Fanny Mondet

Fanny Mondet is a researcher at the French National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and Environment (INRAE), serving as deputy director of the Bees and Environment research unit within the Plant Health and Environment department (SPE) at the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur center in Avignon.

Her academic background includes:

• Biology studies at École normale supérieure (ENS) in Lyon
• Master's internship at University of Otago, New Zealand (2008)
• Engineer degree from Corps des Ponts, des Eaux et des Forêts (IPEF) (2011)
• Double doctorate in Zoology and Biology-Ecology (2014)

Mondet's research pioneers new understanding of honeybee social immunity against Varroa destructor. She challenges conventional theories by proposing bees continuously monitor colony health rather than responding to specific disease signals, giving them universal response capacity. Her work integrates neurophysiology, molecular biology, and chemical ecology to decode how bees detect threats and execute defensive behaviors like cell cleaning and pupa sacrifice.

Her ERC-funded project "Bee Healthy" (2022) investigates colony-level immune systems in bees, with potential applications for sustainable beekeeping. This research could yield practical tools for beekeepers including hygienic colony indicators, queen selection methods, and organic-compatible treatments.

Her scientific recognition includes:

• Highly competitive ERC Starting Grant (awarded to only 14% of 2,932 applicants in 2022)
• INRAE Scientific Hope Laureate (2024)

Mondet bridges fundamental research with real-world apiculture solutions, emphasizing how understanding bee collective behavior can preserve pollination ecosystems. Her work addresses critical challenges from climate change and intensive agriculture threatening global bee populations.