Katja Hoedjes

Dr. Katja Hoedjes is an Assistant Professor at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam's Faculty of Science, Department of Ecology & Evolution. Her research focuses on understanding the genetic and ecological basis of behavior, lifespan, and life history traits in insects like Drosophila and parasitoid wasps (Nasonia). She integrates molecular genetics, transcriptomics, and behavioral experiments to explore topics such as memory formation, dietary influences on aging, and evolutionary trade-offs.

Her work spans multiple disciplines, including evolutionary biology, genetics, and ecotoxicology. Recent projects include developing transcriptomic approaches for ecological studies and investigating biomarkers for pesticide exposure in soil organisms. She contributes to international collaborations, such as the DEST 2.0 genomic resource for Drosophila populations.

Dr. Hoedjes has been recognized with awards including the 2014 Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW) distinction. Her teaching includes courses on human evolution and ecology, reflecting her commitment to bridging evolutionary theory with practical applications.

Her research outputs include over 20 peer-reviewed articles and datasets on platforms like Dryad, emphasizing open science. Key themes in her publications involve genomic signatures of lifespan evolution, behavioral plasticity in parasitoid wasps, and the functional impacts of genetic variants in Drosophila.