Dagmar Woebken is Associate Professor and Head of the Department for Microbiology and Ecosystem Science at the University of Vienna, where she leads the Division of Microbial Ecology. Her research investigates microbial survival strategies in challenging soil habitats, particularly focusing on adaptation mechanisms to environmental stressors. Research encompasses three primary themes: Dormancy and reactivation dynamics in desert soil microbial communities Assembly and function of plant-associated microbiomes Ecological success factors of Acidobacteria in terrestrial environments Her group employs molecular techniques including metagenomics, stable isotope probing, and single-cell approaches (NanoSIMS, Raman microspectroscopy) combined with cultivation-based methods. Publications demonstrate expertise in: Microbial adaptation to extreme environments Plant-microbe-nutrient interactions Genomic basis of bacterial ecological strategies Recent work increasingly utilizes advanced imaging and isotopic tracing to investigate microbial processes at cellular scales. Dr. Woebken pioneered the NifMAP bioinformatic pipeline for analyzing nitrogen-fixing communities and developed methods combining Gold-FISH with NanoSIMS for targeted analysis of plant-associated bacteria. She leads research projects on microbial symbioses funded by the Austrian Science Fund (FWF). She directs a research group investigating microbial ecology across ecosystems from deserts to forests. Current projects include studies of ant-plant-microbe associations and microbe-mediated nitrogen cycling in grasslands. The group maintains collaborations with international institutions and participates in public outreach through science communication platforms.
Dr. Kourosh R Ahmadi is a Reader in Precision Nutrition at the University of Surrey's School of Biosciences. His research focuses on Precision Public Health, Vitamin B12 deficiency, and genetic epidemiology. He teaches modules on B-vitamins and one-carbon metabolism in Nutrition and Dietetics programs. Research interests include vitamin B12 status analysis, genomic influences on micronutrient metabolism, and health disparities in populations such as South Asians and African-Caribbean communities. He has contributed to studies using UK Biobank data to assess vitamin deficiencies and bone health in diverse groups. Key publications address clinical pitfalls in diagnosing B12 deficiency, genetic determinants of nutritional status, and dietary impacts on health outcomes. His work highlights the importance of tailored nutrition strategies for plant-based diets and vulnerable populations.
Rudy Guerra is a Professor and Chair of the Department of Statistics at Rice University, where he has been since 2000. His research spans biomedical applications of statistics, including bioinformatics, statistical genetics, and medical imaging, alongside sociological research in education and Mexican migration. He holds academic leadership roles, including Director of the Data Science Minor and member of the BRIDGE and Doerr Institute steering committees. Guerra earned his Ph.D. in Statistics from UC Berkeley, M.A. in Mathematics from UC Berkeley, and B.S. in Applied Mathematics from UT San Antonio. Education: Ph.D., Statistics, UC Berkeley (1992) M.A., Mathematics, UC Berkeley (1987) B.S., Applied Mathematics, UT San Antonio (1984) Key Roles: Department Chair, Statistics (2019–present) Associate Chair, Statistics (2016–2019) Former Jones College Magister (Residential College Leader, 2005–2011) Research Interests: Dr. Guerra’s work integrates statistical methods with biomedical and social science challenges. His biomedical focus includes cancer genomics (e.g., osteosarcoma metastasis, biomarker discovery), medical imaging (e.g., CT ventilation analysis), and bioinformatics. In social sciences, he examines educational inequities and Mexican migration impacts on health. His recent projects include collaborations with Texas Medical Center institutions and sociologists at Rice. Articles Trends: His publications emphasize interdisciplinary applications, combining statistical rigor with domain-specific insights. Recent work spans oncology, public health, and computational biology, reflecting a commitment to bridging theory and practical medical/sociological challenges. Awards & Roles: Panel Member, Ford Foundation Fellowship (2016–present) Associate Editor, BMC Genetics (2014–present) Former Residential College Master of Jones College (2005–2011) Advising & Grants: Guerra advises students on statistical research and curricula. He has led initiatives like the Keck Center for Quantitative Biomedical Sciences Training and co-founded the Empowering Leadership Alliance (ELA) to support underrepresented minorities in STEM. His grants include funding for bioinformatics consortia and educational outreach programs. Labs & Teams: Active in the Gulf Coast Consortia for Bioinformatics and collaborates with multidisciplinary teams at MD Anderson, Baylor College of Medicine, and UT Health Science Center.
