Dr. Jacinta C. Beehner is an Associate Professor in the Department of Anthropology & Psychology at the University of Michigan. Her research focuses on sexual conflict theory, reproductive strategies in primates, and the physiological and behavioral mechanisms underlying these dynamics. She directs the Core Assay Facility/Beehner Endocrine Laboratory and co-directs the Simien Mountains Gelada Research Project, Capuchins at Taboga, and the Evolution and Human Adaptations Program. Her work examines non-human primates like geladas, capuchins, and baboons in natural African and American habitats. Key themes include infanticide avoidance, hormonal responses to environmental stress, and the evolutionary implications of reproductive trade-offs. Recent studies highlight the impact of climate change on primate health, the role of social status in parasite resistance, and hormonal adaptations to high-altitude environments. Beehner has contributed to over 60 peer-reviewed articles since 2015, spanning topics from primate social networks to genomic adaptations. Her fieldwork emphasizes integrative methods combining endocrinology, genetics, and behavioral observation. She has presented at international forums like the National Geographic Explorer’s Festival and collaborates across disciplines to advance primate conservation and evolutionary biology.
Andrew Gersick is a Lecturer in the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at Princeton University. His research focuses on animal behavior, particularly in large social species such as spotted hyenas, zebras, and cowbirds. He explores topics including collective behavior, social dynamics, communication systems, and ecological adaptations. His work integrates field studies with technological tools like accelerometers to analyze activity patterns and signaling mechanisms. Notably, he investigates how zebra stripes repel biting flies and how hyenas use vocalizations for individual recognition. Gersick also contributes to conservation efforts, such as the Great Grevy’s Rally in Kenya, and studies social learning in avian species like cowbirds. His recent articles highlight interdisciplinary approaches, combining ecology, physiology, and technology to understand animal behavior in natural and social contexts. While no awards are explicitly listed, his contributions to understanding collective behavior and conservation biology are significant. Advising and grants: No formal advisees or grant details are provided in the text. His work appears to focus on collaborative research and field-based methodologies. Labs/Teams: No specific laboratory or team affiliations are mentioned beyond his departmental role at Princeton.
Britt Koskella is an Associate Professor at the University of California, Berkeley, affiliated with the Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management within the College of Natural Resources. Her research focuses on evolutionary biology, particularly host-pathogen coevolution and microbial interactions, integrating experimental evolution, field studies, and molecular biology. She leads the Koskella Lab, which investigates how microbial communities, phages, and pathogens influence host health and agricultural sustainability. Research Interests: Dr. Koskella explores the coevolutionary dynamics between hosts and their symbionts, including bacteriophage-bacteria interactions in plant microbiomes. Her work bridges ecological and evolutionary principles to address applied challenges in disease management and sustainable agriculture. Key areas include understanding phage-mediated selection in natural populations, the role of microbiomes in host defense, and the spatial/temporal adaptation of pathogens. Advancing Knowledge: Dr. Koskella’s lab employs experimental evolution in greenhouses and lab settings to test hypotheses derived from field observations. Recent studies highlight the indirect role of phages in plant disease protection and the design of synthetic microbial communities for agricultural applications. She collaborates on initiatives like the Joint Berkeley Initiative for Microbiome Sciences (JBIMS), emphasizing interdisciplinary approaches. Lab Team & Contributions: The lab includes students and researchers such as Eli Mehlferber, Asa Conover, and others, advancing projects on microbiome assembly, phage therapy, and pathogen coevolution. Dr. Koskella’s work has been published in high-impact journals like Current Biology , American Naturalist , and Ecology Letters .
