معرفی
Charissa de Bekker is an Associate Professor in the Department of Biology at the University of Central Florida's College of Sciences. Her research program focuses on understanding how parasites manipulate host behavior through complex neurobiological mechanisms. She maintains an active laboratory investigating these phenomena with both field and laboratory components.
Dr. de Bekker's research centers on parasite-host interactions, particularly how fungal parasites like Ophiocordyceps unilateralis manipulate the behavioral output of Carpenter ants' brains. She studies how these parasites alter normal ant behavior through secretion of neuromodulators and systematic entrainment of the host's circadian clock. Her work combines laboratory studies with field observations within the Central Florida ecosystem to understand the molecular mechanisms behind this precise behavioral manipulation. This research has implications for understanding both pathological and normal behavioral regulation in animals.
As a faculty member, Dr. de Bekker mentors graduate students in the UCF Biology Department, including PhD candidates who work directly in her laboratory. Her research has received substantial funding, including a five-year $970,000 grant from the National Science Foundation to deepen investigations into the biological makeup of parasitic fungi that manipulate host behavior.
Dr. de Bekker's laboratory provides research opportunities for both graduate and undergraduate students interested in parasitology, behavioral ecology, and neurobiology. Her work sits at the intersection of multiple biological disciplines, contributing to UCF's strong research profile in ecology, evolution, and organismal biology.