Bradley Moore is a Professor at the University of California San Diego (UCSD), holding dual appointments in the Scripps Institution of Oceanography (Center for Marine Biotechnology and Biomedicine) and the Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences . His research focuses on marine chemical biology, natural products chemistry, microbial genomics, and environmental toxicology. He earned a B.S. from the University of Hawaii, a Ph.D. from the University of Washington, and completed postdoctoral training at the University of Zurich. His work spans marine drug discovery, toxin mechanisms, and microbial metabolomics. Notable contributions include elucidating biosynthetic pathways for anticancer agents like salinosporamide A and studying the ecological roles of marine natural products. He actively investigates marine microbiome-driven processes, including coral genome conservation and harmful algal bloom dynamics. Recent publications highlight advancements in genome assembly (e.g., Corallium rubrum), enzymatic mechanisms (diiron oxidases), and toxin prediction models. His lab integrates bioinformatics, synthetic biology, and field studies to address environmental and biomedical challenges. Dr. Moore collaborates across disciplines to advance marine biotechnology and has contributed to initiatives like molecular forecasting of domoic acid blooms. His research emphasizes translating marine natural products into therapeutics while addressing ecological impacts of climate change and pollution.
Professor Gunter Kuhnle is a leading academic at the University of Reading, specializing in nutritional epidemiology and dietary assessment. He holds roles including Module Convenor for 'Nutritional Epidemiology and Dietary Assessment,' Undergraduate Research Project Coordinator, and Director of the Chemical Analysis Facility (CAF). He is affiliated with the Hugh Sinclair Unit of Human Nutrition, a research center focusing on human nutrition science. Education: Diplom Biochemiker (University of Leipzig), Doctor Rerum Naturalium (University of Leipzig), Postgraduate Certificate in Academic Practice (PGCAP) His research interests are centered on three key areas: developing objective measures of dietary intake and exposure to food bioactives, polyphenol metabolism and health outcomes, and investigating the association between red/processed meat consumption and cancer risk. He advocates for biomarker-based research to address biases in dietary studies. Recent work includes studies on dietary flavanols' cognitive benefits in older adults, nitrate's impact on cardiovascular health, and the role of genetic factors in lipid metabolism. His publications address methodological challenges in nutrition research and emphasize evidence-based guidelines for dietary bioactives. Awards: Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA) Professor Kuhnle's contributions extend to interdisciplinary collaborations, including the PHYTOME project to reduce dietary nitrosamine exposure through natural compounds. His work bridges basic science, clinical applications, and public health policy.
Simon Mochrie is a Professor of Physics and Applied Physics at Yale University, affiliated with the Department of Physics within the Faculty of Arts and Sciences. His research focuses on experimental biophysics and condensed matter physics, with emphasis on chromatin dynamics, nuclear mechanics, and super-resolution microscopy. He holds a Ph.D. from MIT (1985) and has pioneered techniques such as optical tweezers and STED microscopy to study biological systems like the ubiquitin-proteasome system in yeast. Current projects include single-molecule measurements on nucleosomes and developing novel imaging methods like LIVE-PAINT for live-cell super-resolution imaging. Educations: Ph.D., Physics, MIT (1985) Research interests center on understanding how chromatin organization influences nuclear mechanics, with studies on heterochromatin condensation, cohesin-driven loop extrusion, and chromatin-envelope interactions. His lab develops advanced microscopy techniques to visualize protein dynamics and subnuclear structures in real time. Recent work explores diffusive states of membrane proteins and the role of phase separation in heterochromatin mechanics. His articles demonstrate a focus on interdisciplinary approaches, combining biophysical experimentation with computational modeling to elucidate fundamental mechanisms in cell biology and soft matter physics. Notable themes include the interplay between chromatin structure and nuclear stiffness, loop extrusion dynamics, and quantitative analysis of intrachromosomal contacts. Teaching contributions include developing introductory physics courses tailored for life sciences students, emphasizing applications in biology and medicine. He actively participates in STEM education initiatives, including collaborative research networks for graduate students in physical biology. The Mochrie Lab also emphasizes instrumentation innovation, such as building fast-scanning STED microscopes and reversible peptide-based imaging systems.
