Evolutionary Ecophysiology Research Group — Tuul Sepp

Evolutionary Ecophysiology Research Group

Principal Investigator (PI) and Group Leader: Professor Tuul Sepp, PhD

Affiliation:
Chair of Animal Ecology, Department of Zoology
Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences
University of Tartu, Estonia

About the Research Group

The Evolutionary Ecophysiology Research Group at the University of Tartu is led by Professor Tuul Sepp. The group investigates contemporary evolutionary processes and the responses of wild animals to human-induced environmental change.

Research focuses on the ecological and evolutionary consequences of urbanisation, environmental pollution and habitat modification. The group combines behavioural ecology, evolutionary biology, ecophysiology and ecotoxicology to understand how animals respond and adapt to changing environments.

Current research areas include cancer in wild animals, seabirds and environmental change, urban ecology and habitat restoration, river ecosystems, microplastic pollution, and citizen science.

Principal Investigator

Tuul Sepp, PhD is Professor of Animal Ecology and Head of the Chair of Animal Ecology at the University of Tartu. She is the Principal Investigator and leader of the Evolutionary Ecophysiology Research Group.

Her research examines how anthropogenic environmental changes influence the physiology, behaviour and evolution of wild animals, with particular emphasis on birds and fish. Her scientific interests also include ageing, cancer evolution and environmental adaptation.

Professor Sepp received the President of the Republic of Estonia's Young Scientist Award in 2020 and an Estonian National Science Award in 2023. She supervises doctoral and Master's research.

Research Leadership and Funding

Professor Sepp is the Principal Investigator of Estonian Research Council team grant PRG3060 – Sentinels of the Sea: Exposure of Wild Animals to Emerging Pollutants and Diseases in the Baltic Sea (2026–2030).

She is also the University of Tartu Principal Investigator for the European Union LIFE project Introducing Adaptive Community-Based Biodiversity Management in Urban Areas for Improved Connectivity and Ecosystem Health (2022–2027).

Her previous projects include Estonian Research Council grant PSG653, investigating cancer defences and adaptation to oncogenic environments in wild fish (2021–2025).

Research Group Members

Researchers

• Tuul Sepp – Principal Investigator and Group Leader
• Randel Kreitsberg
• Richard Meitern
• Christel Rose Bachmann
• Merilin Raudna-Kristoffersen

Master's Students

• Mariliis Albert
• Hennessy Elizabeth Dubrov
• Jan-Eric Lauri
• Liisa Juurman

Academic Profile and Publications

Official University of Tartu staff profile

Academic CV – Estonian Research Information System (ETIS)

Publications – Google Scholar

Evolutionary Ecophysiology Group website

Contact

Prof. Tuul Sepp
Principal Investigator, Evolutionary Ecophysiology Research Group
University of Tartu
J. Liivi 2, Room 419
Tartu, Estonia

Email: [email protected]
Phone: +372 505 2501