Bregje Wertheim

Bregje Wertheim serves as Full Professor at the Laboratory of Entomology, Wageningen University & Research, specializing in insect-microbe symbiosis with particular focus on house flies, mosquitoes, and agricultural pests like Spotted Wing Drosophila.

Her research centers on gut microbiome dynamics where she investigates how environmental stressors (notably high-sugar diets) disrupt probiotic communities in insect larvae. This work bridges Entomology and Microbial Ecology, revealing critical vulnerabilities in insect-microbe mutualisms with implications for biological pest control. Current projects examine mosquito ecology surveillance systems and microbiome-based interventions against invasive fruit fly species.

Recent publications demonstrate her leadership in identifying diet-induced probiotic loss mechanisms in housefly models, establishing foundational knowledge for manipulating insect microbiomes in agricultural and public health contexts.

Professor Wertheim actively supervises PhD candidate Alkema, J. on Spotted Wing Drosophila biocontrol research while co-leading the 'Mosquito Ecology and Surveillance' project through 2026, securing ongoing research funding for entomological applications of microbiome science.

Based at the Laboratory of Entomology, her work integrates field ecology with molecular microbiology to develop novel pest management strategies grounded in microbial community dynamics.