Prof. Dr. Anne-Claire Fabre

About my story and my research

I am the mammal curator at the Naturhistorisches Museum der Burgergemeinde Bern. My research is driven by a passion for understanding the incredible diversity of life. To do this, I quantify animal morphology and explore how it links to function and ecology. Through this approach, I aim to gain insights into the evolutionary history of life on Earth. A central goal of my work is to disentangle the various internal (e.g., developmental) and external (e.g., environmental, climatic) factors that shape both past and present biodiversity, and to understand how these factors relate to function—particularly feeding and locomotion.

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To tackle these complex questions, I use cross-disciplinary methods that combine specimen-based research with in vivo studies in both zoo and field settings. I conduct detailed quantitative analyses of the musculoskeletal system—bones and muscles from museum collections—within the broader context of function, behaviour, and development. By integrating approaches from several fields of biology, I strive to create quantitative links between morphology, behaviour, and function across a wide range of vertebrate groups. This ultimately helps me shed light on the paleoecology and evolution of extinct species.

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Over the years, I’ve been fortunate to receive external funding to support fieldwork, student supervision, and my own research through competitive grants from both French and EU agencies. These opportunities have enabled me to live and work in five countries—France, the UK, the USA, Switzerland, and Germany—primarily in museum settings including the MNHN in Paris, NHM in London, the Paläontologisches Institut und Museum in Zurich, and the MfN in Berlin. My close ties to museum collections have shaped both my scientific journey and my deep commitment to preserving and studying natural history specimens, which is why I’m especially thrilled to join the team in Bern.

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My research has focused extensively on Carnivora (such as dogs, cats, otters, badgers, and bears), as well as Primates (including humans, lemurs, orangutans, gorillas, and chimpanzees), and marsupials (like kangaroos and opossums). As a curator, I am committed to actively maintaining and updating the mammal collection in line with current taxonomic research. I also see it as a priority to address broader societal concerns by highlighting the value of biological collections—why they matter for science, innovation, and education, and how they help us understand the impact of climate and environmental change on biodiversity, both in the past and going forward.

Most recently, I was awarded a prestigious ERC Starting Grant to establish my own research group. This project will investigate why metamorphosis is so widespread in the animal kingdom, and whether it offers advantages compared to species that don’t undergo metamorphosis—such as mammals like us—particularly in the face of environmental and climate challenges.

More information can be found following these links:

https://metamorphosis-project.org/

https://anne-claire-fabre.weebly.com/