Jeremy Wang, PhD is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Genetics at the UNC School of Medicine . His research focuses on applying high-performance computational methods and machine learning to analyze high-throughput sequence data using long-read technologies (e.g., Oxford Nanopore) to advance precision personalized medicine . Key disease areas include Inflammatory Bowel Diseases (IBD) Respiratory Infectious Diseases His lab specializes in microbiome analysis , host-pathogen interactions , and computational genomics , working with collaborators in clinical, translational, and computational domains. His publications demonstrate expertise in long-read sequencing applications for Pediatric cancer classification SARS-CoV-2 genomic epidemiology Microbiome spatiotemporal dynamics Murine disease models Drosophilid genome assemblies Metagenomic bias analysis Collaborations span UNC and global institutions, with current work extending to clinical laboratory partnerships for pathogen sequencing and oral microbiome sampling methodology.
Associate Professor Colin Jackson is affiliated with the Research School of Chemistry at the Australian National University College of Physical & Mathematical Sciences . His research spans enzyme engineering, synthetic biology, and protein evolution, with a focus on directed evolution approaches for biocatalysis and molecular biophysics. Former CSIRO and Weizmann Institute researcher Key projects: plastic degradation enzymes, viral protease inhibitors, noncanonical amino acid incorporation His work leverages ancestral sequence reconstruction and machine learning to explore protein sequence spaces, with notable outputs in fitness landscape analysis and biocatalytic applications . Recent publications highlight advancements in: Plastic biodegradation enzyme engineering Antiviral peptide design targeting SARS-CoV-2 Fluorinated noncanonical amino acids for protein studies Marine bacterial transport proteins Organophosphate resistance mechanisms While no formal awards are listed in this data, his research portfolio demonstrates strong industry and biomedical applications through: ANU Researcher Portal publications Collaborative projects with international institutions 50+ funded projects including gene therapy platforms and food waste solutions
Philippe Christe is an Associate Professor in the Department of Ecology and Evolution at the University of Lausanne (UNIL), Faculty of Biology and Medicine. His research centers on host-parasite interactions, with a focus on bats, birds, and their ectoparasites, integrating behavioral, physiological, and genetic approaches. He leads the Christe Group, which investigates evolutionary and ecological dynamics in host-parasite systems, particularly avian malaria and bat-mite relationships. He is actively involved in conservation initiatives, including the Jorat Peri-Urban Nature Park, and collaborates with KORA on human-wildlife interactions. Bachelor's degree in biology, UNIL (1989) PhD in Zoology and Animal Ecology, UNIL (1994) Philippe Christe’s research interests lie at the intersection of parasitology, evolutionary ecology, and conservation biology. He investigates how host defenses evolve in response to parasitic pressures, examining trade-offs between immunity and life history traits such as reproduction and survival. His work often integrates field studies with experimental and molecular techniques. Key model systems include Parus major (great tit) and Culex pipiens in avian malaria, and bat species with their ectoparasitic mites. He also explores broader ecological interactions, including predator-prey dynamics and wildlife conservation in human-modified landscapes. His recent publications reflect a strong emphasis on disease ecology, wildlife conservation, and molecular methods. Articles span topics such as avian malaria transmission, lynx population dynamics, snow leopard behavior, and habitat fragmentation effects on insects. These works employ advanced techniques like DNA metabarcoding, spatial modeling, and long-term monitoring, demonstrating a trend toward interdisciplinary, data-driven ecological research with direct conservation applications. Dubois Foundation Prize for an educational CD-Rom on bats (2004) Communication Award from the Faculty of Biology and Medicine of UNIL (2017) Philippe Christe has supervised numerous PhD and Master’s students, contributing significantly to training the next generation of ecologists and evolutionary biologists. His group collaborates widely with institutions such as the Museum of Zoology in Lausanne and KORA, and participates in large-scale conservation projects involving snow leopards, lynx, and bats. He has been involved in research grants related to host-parasite coevolution, wildlife monitoring, and conservation strategies. His leadership in establishing the Jorat Peri-Urban Nature Park and involvement in the UNIL Interdisciplinary Center for Mountain Research highlight his commitment to applied science and environmental stewardship. He leads the Christe Group, which conducts research on host-parasite coevolution, with a focus on bats and their ectoparasites, and birds affected by avian malaria. The group combines fieldwork, laboratory experiments, and molecular analyses, and includes post-docs, PhD students, and technical staff. Collaborations extend to researchers in Bern, Paris, and Spain, fostering an international and interdisciplinary research environment.
