Ant Caste Evolution Professors and Supervisors | ApplySharif

جست‌وجوی استاد و پژوهشگر

استاد راهنما، استاد دانشگاه یا پژوهشگر مناسب برای مسیر پژوهشی‌تان را پیدا کنید و با او ارتباط بگیرید.

نمایش ۱-۱۵ از ۵۵ استاد راهنما

اطلاعات این پروفایل‌ها از صفحات عمومی دانشگاه‌ها جمع‌آوری شده و ممکن است به‌روز نباشد.

Corrie Moreauمشاهده پروفایل

استاد

Cornell UniversityUnited States

Corrie Moreau is the Martha N. & John C. Moser Professor of Arthropod Biosystematics and Biodiversity at Cornell University, serving as Director & Curator of the Cornell University Insect Collection. She holds affiliations with the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and the College of Arts and Sciences. Her research focuses on symbiotic factors driving speciation, adaptation, and diversification in insects, particularly ants. Moreau’s work integrates molecular methods, next-generation sequencing, and field-based research to study biodiversity across scales. Education: Ph.D. in Organismic and Evolutionary Biology from Harvard University (2007), M.Sc. in Biology from San Francisco State University/California Academy of Sciences (2003), B.S. in Biology from San Francisco State University (2000). Research Interests: Evolutionary patterns/processes, organismal biology, plant-animal interactions, chemical ecology, sustainability, and microbiome dynamics. Her lab (Moreau Lab) investigates ant-microbe symbioses, host-microbe interactions, and the role of symbioses in macroevolutionary processes. Recent work includes studies on ant phylogenetics, gut microbiome evolution, and the impact of invasive species on native ecosystems. Publications highlight her contributions to understanding ant evolution, microbial symbiosis, and biogeography. Grants include NSF-funded projects on ant genomics and symbiosis. She advocates for natural history collections and their role in biodiversity research and education.

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Susanne Foitzikمشاهده پروفایل

استاد

University of MainzGermany

Prof. Dr. Susanne Foitzik is a Professor of Evolutionary Biology at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz since 2010, where she leads the Evolution & Behavioral Ecology of Ants research group at the Institute of Organismic and Molecular Evolution (IOME). Previously, she was Professor in Behavioral Ecology at LMU Munich (2004-2010) and Assistant Professor in Zoology at the University of Regensburg (2000-2004). She earned her PhD in Biology from Julius Maximilian University, Würzburg in 1998. Her research integrates approaches from behavioral ecology through genomics to epigenetics, focusing on ants as model organisms to study complex social behaviors. Host-parasite coevolution and social parasitism in ants Molecular mechanisms underlying division of labor Reversal of the fecundity-longevity trade-off in social insects Gene regulation in phenotypic plasticity Evolution of chemical communication systems Analysis of her recent publications (2022-2025) reveals a strong focus on molecular mechanisms of social behavior, with particular emphasis on host-parasite interactions, epigenetic regulation of behavior, and genomic adaptations in social insects. Her work increasingly combines transcriptomic, proteomic, and functional genomic approaches to understand the molecular basis of social evolution. Among her notable scientific achievements: Speaker of Research Training Group 2626 GenEvo: Gene Regulation in Evolution (2019-present) Speaker of EES Master Program funded by VW foundation (2007-2010) DAAD Fellow at State University of New York (1992-93) Prof. Foitzik has supervised numerous PhD students and postdocs, including Maide Macit, Tom Sistermans, and Marcel Caminer. Her research is supported by multiple DFG-funded projects investigating host-parasite coevolution, the role of gene regulation in division of labor, and parasite interference in host gene expression. She serves as Handling Editor for Biology Letters and previously served on the editorial board of Insectes Sociaux. Her research group operates within the Institute of Organismic and Molecular Evolution (IOME) at Mainz, with laboratory facilities at the Biozentrum I. The group collaborates extensively with researchers across Germany and internationally, including partnerships with institutions in Frankfurt, Freiburg, Bristol, and Tel Aviv.

