Leo W Beukeboom

Prof. Leo W Beukeboom is a Professor of Evolutionary Genetics at the University of Groningen’s Faculty of Science and Engineering, within the Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences. His research focuses on the genetics and evolution of insect reproductive modes, sex determination, and ecological genomics, using parasitoid wasps (e.g., Nasonia, Asobara) and flies (Musca, Drosophila) as primary study organisms. He is Editor-in-Chief of Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata and Director of the Erasmus Mundus Master Programme in Evolutionary Biology (MEME). Additional roles include advising companies like Amusca Breeding B.V. and Tryptomera B.V.

Key research interests include mechanisms of sexual/parthenogenetic reproduction, photoperiodism, insect pest control, and applications in sustainable agriculture. Current projects involve mass rearing insects for feed (INSECTFEED), circadian rhythms in Nasonia (CINCHRON), and polyploid evolution. He supervises multiple PhD projects and collaborates internationally on topics like sex determination genetics and biological control strategies.

Recent publications highlight breakthroughs in understanding sex determination genes (e.g., transformer paralogs in wasps) and housefly genetics. His work bridges fundamental research with applied challenges in sustainable insect production and pest management.