Lindell Bromham is a Professor at the Research School of Biology , Australian National University, focusing on evolutionary biology, cultural evolution, and interdisciplinary research. Their work spans genomic mutation rates to global linguistic diversity, with notable projects on language endangerment and Galton’s problem in cross-cultural studies. Broad research themes: evolutionary biology, cultural evolution, macroecology, linguistics Key contributions: interdisciplinary funding disparities, language evolution models, parasite-culture interactions Recent articles emphasize language endangerment risk factors, methodological innovations in cross-cultural analysis, and population size effects on language evolution. Awards include Eureka Prize Finalist (2021) and media recognition in Nature and New Scientist . Supervises students in evolutionary and linguistic research.
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.
Shahid Siddique is an Associate Professor in the Department of Entomology and Nematology at the University of California, Davis. His research focuses on understanding molecular and applied aspects of plant-parasitic nematode interactions with host plants. He aims to develop sustainable strategies to mitigate nematode-induced crop losses through genetic, biochemical, and biotechnological approaches. His lab is particularly interested in host resistance mechanisms, nematode effector proteins, and biocontrol solutions. Education: MSc, Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan, Pakistan PhD, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria Habilitation, University of Bonn, Germany Research Interests: Siddique’s work bridges basic and applied research, including cell surface signaling in plant-parasitic nematode interactions, functional characterization of secretory proteins, molecular diagnostics for nematodes, and biocontrol strategies. Current projects explore recombination hotspots in nematode genomes, CRISPR-based resistance engineering, and redox signaling mechanisms. Teaching: General Plant Nematology (NEM100) in Spring 2020 Labs/Teams: The Siddique Lab focuses on translating molecular discoveries into practical pest management solutions. Collaborations involve genomic analysis, proteomics, and field trials to address global agricultural challenges.
Dr. Jason Gibbs is an Associate Professor in the Department of Entomology at the University of Manitoba, Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences. He also serves as the Curator of the J. B. Wallis / R. E. Roughley Museum of Entomology (WRME), a significant center for the study of bee biodiversity. His work is central to advancing knowledge in wild bee systematics, phylogenetics, and conservation. PhD in Biology, York University, Canada MSc in Botany, University of Toronto, Canada BSc in Biological Sciences, University of Toronto Scarborough, Canada His research focuses on the diversity, taxonomy, and conservation of wild bees , particularly halictid and panurgine bees. He employs integrative taxonomic approaches , combining morphological, molecular, and ecological data to resolve species boundaries and evolutionary relationships. His work extends to pollinator ecology , examining how habitat management, agricultural practices, and landscape changes affect bee communities and pollination services. He is deeply involved in bee conservation , including the rediscovery of rare species and the development of habitat strategies to support pollinators in human-modified landscapes. The trends in his recent publications reveal a strong emphasis on systematics and alpha-taxonomy , with numerous revisions of bee genera and checklists of regional faunas. He frequently uses DNA barcoding and phylogenomics to address taxonomic challenges. Additionally, his work explores pollination dynamics in agricultural systems , particularly in blueberry and other crops, assessing the roles of wild versus managed bees. There is a consistent theme of habitat enhancement and conservation across his research, with studies on floral strips, prairie restoration, and the impacts of land-use change. Dr. Gibbs is actively involved in mentoring and training the next generation of entomologists. His lab includes several graduate students and highly qualified personnel who contribute to his diverse research projects, as indicated by the asterisked names in his publications. He leads the Gibbs Wild Bee Lab, which is dedicated to understanding bee diversity and evolution. The lab combines field research with molecular and morphological analyses, and maintains close ties with the WRME museum, which serves as a vital resource for specimen-based research and education.