Kathie Therese Hodge is an Associate Professor at Cornell University's School of Integrative Plant Science, specializing in fungal systematics and plant/insect pathogens. She leads the Cornell Plant Pathology Herbarium (CUP), a globally significant biodiversity repository with 300,000+ specimens. Her research focuses on fungal biodiversity, mycotoxin production in food systems, and evolutionary relationships among fungi. She also serves as Associate Director of Teaching for the School. Education: Ph.D. (1998), M.S. (1993) from Cornell University; B.Sc. (1990) from University of Toronto. Teaching includes courses like 'Magical Mushrooms, Mischievous Molds' and field-based 'Mushrooms of Field and Forest,' reaching over 300 undergraduates annually. Research Interests: Fungal classification and evolution Pathogens impacting global food systems Biohybrid robotics using fungal networks Public outreach on mycology Notable Achievements: 2024 Donald C. Burgett Distinguished Advisor Award Recipient of NSF-funded herbarium digitization projects Pioneered Paecilomyces niveus research linking fungal spoilage to patulin contamination Outreach: Leads New York State 'Peck' mushroom foray, maintains the Cornell Mushroom Blog and @cornellfungi Instagram, and advises on mushroom poisoning emergencies.
John Albeck is a Professor in the Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology at the University of California, Davis, within the College of Biological Sciences. He leads the Albeck Lab, which is dedicated to understanding the dynamic behavior of signaling pathways such as ERK, Akt, AMPK, and mTOR in regulating cell growth, survival, and metabolism. His research combines live-cell imaging with computational modeling to decode how temporal signaling patterns determine cell fate decisions. He is affiliated with the Biochemistry, Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology (BMCDB) Graduate Group and actively mentors graduate students and postdoctoral researchers. Position: Professor Institution: University of California, Davis Department: Molecular and Cellular Biology Graduate Program: BMCDB Lab Website: albecklab.ucdavis.edu Education: B.A. in Biological Sciences, Cornell University, 2000 Ph.D. in Computational and Systems Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2007 Dr. Albeck's research focuses on the information flow in signal transduction networks , particularly how dynamic activation patterns encode specificity in cellular responses. His lab uses genetically encoded fluorescent biosensors to track signaling events in real time across single cells, integrating this data with computational models to predict cellular behaviors. This approach addresses how a limited set of pathways can control diverse outcomes like proliferation, apoptosis, and autophagy. A major goal is to improve cancer therapies by predicting how cells respond to targeted inhibitors, especially in the context of heterogeneous and adaptive responses. His recent publications highlight work on ERK signaling dynamics , inflammatory responses in airway cells , and the development of biosensors for FGF and AMPK. These studies employ advanced techniques such as cyclic immunofluorescence (4i) , machine learning , and ordinary differential equation (ODE) modeling to infer signaling history from fixed-cell data. The lab also develops computational tools for data analysis, including automated cluster detection and spectral unmixing. Scientific Contributions and Trends: Deciphering how temporal patterns in ERK activity correlate with downstream gene expression (e.g., Fra-1, pRb, Egr-1) Modeling signaling dynamics to predict cell fate under therapeutic inhibition Investigating spatiotemporal signaling clusters in epithelial inflammation Developing Red-FRET biosensors for AMPK and ERK Exploring metabolic signaling and immune modulation by lactate Dr. Albeck advises a diverse group of graduate students and has trained several postdoctoral researchers who have gone on to careers in academia and biotechnology. His lab fosters a collaborative environment that bridges experimental biology and computational analysis. While no formal awards are listed in the provided text, his lab's recognition through publications in high-impact journals and integration into major research initiatives (e.g., UC Davis Lung Center T32 training) underscores his impact. The lab also supports research through internal grants and collaborative projects focused on cancer signaling and lung biology. Laboratory and Team: The Albeck Lab includes graduate students, postdoctoral researchers, and staff scientists working on projects ranging from biosensor development to single-cell data analysis. Current team members include Christi Abbate, Elijah Kofke, and Marion Hardy (graduate students), and staff such as Michael Pargett and Carolyn Teragawa. The lab emphasizes interdisciplinary training and open science, with code and methods shared via GitHub.