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Tom Wenseleersمشاهده پروفایل

استاد

KU LeuvenBelgium

Tom Wenseleers is a Professor at KU Leuven's Department of Biology within the Faculty of Science, where he leads the Laboratory of Socioecology and Social Evolution. His research spans theoretical and experimental approaches to evolutionary biology, with particular focus on social insect systems. Research spans social insects (ants, bees, wasps), microbes, viruses, and human systems Primary model organisms: social insects studying major evolutionary transitions Current projects examine caste determination, chemical communication, and evolutionary conflicts His research integrates theoretical modeling with experimental, behavioral, and comparative studies. Recent work combines genomic techniques and high-throughput GC/MS analysis to decipher chemical communication systems. Current trends show increasing interdisciplinary work spanning virology (SARS-CoV-2 variants), microbial ecology (antibiotic resistance), and robotics (pollinator behavior monitoring). The research demonstrates consistent application of evolutionary theory to diverse biological systems while maintaining social insects as the core model. Wenseleers actively mentors PhD students and postdocs, with recent graduates including Kamiel Debeuckelaere and Viviana Di Pietro. His lab receives substantial funding through multiple concurrent research projects, including Promotor roles on grants examining caste development in bee societies and microbial metabolite screening. The laboratory maintains strong international collaborations across Europe and South America. The lab operates within the Ecology, Evolution and Biodiversity Conservation unit at KU Leuven, with physical location at Naamsestraat 59, box 2466, 3000 Leuven. The research group maintains active outreach programs including science workshops for schools and public engagement events focused on insect conservation.

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Jonathan Klassenمشاهده پروفایل

دانشیار

University of ConnecticutUnited States

Jonathan Klassen is an Associate Professor in the Department of Molecular and Cell Biology / Microbiology at the University of Connecticut . His research focuses on microbial community ecology, particularly using the fungus-growing ant symbiosis as a model system to study the evolution of microbial interaction networks. He couples genomics and chemical biology to understand molecular mechanisms in symbiosis and explore drug discovery opportunities. PhD : Microbiology and Biotechnology, University of Alberta Postdoctoral Study : Bacteriology, University of Wisconsin-Madison His work spans microbial ecology, symbiosis, secondary metabolite discovery, and comparative genomics. Recent publications highlight studies on microbial exclusion dynamics in ant symbiosis, ITS2 metabarcode biases, and chemical defense mechanisms in insect-associated microbes. Scientific Awards : “Highly Accessed” article in BMC Genomics (2012) Contact : Email: jonathan.klassen@uconn.edu Phone: 860-486-6890 Lab: @klassenlab

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Floria Mora-Kepfer Uyمشاهده پروفایل

استادیار

University of RochesterUnited States

Floria Mora-Kepfer Uy is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Biology at the University of Rochester, within the School of Arts & Sciences. Her research focuses on the evolution of social behavior, particularly in insects, using integrative approaches that combine field and lab experiments with molecular and neural techniques. She investigates how relatedness, social interactions, environmental factors, and parasitic relationships influence cooperation, group formation, and neurobiological adaptations. Key research interests include the evolution of sociality, neuroethology, host-parasite interactions, behavioral ecology, and conservation. Her work employs model systems such as wasps (e.g., Mischocyttarus mexicanus, Polistes spp.) and explores topics like brain plasticity, sensory system adaptation, and genomic responses to environmental pressures. Dr. Uy’s research group actively accepts PhD students and utilizes a variety of methodologies, including neurogenomic analyses and behavioral experiments. While no specific grants or awards are listed, her publications highlight contributions to understanding social behavior mechanisms in insects.

