معرفی
Dr. Lex Kraaijeveld is a Principal Teaching Fellow in Ecology and Evolution at the University of Southampton's Department of Biological Sciences, where he has held academic positions since 2006. He currently serves as Senior Tutor and Exams Officer, having previously been Director of Programmes (2014-2018). His career includes postdoctoral research at Imperial College London (1994-2005) after earning his PhD from Leiden University in 1994.
Kraaijeveld's research examines the interplay between ecological and evolutionary processes, focusing on insect-parasite/pathogen interactions. Primary model systems include Drosophila melanogaster and its natural enemies: parasitoids (Asobara tabida), fungi (Beauveria bassiana), and microsporidia (Tubulinosema kingi). Key research areas include coevolution of resistance mechanisms, fitness trade-offs, and host-pathogen arms races.
His publications demonstrate interdisciplinary work spanning conservation biology, microbial ecology, and evolutionary genetics. Recent articles reflect applied conservation themes (e.g., Grevy's zebra conservation), while foundational work explores experimental evolution of host resistance. Consistent themes include coevolutionary dynamics, immunological trade-offs, and population-level adaptations.
Kraaijeveld is affiliated with the Institute for Life Sciences and the Ecology and Evolution research group. He contributes to projects like 'Microbial Community Engineering' and maintains collaborations with specialists in microbiology, conservation, and evolutionary theory.