Eric W. Schmidt is a Distinguished Professor of Medicinal Chemistry at the University of Utah, with adjunct appointments in Biological Sciences and Chemistry. His research focuses on natural products chemistry, biosynthesis, synthetic biology, and pharmaceutical applications of marine animal microbiomes. University of California, San Diego (BS, PhD) Research areas include: Biosynthesis in animals and their microbiomes Synthetic biology approaches to chemical engineering Drug design from marine natural products Metagenomic analysis of symbiotic relationships Neuroactive compound discovery Antibiotic development against resistant pathogens His lab has pioneered methods for: Biosynthetic gene cluster identification Heterologous expression in E. coli Enzymatic modification of peptides Chemical analysis of marine invertebrates Recent publications highlight discoveries in: Marine animal chemical defense mechanisms Evolution of biosynthetic pathways Antibiotic resistance profiling Ionic channel-targeting compounds Peptide macrocyclization techniques Lipid-polyketide biosynthesis continuum Email: ews1@utah.edu Honors include: Distinguished Professor recognition
Jeff S Abramson is a Professor of Physiology in the David Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA). His research focuses on the structural and functional characterization of membrane transport proteins, particularly sugar transporters and mitochondrial channels. He maintains an active laboratory investigating the molecular mechanisms of cellular transport processes. Dr. Abramson's primary research interests center on membrane transport proteins, with particular emphasis on sugar symporters and voltage-dependent anion channels (VDACs). His work combines structural biology, biophysics, and biochemistry to understand the molecular mechanisms of transport, including conformational changes during transport cycles, substrate recognition, and regulation by membrane potential. His research has significant implications for understanding metabolic disorders, mitochondrial function, and potential therapeutic targets. Analysis of Dr. Abramson's publication record reveals a consistent focus on membrane protein structure-function relationships over the past two decades. His work demonstrates expertise in X-ray crystallography, cryo-electron microscopy, and functional assays to characterize transport proteins. Recent publications show increasing emphasis on mitochondrial biology, particularly VDAC structure and function, while maintaining his longstanding interest in sugar transport mechanisms. His research bridges fundamental biophysical principles with potential biomedical applications in metabolic diseases. Dr. Abramson has been awarded multiple NIH grants supporting his research, including the R35GM135175 grant titled 'Deciphering molecular details of cellular sugar transport and their roles in disease' (2020-2024), R01GM124783 'Functional and structural studies of unique pathogenic transporters involved in glycobiology' (2017-2021), and R01GM078844 'Structural and functional characterization of sugar transporters in health and disease' (2006-2020). As Principal Investigator, Dr. Abramson has mentored numerous graduate students and postdoctoral researchers. His laboratory has made significant contributions to understanding the structure-function relationships of membrane transport proteins through collaborations with researchers across multiple disciplines. The lab utilizes advanced techniques including X-ray crystallography, cryo-EM, electrophysiology, and computational modeling to address fundamental questions about membrane protein mechanisms. Dr. Abramson's laboratory is part of UCLA's broader research ecosystem focused on structural biology and membrane protein research. His work intersects with several research centers at UCLA including those focused on metabolic diseases and structural biology. The lab maintains active collaborations with researchers specializing in biophysics, computational modeling, and disease mechanisms to translate basic findings into potential biomedical applications.
Charles C. Davis is a Professor of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology at Harvard University and Curator of Vascular Plants in the Harvard University Herbaria. He leads the Davis Lab, focusing on plant diversity through integrative research in systematics, paleobiology, ecology, and molecular biology. His work emphasizes phylogenetic theory, biogeography, and the application of herbarium collections to address global change challenges. Davis is particularly noted for leveraging herbarium specimens to study plant responses to climate change, phenology, and biodiversity patterns. Research interests include plant-insect interactions, genome architecture evolution in parasitic plants, and the ethical use of herbarium specimens. His lab has pioneered high-throughput phylogenomic pipelines (e.g., PhyloHerb) and explored the future of herbaria in the digital age. Collaborations span global institutions, emphasizing digitization, spectral imaging, and AI-driven analysis of biodiversity data. Recent work highlights the impact of anthropogenic change on plant communities, the role of phenology in species survival, and strategies to mitigate collecting biases in herbaria. Davis teaches courses on plant systematics and evolution, and his lab actively participates in public engagement through exhibits like the HMNH’s *In Search of Thoreau’s Flowers*. His research has been featured in *Trends in Ecology & Evolution*, *Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution*, and *Current Biology*, with a focus on advancing methodologies for biodiversity science while addressing ethical challenges in specimen sampling.