Giehae Choi, PhD, MPH, is an Assistant Professor at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, with primary affiliation in the Department of Environmental Health and Engineering and joint affiliation in Epidemiology. She is also a key investigator in the Environmental Influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) Data Analysis Center, where she contributes to large-scale research on children's environmental health. Her work bridges environmental exposure science and public health policy, focusing on vulnerable life stages such as pregnancy and early childhood. Education: PhD, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 2020 MPH, not specified in text Dr. Choi's research centers on environmental epidemiology, particularly reproductive, perinatal, and pediatric epidemiology. Her work investigates the health impacts of chemical exposures—including PFAS, metals, phthalates, and organophosphate esters—on neurodevelopmental outcomes in children. She employs advanced statistical methods to analyze complex cohort data and simulate public health interventions. Her research also explores the modifying role of nutrition in chemical toxicity, aiming to inform prevention strategies. The recent trend in her publications reveals a strong emphasis on prenatal environmental exposures and child neurodevelopment. Her studies frequently use data from the Boston Birth Cohort and the Norwegian Mother, Father and Child Cohort Study (MoBa), applying mixture analysis and epigenetic methods to understand multifactorial risks. Topics include ADHD, executive function, fetal growth, and DNA methylation, all within the broader context of environmental justice and policy translation. Scientific Awards: SER Lilienfeld Postdoctoral Prize Paper Award (2023) SER Annual Meeting Best Poster Award (2021) NIEHS Extramural Paper of the Month (May 2021) NIEHS Extramural Paper of the Year (2021) Dr. Choi leads an NIH-funded K99/R00 project on maternal chemical exposures and offspring neurodevelopment, with a focus on nutritional modifiers and intervention simulation. She collaborates extensively across institutions and is involved in major consortia such as ECHO. While specific advisees are not listed, her role as a principal investigator suggests mentorship of graduate students and postdoctoral researchers. She is embedded in research teams analyzing metabolomic, epigenetic, and behavioral data to uncover environmental determinants of child health.
Siegrid Löwel is a Full Professor of Systems Neuroscience at the University of Göttingen, affiliated with the Department of Systems Neuroscience within the Johann-Friedrich-Blumenbach-Institute for Zoology and Anthropology. She is also a Board Member of the Göttingen Campus Institute for Dynamics of Biological Networks since 2021, highlighting her leadership in interdisciplinary neuroscience research. Her educational background includes a Dr. phil. nat. from the University of Frankfurt am Main, completed under Prof. Wolf Singer at the Max Planck Institute for Brain Research. Her career includes professorships at the University of Jena (2005–2010), a guest professorship at Magdeburg, and a research associate professorship at the University of California, San Francisco. Siegrid Löwel's research focuses on the development and plasticity of neuronal circuits in the mammalian cortex. Her lab employs optical and 2-photon imaging, electrophysiology, and viral gene knockdown to study how experience and learning shape neural networks. Her work has pivotal implications for brain regeneration and rehabilitation after injury or disease. She was among the first to demonstrate that correlated neural activity underlies long-range cortical circuit development—famously summarized as 'neurons that fire together, wire together.' The recent publications reflect a strong focus on structural and functional cortical plasticity, particularly in the visual system. Themes include silent synapses, critical period regulation, optogenetic interventions for blindness, and the impact of environmental enrichment and exercise on neural plasticity. These studies span molecular, cellular, and systems levels, contributing to both basic neuroscience and translational applications. Scientific awards and recognitions include: Hertie Excellence Program Scholarship in Neurosciences (2004–2005) Dorothea Erxleben Guest Professorship, University of Magdeburg (2003–2004) Löwel leads an active research group and is affiliated with the Göttingen Graduate Center for Neurosciences (GGNB) in multiple programs, including Systems Neuroscience and Sensory and Motor Neuroscience. She has secured long-term research support through institutional roles and collaborative networks. While specific grant details are not listed, her sustained publication record and leadership positions indicate robust funding and research activity. Her lab continues to explore mechanisms of neural plasticity with potential clinical applications in stroke recovery, amblyopia, and neurodegenerative conditions. She is associated with the research group homepage: http://systemsneuroscience.uni-goettingen.de .
