Adj. Prof. Robert Hermes

Scientist

Department of Reproduction Management

Tel: 0049 (0) 30 5168 - 448
E-Mail: hermes@izw-berlin.de

Short curriculum vitae

Adj. Prof. Robert Hermes is a senior scientist in the Reproduction Management Department of Leibniz-IZW and Adjunct Professor at the University of Sydney. He studied veterinary medicine at the Free University of Berlin, where he obtained his doctorate in 1998. Since 2000 he has been a senior scientist at Leibniz-IZW and a specialist in reproduction management and assisted reproduction of rhinos. In 2013 he qualified as a Professor on wildlife conservation medicine at the University of Vienna. He is a Diplomate of the European College of Zoological Medicine. His scientific work focuses on theriogenology in wildlife and rhinoceroses in specific.

Download detailed curriculum vitae (284.1 KiB)

Projects
Research interests
  • Reproductive management and assisted reproduction of wildlife species
  • Ultrasound as imaging tool in wildlife reproduction
  • Cryopreservation of cryo-sensitive spermatocytes of wildlife species
  • Gender-specific separation of sperm carrying X or Y chromosome
Selected publications

Hermes R, Balfanz F, Haderthauer S, Dungl E, Hildebrandt TB, Schwarzenberger F (2021). Case Report: Ovulation Induction in Greater One-Horned Rhinoceros (Rhinoceros unicornis). Frontiers in Veterinary Science, 8.

Hildebrandt TB, Hermes R, Goeritz F, Appeltant R, Colleoni S, de Mori B, Diecke S, Drukker M, Galli C, Hayashi K, Lazzari G, Loi P, Payne J, Renfree M, Seet S, Stejskal J, Swegen A, Williams SA, Zainuddin ZZ, Holtze S.  (2021). The ART of bringing extinction to a freeze - History and future of species conservation, exemplified by rhinos. Theriogenology. 169:76-88. doi: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2021.04.006. Epub 2021 Apr 18. PMID: 33940218.

Hildebrandt TB, Holtze S, Biasetti P, Colleoni S, de Mori B, Diecke S, Göritz F, Hayashi K, Hayashi M, Hermes R, Kariuki L, Lazzari G, Mijele D, Mutisya S, Ndeereh D, Ngulu S, Seet S, Zwilling J, Zywitza V, Stejskal J, Galli C. (2021). Conservation Research in Times of COVID-19–The Rescue of the Northern White Rhino. J APPL ANIM ETH RES. 20, 1(aop):1-22. doi:10.1163/25889567-BJA10009

de Mori B, Spiriti MM, Pollastri I, Normando S, Biasetti P, Florio D, Andreucci F, Colleoni S, Galli C, Göritz F, Hermes R, Holtze S, Lazzari G, Seet S, Zwilling J, Stejskal J, Mutisya S, Ndeereh D, Ngulu S, Vigne R, Hildebrandt TB.  (2021). An Ethical Assessment Tool (ETHAS) to Evaluate the Application of Assisted Reproductive Technologies in Mammals’ Conservation: The Case of the Northern White Rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum cottoni). ANIMALS. 11, 312. doi:10.3390/ani11020312

Hermes R, Goeritz F, Wiesner M, Richter N, Mulot B, Alerte V, Smith S, Bouts T, Hildebrandt TB. (2020). Parturition in white rhinoceros. THERIOGENOLOGY. 156, 181-188.

Luther I, Maree L, Kotze A, Hildebrandt T, Göritz F, Hermes R, van der Horst G. (2020). Sperm motility, kinematics, morphometry and morphology over two seasons in free-ranging African elephants (Loxodonta africana). REPROD FERTIL DEV. 32, 425-438. doi:10.1071/RD19182

Hermes R, Hildebrandt TB, Göritz F, Fasel NJ, Holtze S. (2019). First cryopreservation of phyllostomid bat sperm. THERIOGENOLOGY 131, 28-31. doi:10.1016/j.theriogenology.2019.03.014

Hildebrandt TB, Hermes R, Colleoni S, Diecke S, Holtze S, Renfree MB, Stejskal J, Hayashi K, Drukker M, Loi P, Göritz F, Lazzari G, Galli C. (2018). Embryos and embryonic stem cells from the white rhinoceros. NAT COMMUN. 9:2589.

Hermes R, Hildebrandt TB, Goeritz F. (2018). Cryopreservation in rhinoceros—Setting a new benchmark for sperm cryosurvival. PLOS ONE.13:e0200154.

Hermes R, Saragusty J, Moser I, Barth S, Holtze S, Lecu A, Cracknell J, Williams D, Goeritz F, Hildebrandt B. (2018). Differential detection of tuberculous and non-tuberculous mycobacteria by qPCR in lavage fluids of tuberculosis-suspicious white rhinoceros. PLOS ONE. 13:e0207365.

Hermes R, Göritz F, Saragusty J, Stoops MA, Hildebrandt TB. (2014). Reproductive tract tumours: the scourge of woman reproduction ails Indian rhinoceroses. PLOS ONE. 9:e92595.

Hermes R, Saragusty J, Göritz F, Bartels P, Potier R, Baker B, Streich WJ, Hildebrandt TB. (2013). Freezing African elephant semen as a new population management tool. PLOS ONE. 8:e57616.

Saragusty J, Hermes R, Hofer H, Bouts T, Göritz F, Hildebrandt TB. (2012). Male pygmy hippopotamus influence offspring sex ratio. NAT COMMUN. 3:697. doi:0.1038/ncomms1700.

Hermes R, Hildebrandt TB, Walzer C, Göritz F, Gray C, Niemuller C, Schwarzenberger F. (2012). Oestrus induction in white rhinoceros. THERIOGENOLOGY. 78, 1217-23.

Roellig K, Goeritz F, Fickel J, Hermes R, Hofer H, Hildebrandt TB. (2010). Superconception in mammalian pregnancy can be detected and increases reproductive output per breeding season. Nature communications. 1, 78. doi:10.1038/ncomms1079.

Hermes R, Göritz F, Portas TJ, Bryant BR, Kelly JM, Maclellan LJ, Keeley T, Schwarzenberger F, Walzer C, Schnorrenberg A, Spindler RE, Saragusty J, Kaandorp S, Hildebrandt TB. (2009). Ovarian superstimulation, transrectal ultrasound-guided oocyte recovery, and IVF in rhinoceros. THERIOGENOLOGY. 72, 959–968.

Hermes R, Göritz F, Saragusty J, Sos E, Molnar V, Reid CE, Schwarzenberger F, Hildebrandt TB. (2009). First successful artificial insemination with frozen-thawed semen in rhinoceros. THERIOGENOLOGY. 71, 393–399.

Hermes R, Göritz F, Portas TJ, Bryant BR, Kelly JM, LJ, Keeley T, Schwarzenberger F, Walzer C, Schnorrenberg A, Spindler RE, Saragusty J, Kaandorp S, Hildebrandt TB. (2009). Ovarian superstimulation, transrectal ultrasound-guided oocyte recovery, and IVF in rhinoceros. THERIOGENOLOGY. 72, 959–968.

Hildebrandt TB, Hermes R, Walzer C, Sos E, Molnar V, Mezösi L, Schnorrenberg A, Silinski S, Streich JW,Schwarzenberger F, Göritz F. (2007). Artificial insemination in the anoestrous and the postpartum white rhinoceros using GnRH analogue to induce ovulation. THERIOGENOLOGY. 67, 1473–148.