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Stuart Westمشاهده پروفایل

استاد

University of OxfordUnited Kingdom

Professor Stuart West is a Professor of Evolutionary Biology at the University of Oxford's Department of Biology. His research focuses on the evolution of social behaviors, including cooperation, altruism, and spite, with a particular emphasis on how these phenomena drive major evolutionary transitions. He employs a multidisciplinary approach combining theoretical models, experimental studies, and comparative analyses across species, particularly in bacteria and insects. Key research areas include the evolution of cooperation and division of labor, genomic analyses of social behaviors, and the role of ecological factors in shaping social strategies. His work addresses questions such as how cooperation evolves despite potential cheating, and how symbiotic relationships influence diversification. Professor West is affiliated with two Oxford addresses: the Department of Biology on Mansfield Road (OX1 3SZ) and the South Parks Road campus (OX1 3RB). His research has explored topics ranging from microbial cooperation to the evolutionary dynamics of eusociality in ants. He is actively engaged in advancing methods like SOCfinder, a genomic tool for identifying cooperative genes in bacteria.

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Romain Libbrechtمشاهده پروفایل

پژوهشگر

University of ToursFrance

Romain Libbrecht is a CNRS Research Fellow at the University of Tours, France, affiliated with the Research Institute on Insect Biology (IRBI) under the UFR of Sciences and Techniques. Previously, he held positions as an Assistant Professor at the University of Mainz and conducted postdoctoral research internationally. His research focuses on understanding phenotypic plasticity and division of labor in social insects, particularly ants, integrating evolutionary biology, behavioral ecology, molecular biology, and epigenetics. Education highlights include a PhD from the University of Lausanne (2012), a Master’s from the University of Rennes (2007), and research internships at the University of Reading (2005-2006). His work explores how environmental and social factors influence ant behavior, physiology, and gene expression through multi-disciplinary approaches. Research interests emphasize the molecular mechanisms underlying caste differentiation, task specialization, and social organization. Key findings include the role of transcriptional activity in response to queen loss, the impact of worker diversity on colony productivity, and sensory-driven division of labor via odorant receptors. His articles consistently investigate insect social systems, with recent work focusing on invasive ant species and the interplay between parasite load and host physiology. No notable awards are listed, but his contributions to ant genomics and epigenetics have advanced understanding of social evolution. Lab affiliations include the IRBI, where he collaborates on projects bridging ecology and molecular biology. No specific grants or advising roles are detailed, but his transcontinental academic journey reflects a commitment to global scientific collaboration.

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Joseph Colganمشاهده پروفایل

استادیار

University of MainzGermany

Dr. Joseph Colgan is an Assistant Professor and Group Leader at the Institute of Organismic and Molecular Evolution at Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz, Germany. His research group focuses on ecological and evolutionary genomics of social insects, particularly bumblebees and mason bees, using integrative approaches combining behavioral, molecular, genomic, immunological, and computational techniques. Dr. Colgan's educational background includes: PhD in Zoology from University of Dublin, Trinity College (2008-2014) MSc in Immunology and Global Health from Maynooth University (2007-2008) BSc in Zoology from University College Dublin (2003-2007) Postgraduate Certificate in Teaching & Learning in Higher Education from University College Cork (2018-2019) His research program centers on three interconnected themes. His work on phenotypic plasticity examines how single genotypes produce multiple phenotypes in social insects, particularly focusing on the genomic architecture underlying caste differentiation. In ecological and evolutionary genomics, he investigates how pollinators respond to environmental challenges including habitat loss, pesticide exposure, and climate change, with recent work applying population genomics to assess genetic diversity in wild bee populations. His immunogenomics research explores host-parasite interactions, examining molecular mechanisms of immune responses to pathogens and environmental stressors, with particular focus on how mating, diapause, and nematode infections alter immune gene expression in bumblebees. Analysis of Dr. Colgan's publication record reveals a consistent focus on insect genomics with increasing specialization in social insect systems. His early work included salmonid genomics, but his research has increasingly concentrated on bumblebees and other pollinators, with a growing emphasis on pesticide impacts, immune system evolution, and evolutionary adaptations. His recent publications demonstrate sophisticated integration of genomic, transcriptomic, and proteomic approaches to address fundamental questions in evolutionary biology and pressing concerns in pollinator conservation. Dr. Colgan supervises a diverse research team including six PhD students (Jannik Möllmann, Max Bolder, Hongfei Xu, Safira Moog, Dean Hodapp, and Eva Baumgarten), four Master's students, and multiple Bachelor's students. His group actively pursues projects in population and comparative genomics of wild bees, evolution of dormant phenotypes, signatures of sexual antagonism, queen specialization in social insects, insect immune system evolution, and genomic approaches to bee conservation. The research group maintains strong international collaborations, particularly with institutions in Ireland and the UK where Dr. Colgan previously conducted postdoctoral research.