Professor Chew Sing Yian is a distinguished academic at Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Singapore, holding professorial appointments across three schools: the School of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology (CCEB), the Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, and the School of Materials Science & Engineering (as a courtesy appointment). She leads the Chew Lab, which focuses on biologically-inspired materials for regenerative medicine, with a particular emphasis on neural tissue engineering and drug/gene delivery systems. Professor Chew's research interests center on designing biomimetic scaffolds to understand and control cell fate. Her work specifically focuses on scaffold-mediated delivery of gene-silencing and biomimicking physical signals for neural tissue regeneration and remyelination. She engineers bio-functional platforms for long-term delivery of biologics, with applications in understanding and directing neural tissue regeneration after traumatic injuries, stem cell fate determination, and host-implant integration. Her lab employs combinatorial approaches involving substrate topography/compliance and biochemical cues from drugs, genes and cells to mediate tissue regeneration. Professor Chew's extensive publication record demonstrates consistent leadership in neural tissue engineering, with a focus on microRNA delivery for spinal cord injury treatment, bioprinted scaffolds for neuronal differentiation, and biomimetic materials for drug delivery. Her work spans fundamental science to translational research, with particular emphasis on scaffold-mediated gene-silencing approaches to understand and direct neural tissue regeneration, stem cell differentiation, and host-implant integration. Professor Chew has received notable recognition including: Fellow of Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine (FTERM) Professor Chew actively mentors students and researchers, with evidence of her students achieving recognition such as the 'Young Scientist Travel Fellowship Prize' awarded to Jiah Shin. Her lab, the Chew Lab, has secured significant funding including the ScaNCellS project, which represents a Singapore/France collaboration with Laurent David from IMP. The lab is currently recruiting highly motivated PhD students for ongoing research in neural tissue engineering. The Chew Lab is at the forefront of developing bio-functional micro- and nano-structured scaffolds for regenerative medicine applications. Current research focuses on three main areas: cell-substrate interactions to understand how biomimicking nanofiber structures alter cell fate; controlled delivery scaffolds for sustained drug and gene delivery; and translational studies on tissue regeneration and host-implant integration for traumatic nerve injuries in both peripheral and central nervous systems.
Marie Carlén is a Professor of Neuronal Networks at the Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, where she leads the Neural Circuits of Cognition research group. Her work focuses on the prefrontal cortex (PFC), a brain region central to cognitive functions such as attention, decision-making, working memory, and goal-directed behavior. She employs cutting-edge techniques including optogenetics, large-scale electrophysiology, calcium imaging, and circuit tracing in rodent models to unravel the cellular and circuit mechanisms underlying cognition and their disruption in psychiatric disorders. Her academic journey began with a Ph.D. in medicine from Karolinska Institutet in 2005, followed by postdoctoral training at MIT’s Picower Institute under Professor Li-Huei Tsai. She returned to Karolinska Institutet in 2010 and was promoted to full Professor in 2022. She is also a Docent (2017) and has held prestigious fellowships including ERC Starting Grant and Wallenberg Scholar (2019, 2024). Marie Carlén's research spans systems and cellular neuroscience, with a strong emphasis on inhibitory interneurons (especially parvalbumin-expressing cells), neural oscillations, and PFC-striatum interactions. Her recent publications reveal a consistent focus on decoding prefrontal circuit dynamics, the role of specific neuron types in cognition, and comparative brain architecture. She collaborates extensively with her partner, Konstantinos Meletis, also a KI researcher. She has been recognized with numerous scientific honors: Member, Nobel Assembly at Karolinska Institutet (2025–) Member, The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences (2024–) Wallenberg Scholar (2024, 2019) ERC Starting Grant (2013) Wallenberg Academy Fellow (2012) NARSAD Young Investigator Awards (2010, 2008) She actively mentors students and researchers, with open applications welcomed to her lab. Her work is supported by major grants, including from the Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation, enabling high-risk, high-reward research in brain function and disease. Her lab investigates the functional definition of the prefrontal cortex across species, develops novel tools for neural recording, and explores circuit imbalances in conditions like autism and schizophrenia. She is a strong advocate for ethical animal research and promotes gender equality in science.