Professor David Ackerley (Victoria University of Wellington) is a leading microbiologist and enzyme engineer specializing in directed evolution of bacterial enzymes for biotechnological applications. As Biotechnology Programme Director since 2006, he lectures in foundational courses like BTEC101 and BTEC201. Academic rank: Professor of Biotechnology Institutional affiliation: Victoria University of Wellington Research focus areas: Microbial Biotechnology, Drug Discovery, Synthetic Biology His research employs Darwinian evolutionary principles to engineer enzymes with enhanced activities, particularly targeting non-ribosomal peptide synthetases and nitroreductases for antibiotic development and cancer therapy. Recent work explores metagenomic domain substitution in pyoverdine biosynthesis and Purpuramine R from marine sponges. Key publications demonstrate innovations in metagenomic library construction , CRISPR screening for regeneration genes, and structural characterization of engineered enzymes. His team has developed NTR 2.0 , a high-efficacy nitroreductase for targeted cell ablation. Current research projects include: Clean solutions from dirty genes: Plastic-degrading enzyme discovery Engineering enzymes for CAR T-cell-chemotherapy synergy Repurposing niclosamide against Gram-negative superbugs Grants from the Health Research Council of New Zealand, Royal Society of New Zealand, and Cancer Society of NZ support his work. Collaborations span biomedical research, synthetic biology, and environmental applications.
Curtis Suttle is a Professor in the Department of Botany at the University of British Columbia's Faculty of Science. He also holds affiliations with Earth and Ocean Sciences, Microbiology and Immunology, and the Institute for Oceans and Fisheries. His research focuses on marine virology and the ecological roles of viruses in aquatic ecosystems, particularly their impact on phytoplankton and microbial communities. Dr. Suttle received his B.Sc. and Ph.D. from UBC, was a Coastal Marine Scholar at SUNY StonyBrook (1987-88), and served as Assistant/Associate Professor at the University of Texas at Austin (1988-96) before returning to UBC. His research program investigates the biology and ecology of viruses that infect microalgae and cyanobacteria. Key areas include discerning viral effects on primary productivity, isolating novel marine viruses, developing molecular identification methods, and studying viral distribution patterns. His work has revealed that viruses can occur in seawater at concentrations exceeding 10 5 ml -1 , with cyanophage concentrations reaching 10 6 infectious units ml -1 in coastal waters. Dr. Suttle's team has developed PCR primers specific for viral DNA polymerase genes, showing these viruses belong to a single family related to herpes viruses. Recent publications show a strong focus on marine viral ecology, with particular attention to oyster microbiomes, viral taxonomy, and the role of viruses in marine ecosystems. His research spans from coastal environments to the deepest ocean trenches, examining viral diversity across environmental gradients and investigating viral impacts on carbon cycling and marine food webs. Dr. Suttle leads an active research group with several post-doctoral associates, research scientists, and graduate students. His team conducts field work at multiple locations including the Naica Mine in Mexico, Pavilion Lake in British Columbia, Saanich Inlet, and the Strait of Georgia. Current projects include collaborations with the Hakai Institute, Line P Research Cruise, and CASES (Canadian Arctic Shelf Exchange Study). His laboratory has made significant contributions to understanding viral roles in marine ecosystems, particularly through expeditions to extreme environments like the Naica crystal caves and deep ocean trenches. Ongoing research explores viral impacts on microbial community structure, carbon cycling, and ecosystem function across diverse marine habitats.
