Fabio Cortesi

Originally from the Swiss Alps, I became a marine scientist after joining the Sensory Neurobiology Lab at the University of Queensland in 2009 to complete my honours thesis on the colourful displays of marine nudibranchs. I later earned my PhD at the University of Basel in 2014, studying the ecological and molecular roles of colour signals in marine fishes. Beginning in 2023, I lead the broader Sensory Neurobiology Lab within UQ’s School of the Environment as part of the Marine Sensory Ecology Group.

My research explores how forces—from molecular mechanisms to environmental pressures—shape biodiversity. Focusing on the evolution of visual systems in fishes and cephalopods, I investigate how animals perceive their world, how colours and patterns arise, and how these processes drive species diversity. To do this, I use approaches ranging from single‑cell sequencing and transgenesis to neurophysiology and behavioural experiments.