Job Dekker is a Professor holding the Joseph J. Byrne Chair in Biomedical Research at UMass Chan Medical School, where he serves as faculty across multiple departments including Systems Biology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biotechnology, and Bioinformatics and Integrative Biology. His work bridges the T.H. Chan School of Medicine and Morningside Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, with significant contributions to understanding the three-dimensional organization of genomes. Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands: MS Biology Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands: PhD Physiological Chemistry Dekker's research focuses on the fundamental question of how chromosomes are organized in three-dimensional space and how this organization influences gene regulation. As a pioneer in chromosome conformation capture technologies (particularly Hi-C), his laboratory investigates long-range gene regulation, higher-order chromosome organization, and the mechanisms of chromatin folding. The lab employs a multidisciplinary approach combining cell culture, protein biochemistry, microscopy, genomics, and computational modeling to address these questions. Analysis of Dekker's recent publications reveals a continued focus on the structural principles governing chromosome organization, with particular emphasis on mitotic chromosome formation, loop extrusion mechanisms, and the role of cohesin and condensin complexes. His work spans multiple model systems and has increasingly incorporated multi-omics approaches to understand how 3D genome architecture relates to cellular function in both normal and disease states. Member, National Academy of Sciences (2022) Member, National Academy of Medicine (2021) EMBO Associate Member (2020) International Award of the Biochemical Society (2018) Novitski Prize of the Genetics Society of America (2018) Investigator, Howard Hughes Medical Institute (2015) Fellow, American Association for the Advancement of Science (2014) As Principal Investigator of the Dekker Lab within the Program in Systems Biology, Dekker has secured substantial funding including his HHMI Investigator position, which supports his research into chromosome organization. His laboratory offers multiple rotation projects for graduate students focusing on long-range gene regulation and chromosome organization using high-throughput genomics technologies. Dekker's work has been instrumental in developing and refining chromosome conformation capture techniques that are now widely used across the genomics field. The Dekker Lab is a leader in the 4D Nucleome field, contributing significantly to our understanding of how chromosomes fold in three-dimensional space and how this organization changes over time (the fourth dimension). His research group continues to push the boundaries of chromosome conformation capture technologies, developing new methodologies to investigate genome architecture at increasingly higher resolutions and across diverse biological contexts.
Hendrik Jan Hoogeboom is an Associate Professor in the Department of Computer Science at Leiden University, affiliated with the Leiden Institute of Advanced Computer Science (LIACS) and the Theory research cluster. Research Interests: His work lies at the intersection of theoretical computer science and computational biology. He specializes in formal languages , algorithms , logic & automata (including tree-walking automata), and infinitary languages . A major theme is modeling natural computation, such as gene assembly in ciliates using graph polynomials and delta-matroids, and molecular computing paradigms like reaction systems and spiking neural P systems. Publication Trends: His recent publications (2017–2024) show a sustained focus on reaction systems and graph polynomials. He has developed formal models to analyze DNA rearrangements, explored the algebraic structure of gene assembly, and investigated the computational power of various natural computing models, often using combinatorial and algebraic tools from graph theory. Scientific Recognition: While specific awards are not listed, his extensive publication record in premier journals like Theoretical Computer Science , European Journal of Combinatorics , and Fundamenta Informaticae signifies high recognition in his field. Teaching and Mentorship: He has supervised several PhD students, including Robert Brijder, Jun Wang, and Rudy van Vliet. He teaches core courses such as Data Structures , Algorithms , Automata Theory , and Complexity , and has led seminars on topics like combinatorial game theory and SAT solvers. Laboratories and Teams: He is a key member of the Theory research cluster at LIACS, focusing on fundamental aspects of computer science. His work is deeply collaborative, especially with colleagues like Robert Brijder and W.A. Kosters.
Eveline Verhulst is an Associate Professor at the Laboratory of Entomology within Wageningen University & Research, affiliated with the PE&RC (Production Ecology & Resource Conservation) research school. Her work focuses on evolutionary genetics of insects, particularly parasitoid wasps and their interactions with endosymbionts. Her research interests span entomology, evolutionary biology, and genetics with specific focus on parasitoid wasps (particularly Nasonia vitripennis), biological control mechanisms, endosymbiont relationships, CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing applications in insects, polyploidy in animal evolution, and sexual dimorphism. Her work bridges fundamental evolutionary questions with potential agricultural applications. Dr. Verhulst's recent publications demonstrate a strong trend toward applying cutting-edge genomic techniques to understand insect evolution and symbiosis. Her research combines molecular genetics with ecological perspectives, particularly examining how microbial symbionts influence host insect evolution and biological control potential. The work spans from basic mechanisms of gene regulation to applied agricultural contexts. NWO Vidi grant (€ 800.000) for research on 'How do differences between males and females evolve?' Dr. Verhulst actively supervises multiple PhD candidates including Williams, A., Sivaprakasham Murugesan, S., Guerra, F., Beekman, M., and Donner, H. Her research receives funding through various projects examining evolutionary transitions in pheromone communication, neopolyploidization mechanisms, Doublesex interactome, and defensive symbiosis in biocontrol. Her laboratory appears to focus on insect genomics, evolutionary genetics, and symbiosis research, with strong connections to agricultural applications in biological pest control.
