Julia Ferrari

Dr Julia Ferrari is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Biology at the University of York. Her research focuses on the ecology and evolution of interspecific interactions, particularly symbiotic relationships between insects and microbial symbionts. She uses pea aphids as a model system to study how symbionts influence host resistance to natural enemies, thermal stress, and nutrient acquisition. Ferrari emphasizes active learning in teaching, covering evolutionary biology, ecological genetics, and fieldwork skills.

Research highlights include investigating symbiont co-infections, symbiont-mediated protection against parasitoids, and nitrogen transfer via arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi. Her work bridges microbe-plant interactions and aboveground aphid dynamics. She has secured grants from NERC and BBSRC for projects on aphid symbiont cooperation, host association genetics, and chemosensory gene evolution.

Teaching activities include lectures on ecological and evolutionary dynamics, tutorials on insect symbiont evolution, and student-led research projects. Advising focuses on experimental design and molecular techniques. Collaborations span microbial ecology, plant-insect interactions, and conservation biology.