prof. dr. L.W. (Leo W) Beukeboom
My expertise field is evolutionary genetics and entomology. My research focuses on the genetics and evolution of insect reproductive modes and behaviour, including mechanisms of sexual and parthenogenetic reproduction, sex determination, haplodiploidy, photoperiodism and life history traits. My main research organisms are parasitoid wasps (Nasonia, Asobara, Leptopilina) and flies (Musca, Drosophila). I also have an interest in rearing insects for food and feed, insect pest control and biological control.
Below you find an overview of our ongoing research including potential MSc-project opportunities. If you like to get more details about a specific project or discuss concrete plans for your (MSc) project development, please contact the respective supervisors. You can also contact me for any questions.
Current postdoc projects
Kelley Leung - Mechanisms for overcoming challenges in polyploid evolution in the jewel wasp Nasonia vitripennis
Anna Voulgari Kokota - Insects as sustainable feed for a circular economy; insect health and the immune system (with Joana Falcao Salles & Bregje Wertheim)
Ljubinka Francuski - Towards utilizing livestock manure for mass rearing of houseflies for feed
Current PhD-projects
Martijn Schenkel - Is sex chromosome evolution driven by sexual antagonism? A test with houseflies (with Ido Pen and Jean-Christophe Billeter)
Astrid Kruitwagen - Biological control of the new invasive pest species Spotted Wing Drosophila (with Bregje Wertheim)
Xuan Li - Genomic localization and characterization of male-determining factors in the housefly (with Louis van de Zande)
Pina Brinker - Reproductive parasitism in a love triangle – Wolbachia, master manipulator or microbe mediator? (with Bregje Wertheim & Jiana Falcao Salles)
Pauline Romeyer - Ultradian, circadian and seasonal clocks in Nasonia (with Louis van de Zande)
Fangfei Lin - Characterization of female determining factors in the housefly (with Louis van de Zande)
Fuyu Ye - Molecular regulation of sex determination and endosymbiont-induced female development in the parasitoid wasp Leptopilina clavipes (with Louis van de Zande) Weihong Wang - Reproductive behaviour and fitness of the housefly, Musca domestica
Marrit van der Bruggen - Insects as sustainable feed for a circular economy: Housefly behaviour and well-being under mass rearing conditions (with Bregje Wertheim & Joana Falcao Salles)
Maaike Vogel - Insects as sustainable feed for a circular economy: Mass rearing of houseflies and the importance of immunity in mass rearing (with Bregje Wertheim & Joana Falcao Salles)
Jan Kreider - Towards an eco-evo-devo theory for the evolution of eusociality: integrating theory, field experiments and molecular genetics (with Ido Pen & Jan Komdeur)
Current Master projects
Cell size, polyploidy, and sex determination in Nasonia - Kelley Leung (start: open)
Diploidization and feminization in an asexual insect (and comparative genomics of reproductive parasites) - Elzemiek Geuverink (start: open)
Evolution of sex determination genes - Elzemiek Geuverink (start: open)
Insects to feed the world: exploring the life-history traits and optimizing the conditions for mass rearing of houseflies - Ljubinka Francuski (start: open)
Role of sex determination genes in the photoperiodic diapause response of Nasonia vitripennis - Pauline Romeyer (start open but before April 2021)
Effects of different diets on expression of immune genes in houseflies - Maaike Vogel (start open)
Identification of candidate biological control agents for stable flies – Leo Beukeboom (start open)
And here a link to the g-drive folder with project descriptions.
| Last modified: | 25 June 2022 2.35 p.m. |