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Juergen Gadauمشاهده پروفایل

استاد مهمان

Arizona State UniversityUnited States

Juergen Gadau is a behavioral ecologist and evolutionary biologist at Arizona State University's School of Life Sciences and Biosocial Complexity Initiative, specializing in sociogenomics of social insects. His research integrates molecular, genomic, and behavioral approaches to understand evolutionary processes. Education: Ph.D. from University of Würzburg (1997) Research Interests: Gadau investigates the genetic architecture of adaptive traits in social insects, focusing on speciation mechanisms, division of labor, and chemical communication. His work primarily utilizes Hymenoptera (ants, wasps, bees) as model systems, with significant contributions to understanding: Genomic basis of caste determination and reproductive division of labor Evolution of sex pheromones and hybrid incompatibilities Transposable element dynamics in invasive species Social insect genome evolution across 100 million years His publication record shows consistent focus on comparative genomics, with recent work emphasizing transposable elements in invasion biology and fine-scale mapping of parasitoid wasp genomes. Key methodologies include QTL analysis, linkage mapping, and functional genomics. Grants and Service: Gadau has secured multiple NSF and NIH grants, including leadership on projects examining genetic architecture of reproductive caste determination. He serves as Associate Dean for Graduate Studies (2008-2015) and maintains active roles as journal reviewer for Science , PNAS , and Evolution . His service includes NSF panel reviewing and editorial work for Heredity .

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Marina Choppinمشاهده پروفایل

پژوهشگر

University of LausanneSwitzerland

Dr. Marina Choppin is a Researcher at the Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Lausanne. She is affiliated with the Faculty of Biology and Medicine, focusing on evolutionary biology and social insect systems. Her current postdoctoral research under Prof. Chapuisat examines Alpine silver ants, investigating the evolution of social forms via supergenes controlling queen number. Her work combines behavioral studies, experimental manipulations, and omics approaches to link phenotypic variation with molecular mechanisms. Marina's research interests span insect societies, social insect division of labor, longevity-fecundity reversal, and ecological strategies. She has studied termites, honeybees, and ants, addressing questions about social organization and molecular mechanisms underlying caste systems. Her recent projects integrate genomic and epigenetic analyses to understand social insect evolution. Marina holds a PhD in evolutionary biology and has conducted postdoctoral research at UNIL. She is based in the Biophore building (Room 3209), reachable at Marina.Choppin@unil.ch. Her research emphasizes interdisciplinary methods, blending field observations with laboratory omics techniques.

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Brendon Boudinotمشاهده پروفایل

استاد پژوهشی

Senckenberg Society for Nature ResearchGermany

Dr. Brendon Boudinot serves as the Head of Entomology II at the Senckenberg Society for Nature Research, leading research in evolutionary and systematic morphology with a focus on insects, particularly ants. His work integrates advanced techniques like micro-CT scanning and phylogenetic statistics to study insect anatomy and evolutionary history. Dr. Boudinot is known for his contributions to understanding ant evolution through fossil analysis, including seminal studies on Cretaceous ants and their morphological adaptations. His research spans formicidae systematics, fossil insect morphology, and the evolutionary origins of parasitoid wasps and other hexapods. He frequently publishes in peer-reviewed journals and collaborates on interdisciplinary projects involving amber fossils, as seen in his co-hosting of the podcast 'Weird Species' discussing entomological curiosities. Dr. Boudinot’s expertise also extends to insect genital homology, functional morphology, and the application of phenomics in entomology. His work bridges paleontology and modern systematics, providing critical insights into the biodiversity of Mesozoic insects and their descendants.

