Olav Rueppell

Olav Rueppell is a Professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at the University of Alberta, Faculty of Science. He holds expertise in honey bee biology, social evolution, and genomics. Rueppell's research focuses on understanding social evolution across biological levels, with particular emphasis on honey bee aging, behavior, and health challenges like Varroa mites and viral infections. He transitioned from the University of North Carolina Greensboro after 17 years to continue his work at Alberta. His lab emphasizes equity and collaboration, adhering to a detailed code of conduct to foster a productive and inclusive environment.

Education: Rueppell completed his undergraduate and doctoral studies at Julius-Maximilians Universität Würzburg, focusing on social evolution in ants. His postdoctoral research at the University of California, Davis introduced him to honey bee studies. He teaches courses such as BIOL 221 (Mechanisms of Evolution), BIOL 411/511 (Ecological and Evolutionary Genomics).

Research Interests: Rueppell's work integrates genomic approaches with ecological and evolutionary questions, including adaptation, speciation, and functional genomics. His lab explores honey bee stress responses, hygienic behavior, and sustainable solutions to improve colony health. Recent studies include microbiome differences in hygienic bees and pesticide resistance trends in Varroa mites.

Lab Team: The Rueppell Lab includes students and researchers like Yosef, Prabashi, Alexander Walton, Chenoa, Demi, Alyssa, and Rassol, focusing on diverse aspects of honey bee biology. The lab actively participates in conferences and outreach, recently winning awards for student research (e.g., Alexander Walton’s Project ApisM Bellow’s Award).

Labs/Teams: The Rueppell Social Insect Lab at the University of Alberta is located in the Biological Sciences Building (CW 405). The lab employs methods ranging from field apiculture to molecular genetics to study pollinator health and social insect behavior.