Joëlle van der Sprong

Research Interest

My research focuses on applying genomic tools to improve our understanding of the evolutionary history and species diversity of Metazoa. My doctoral project primarily focused on members of the phylum Porifera (sponges), employing genome-wide approaches (e.g. target-capture enrichment) to elucidate their intricate systematics. However, my research interests extend well beyond sponges to encompass a variety of other marine invertebrate groups, with emphasis on, but not limited to, those that thrive in tropical reef ecosystems. I have developed habitat suitability models for annelids, investigated the dispersal patterns of non-indigenous tunicate species, and explored the hidden diversity of marine zooplankton. Working with these highly diverse and abundant groups has taught me that their ecological roles, metabolic capabilities, symbiotic relationships and genetic structures each provide unique insights into their evolutionary processes and diversity. I am particularly interested in bridging the gap between traditional taxonomic approaches and cutting-edge genomic methods, and in how these applications, combined with model-based methods, can contribute to resolving longstanding taxonomic questions. I hope that by taking this approach, I will be able to provide more insight into hidden diversity and gain a better understanding of the evolutionary processes that have shaped and influenced diversification across marine invertebrates.

Short CV

since 09/2025: Scientific Assistant, Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, Dep. Animal Evolution & Biodiversity
2021-2025: Doctoral position, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Germany; Dep. Earth & Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Geosciences, Chair of Palaeontology and Geobiology
Doctoral Project SpongeTaxonOMICs II: A genomic approach to reveal evolutionary patterns and biodiversity in haplosclerid sponges
2017-2021: MSc Biological Sciences: Freshwater & Marine Biology, University of Amsterdam, the Netherlands
2013-2017: BSc Biology, University of Utrecht, the Netherlands

Selected publications

Van der Sprong J., De Voogd N.J., Schätzle S., Vargas S., Wörheide G., Erpenbeck E. (2025) Moving beyond morphology: Genomic insights into evolutionary histories of haplosclerid sponges. Zoologica Scripta 0: 1–18
Erpenbeck, D., Deister, F., Ekins, M., Dotzler, N., Hooper, J.N.A., Samaai, T., Schätzle, S., Van der Sprong, J., Vargas, S., Wörheide, G. (2025) Target-enriched multilocus assay on poriferan museum collections unsettles tethyid classification. Molecular Evolution & Phylogenetics 213: 108436
Van der Sprong, J., De Voogd N.J., McCormack G.P., Sandoval K., Schätzle S., Voigt O., Erpenbeck D., Wörheide G., Vargas S. (2024) A novel target-enriched multilocus assay for sponges (Porifera): Red Sea Haplosclerida (Demospongiae) as a test case. Molecular Ecology Resources. 24, e13891.
Hudspith M, van der Sprong, J., Rix L, Víg D, Schoorl J, de Goeij JM (2021) Quantifying sponge host and microbial symbiont contribution to dissolved organic matter uptake through cell separation. Marine Ecology Progress Series 670:1-13.
Erpenbeck, D., Galitz, A., Berumen, M.L., Büttner, G., Debitus, C., ....Van der Sprong, J., …, Wörheide, G. (2024) Barcoding-inferred biodiversity of shallow-water Indo-Pacific demosponges. bioRxiv, 2024-12.
Villegas, L., Jimenez, L., Caro-Valenzuela, J., Van der Sprong, J., Waldvogel, A., Schiffer, P. (2025) Ultraconserved elements coupled with machine learning to resolve the systematics in model nematode species. bioRxiv, 2025-05