Fritz Vollrath, Ph.D.

Prof. Fritz Vollrath studied Biology in Göttingen and Freiburg, Germany, and held professorial positions in Basel CH, Aarhus DK and Oxford GB.  Fritz’s academic research embraces two rather distinct areas of Zoology: spider webs & silks and elephant behavior, ecology & evolution. His silk interests range from fundamental research into the mechanical and molecular properties of this important natural material to the fabrication and commercialization of silk-based high-tech products.  Fritz’s elephant research combines fieldwork on their behavioural ecology with applications to their conservation as well as more speculative research into the molecular basis of the elephant’s anti-cancer defences.