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Ricardo Caliari Oliveiraمشاهده پروفایل

استاد

Autonomous University of BarcelonaSpain

Ricardo Caliari Oliveira is a Professor in the Department of Animal Biology, Plant Biology and Ecology at the University of São Paulo. His research focuses on understanding the behavioral, ecological, and evolutionary dynamics of social insects, particularly stingless bees and other hymenopterans. He has published 29 peer-reviewed articles since 2012, with recent work emphasizing climate change impacts on pollinators, nest architecture inheritance in bees, and inclusive fitness models in insect societies. His work contributes to UN Sustainable Development Goals related to life on land and climate action. Key research interests include chemical communication in social insects, nest architecture evolution, and conflict resolution in insect colonies. He has supervised 28 research works and received awards for his contributions to stingless bee biology. His studies often involve collaborations with international researchers, such as Tom Wenseleers and Vera L. Imperatriz-Fonseca. Recent articles highlight innovative methodologies for assessing wild bee conservation priorities under climate change and exploring how architectural traditions are culturally transmitted in stingless bees. Oliveira’s interdisciplinary approach bridges ecology, evolution, and behavioral biology, offering insights into both fundamental and applied aspects of social insect biology.

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Kenneth G Rossمشاهده پروفایل

استاد

University of GeorgiaUnited States

Dr. Kenneth G Ross is a Professor in the Department of Entomology at the University of Georgia's College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences . His research focuses on population biology , molecular evolutionary genetics , and comparative genomics of social insects. University: University of Georgia School: College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences Department: Entomology His work explores genetic variation across social insect populations, including fire ants ( Solenopsis invicta ), yellowjacket wasps , and tent caterpillars , to infer breeding biology, gene flow, and evolutionary mechanisms. Recent studies examine supergene regulation of social organization and gene expression patterns in hybrids. Key article trends include invasive species genetics , social behavior genetics , and ecological adaptation . Publications span journals like Science , Nature , and PLoS ONE .

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Timothy Linksvayerمشاهده پروفایل

دانشیار مدعو

University of PennsylvaniaUnited States

Timothy Linksvayer is an Adjunct Associate Professor of Biology at the University of Pennsylvania, affiliated with the School of Arts & Sciences. He holds a Ph.D. in Biology from Indiana University (2005). His research focuses on evolutionary genetics, evolutionary ecology, and social evolution, particularly in social insects like ants and honeybees. He explores topics such as caste determination, genomic mechanisms of social behavior, and the interplay between kin selection and gene expression. His work integrates experimental and computational approaches, analyzing transcriptomic data and evolutionary patterns to understand how social systems evolve. Notable studies include investigations into ant nurse worker behavior, corazonin’s role in caste identity, and the genomic signatures of kin selection. His lab’s research often bridges theoretical models with empirical data, contributing to sociogenomics and social insect biology. Publications span key journals such as Cell , Molecular Biology and Evolution , and Journal of Evolutionary Biology . Despite extensive research output, no awards or grants are explicitly listed here. For more details, visit his lab website linked on the University of Pennsylvania page.

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Scott Powellمشاهده پروفایل

دانشیار

George Washington UniversityUnited States

Scott Powell is an Associate Professor of Biology at the George Washington University, affiliated with the Department of Biological Sciences. His research focuses on the intersection of community ecology and evolutionary biology, using ants as a model system to explore how species interactions drive trait diversification and influence community assembly. Ph.D., Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, U.K., 2005 M.S., Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Connecticut, U.S.A., 2000 B.S., Biological Sciences, Florida State University, U.S.A., 1997 Powell's work investigates ecological drivers of caste evolution, symbiotic relationships in turtle ants, and the role of environmental factors in shaping ant communities. His research spans Neotropical savannas, dry forests, and arboreal ecosystems, with a focus on army ants and Cephalotes ants. His recent publications highlight dynamics of gut symbionts, resource defense strategies, and superorganism complexity in arid regions. Powell's lab employs phylogenomic analysis, field studies, and computational modeling to understand ecological and evolutionary patterns. He actively seeks undergraduate and graduate students interested in joining his research group, emphasizing an inclusive and collaborative environment.

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