Eric Bastiaans

Eric Bastiaans is an Education/Research Officer at the Laboratory of Genetics, affiliated primarily with Uppsala University. He has served as Principal Investigator (PI) for research projects and was previously a PhD candidate in the project 'The social evolution of somatic fusion,' supervised by D. K. Aanen, B. J. Zwaan, and A. J. M. Debets. His work bridges fungal genetics, evolutionary biology, and population genomics, with a focus on *Podospora anserina* and *Aspergillus nidulans*.

He investigates mechanisms such as allorecognition, meiotic drive, and reproductive isolation, exploring how these processes influence genetic diversity and social evolution in filamentous fungi. His research also addresses somatic fusion dynamics, mitochondrial defects, and the interplay between relatedness and cooperation in microbial populations. Bastiaans has contributed to datasets on transposon structures, spore killing mechanisms, and fungal taxonomy, often collaborating with institutions like the Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW) and Uppsala University.

His projects have garnered attention from news outlets and social platforms, with significant Mendeley readership. While no formal advising or grant details are listed, his role as a PhD candidate and PI highlights his involvement in academic mentorship and research leadership. Bastiaans' work is rooted in combining experimental and genomic approaches to unravel evolutionary and genetic complexities in fungi.