EU Meeting, Wien (AUT).

KIRCHNER S., KRUCKENHAUSER L., SATTMANN H., HARL J., DUDA M., HARING E. (2011). Phylogeography of Alpine populations of Pyramidula pusilla. Workshop Alpine Land Snails, Johnsbach (AUT).

Congress Contributions: Poster

KIRCHNER S., SATTMANN H., HARING E., VICTOR R. & KRUCKENHAUSER L. (2018). And then there were four. Hidden genetic diversity within the cyprinid freshwater fish Garra barreimiae from Oman. 19^th Annual Meeting of the “Gesellschaft für Biologische Systematik”, Wien (AUT).

KIRCHNER S., SATTMANN H., HARING E., VICTOR, R. & KRUCKENHAUSER L. (2018). Danger in the dark. Potential threats to isolated cave populations of Garra barreimiae. 3^rd Annual Meeting in Conservation Genetics, Wien (AUT).

KIRCHNER S., SATTMANN H., HARING E., VICTOR R., KRUCKENHAUSER L. DUDA, M., et al. (2017). And then there were four. Hidden genetic diversity within the cyprinid freshwater fish Garra barreimiae from Oman. 110^th Annual Meeting of the German Zoological Society (DZG), Bielefeld (DEU).

KIRCHNER S., SATTMANN H., HARING E. & KRUCKENHAUSER L. (2017). To see and to be seen. A closer look into the evolution of a blind fish. 11^th Annual Meeting of NOBIS Austria - Young Researchers' Day, Wien (AUT). Poster preis

KIRCHNER S., SATTMANN H., HARING E., VICTOR R., KRUCKENHAUSER L., DUDA M., et al. (2015). And then there were four. Hidden genetic diversity within the cyprinid freshwater fish Garra barreimiae from Oman. 9^th Annual Meeting of NOBIS Austria, Eggenburg (AUT).

PICHLER A., KIRCHNER S., SATTMANN H., HARING E., AHNELT H., FREYHOF J. & KRUCKENHAUSER L. (2015). From genes to means: Morphology and molecular phylogeny of four distinct mitochondrial clades of Garra barreimiae [Teleostei: Cyprinidae]. 9^th Annual Meeting of NOBIS Austria, Eggenburg (AUT).

KIRCHNER, S., SATTMANN, H., HARING, E., PICHLER, A., & KRUCKENHAUSER, L. (2015). How many fish species are hidden under the taxon G. barreimiae? Annual meeting of the Society for Molecular Biology and Evolution 2015, Wien (AUT).

KIRCHNER, S., SATTMANN, H., HARING, E., PICHLER, A., & KRUCKENHAUSER, L. (2015). How many fish species are hidden under the taxon G. barreimiae? European Congress of Ichthyology XV, Porto (PRT).

KIRCHNER S., SATTMANN H., HARING E. & KRUCKENHAUSER L. (2015). To see and to be seen. A closer look into the evolution of a blind fish. Annual meeting of the Society for Molecular Biology and Evolution, Wien (AUT).

KIRCHNER S., WEISSENBACHER A., SATTMANN H., HARING E., KRENN H. & KRUCKENHAUSER L. (2014). Shedding light on the evolution of an enigmatic fish. Comparative analyses of cave-dwelling and surface-dwelling populations of Garra barreimiae. 8th Annual Meeting of NOBIS Austria, München (DEU).

KRUCKENHAUSER L., SATTMANN H., DUDA M., HARL J., KIRCHNER S., HARING E. & BARTEL D. (2014). Paraphyly and budding speciation in the hairy snail Trochulus hispidus (Pulmonata, Hygromiidae). 8th Annual Meeting of NOBIS Austria, Munich (DEU).

KIRCHNER S., KRUCKENHAUSER L., SATTMANN H., HARL J., DUDA M. & HARING E. (2012). Alpine populations of Pyramidula pusilla: A closer look into the species phylogeography. 6^th Annual Meeting of NOBIS Austria, Klagenfurt (AUT).

KIRCHNER S., KRUCKENHAUSER L., HARL J., DUDA M., SATTMANN H. & HARING E. (2011). Phylogeography of Pyramidula pusilla: a big mystery about a tiny snail (Gastropoda: Pulmonata: Pyramidulidae). 5^th Annual Meeting of NOBIS Austria, Salzburg (AUT).

KIRCHNER S., KRUCKENHAUSER L., HARL J., DUDA M., SATTMANN H. & HARING E. (2011). Pyramidula pusilla: A closer look at the phylogeography of Alpine populations (Gastropoda: Pulmonata: Pyramidulidae). Molluscan Forum of the Malacological Society of London, London (UK).

Popular science

KIRCHNER, S., PICHLER, A. & KRUCKENHAUSER, L. (2017). Oman – Ungeahnte Vielfalt von Fischen in der Wüste. Das Naturhistorische: Das Magazin des Naturhistorischen Museums Wien in: Universum, Herbst 2017, pp 8-9.

KIRCHNER, S., & KRUCKENHAUSER, L. (2014). Geheimnisvolle Höhlenbewohner. Das Naturhistorische: Das Magazin des Naturhistorischen Museums Wien in: Universum, Winter 2014, p 9.

JAKSCH K., ZOPP L., KIRCHNER S. (2012) Schnecken checken. Das Naturhistorische: Das Magazin des Naturhistorischen Museums Wien in: Universum, Herbst 2012, pp 82-83.