© Tim Brütsch

Research

The main interest include:

Ageing in social insects

The evolution of eusociality has been associated with a 100-fold increase in insect lifespan. Aside from being exceptionally high, ant longevities greatly vary, both at intraspecific and interspecific levels. First, there is tremendous variation in life span between castes in ants, with queens living over 500 times longer than males and 50 times longer than sterile workers. Second, longevity greatly vary among ant species, from the Pharaoh ant queens that live 6 month to the queen of the black garden ant that can live 29 years. Because of this extreme variability in lifespan, ants constitute an ideal group to investigate the genetic causes of extreme longevities. We are using comparative genomics and transcriptomics between castes and species to study the evolution of ageing.

Genetic, ecological and molecular bases for variation in social systems

The number of queens within a social insect colony is an important trait in social evolution. Queen number can be highly variable both between and within species, and we are interested in how and why transitions in social structure occur. In collaboration with Dr. Kenneth Ross (University of Georgia), we have identified a gene (Gp-9) influencing social behaviour in the fire ant Solenopsis invicta. We are currently quantifying the genetic variability of this gene as well as other closely linked genes using a genomic approach. We are also interested in the evolution and consequences of unicoloniality in the Argentine ant. This species has invaded the Mediterranean coast about 80 years ago and there is no aggression between workers from Spain, France and Italy.

Division of labour in insect societies

The major organising principle of social insect societies is division of labour, with one or a few individuals specializing in reproduction, and others participating in tasks such as nest-building, foraging, rearing young and defending the colony. This organisation provides numerous advantages and underpins the ecological success of social insects. While the dynamic allocation of workers to various tasks is a critical aspect affecting colony efficiency and fitness, little is known about the underlying principles. This is because it has been impossible to track large numbers of individuals continuously. We have developed a system based on fiducial identification labels and video tracking to automatically follow all individuals in a colony for extended periods. This allows us to study how social interactions and individual experiences affect the behavioural trajectories of workers.

Unusual modes of reproduction

We have identified many cases of unusual modes of reproduction, including species conditionally using sexual and asexual reproduction to produce new queens or workers. Most recently we found that males of the crazy ant Anoplolepis gracilipes are chimaera: they develop from fertilized eggs in which the two parental gametes do not actually fuse. Instead, the maternal and paternal nuclei divide separately within the same egg, meaning that the resultant adult males have both parental DNA sequences but in different body cells.

Biological invasions

Biological invasions are among the greatest drivers of species extinctions worldwide and can cause severe impairments of ecosystem services, imposing huge economic costs on society. Ants (Formicidae) are among the worst invasive species, with more than 200 species established outside their native range and 19 listed as highly problematic by the IUCN. We are interested in understanding the mechanisms and drivers of ant invasions at a broad spatial scale.

Experimental robotics

In collaboration with Prof. Dario Floreano at the EPFL we have been investigating the role of relatedness (genetic similarity), levels of selection, and group size on the evolution of collective actions, communication and division of labour in artificial ant colonies. We are using colonies of artificial ants implemented as small mobile robots with simple vision and communication abilities. Selection experiments are done with the help of genetic algorithms.

Previous students

Master Students

2021-2022	Nathan Joyce
2020-2021	Arthur Royston, currently environmental engineer, Biol Conseil, Lancy Geneva
2019-2020	Andrei Dascalu, currently expert ecologist, Enviro EcoSmart, Galati, Romania
2018-2019	Andrea Coti. Currently PhD student, University of Mainz
2016-2018	Tomas Kay. Currently Posdoctoral, Rockefeller University
2013-2015	Patrick Joye. Completed a PhD Student, University of Lausanne
2012-2014	Bahram Kheradmand. Completed a PhD, UC San Diego
2011-2012	Alexandra Von Siebenthal. Currently Head Event Manager, Swiss Integrative Center for Human Health, University of Fribourg
2009-2010	Susana Figueiredo Pinto. Currently teacher
2009-2010	Simon Gingins. Completed a PhD at the University of Neuchâtel. Currently project leader at Save our see
2008-2009	Gabriel Cisarovsky. Completed a PhD at ETHZ. Currently scientific collaboration, Federal Office of the Environment
2008-2009	Séverine Buechel. Completed a PhD at ETHZ. Currently Researcher at the University of Stockholm
2007-2008	Lucille Chapuis. Completed a PhD, University of Western Australia. Currently Postdoc University of Exeter
2006-2006	Danielle Mersch (during her studies at Ecole Normale). Completed a PhD at the University of Lausanne
2005-2006	Dominique Vuille. Currently teacher
2005-2006	Jean-Yves Humbert. Completed a PhD at ETHZ. Now group leader, University of Bern
2004-2005	Stephanie Dreier. Completed a PhD, University of Copenhagen. Currently science teacher, London
2004-2005	Johannes Gräff. Completed a PhD, University of Zurich. Currently Associate Professor, EPFL
2003-2004	Julie Jaquiéry. Completed a PhD at the University of Lausanne. Currently Research Scientist, INRA Rennes
2003-2004	Céline Ohayon. Currently Scientific Researcher, HEP (Haute Ecole Pédagogique), Lausanne
2002-2003	Nadia Bruyndonckx. Completed a PhD, University of Lausanne. Currently Scientific Collaborator, Canton de Vaud
2001-2002	Valérie Vogel. Completed a PhD, University of Lausanne. Currently teacher
2000-2001	Stéphanie Jemielity. Completed a PhD, University of Lausanne. Currently in Medical Microbiology, Viollier
1999	Denis Fournier. Currently Lecturer at the University of Bruxelles
1998-2000	Hervé Rosset. Completed a PhD, University of Lausanne. Currently teacher, Collège Arnold Reymond
1995-1997	Christina Wai Ying Chang, Currently Senior technician, University of Constanz

Graduate Students

2018-2024	Thomas Kay. Obtained the FBM ESEB prize. Currently Postdoctoral, Rockefeller University
2018-2023	Matthias Rüegg. Nominated by the PhD Distinction committee for the 2023 EDRS PhD Distinction
2017-2022	Guillaume Lavanchy (co-supervised with Tanja Schwander)
2017-2022	Eléonore Genzoni (co-supervised with Tanja Schwander)
2016-2023	Sean McGregor
2012-2018	Zheng Yan. Currently Assistant Professor, Lanzhou University
2012-2018	Raphael Braunschweig. Currently teacher
2010-2016	Oksana Riba-Grognuz. Currently Senior Data Science Engineer at the Swiss Data Science Center

2009-2013	Pawel Lichocki, co-direction with Prof. Dario Floreano. Currently Senior Software Engineer at Google
2008-2013	Thibault Lengronne, co-direction with Prof. Seirian Sumner. Currently researcher, University of Bristol
2007-2012	Danielle Mersch. Received the Henri-A. Guenin prize for the excellence of her PhD
2007-2012	Romain Libbrecht. Received a Faculty Prize for the excellence of his PhD, the Jasper Loftus-Hill Young Investigator from the American Society of Naturalists, and the young researcher award from the French section of the International Union for the Study of Social Insects. Currently Chargé de Recherche CRNS, Tours
2007-2011	Stéphane Dorsaz, co-advised with Mehdi Tafti. Currently Post-Doctoral at CHUV (University Hospital, Lausanne)
2006-2012	Mingkwan Nipitwattanaphon. Currently Lecturer, University of Bangkok
2006-2009	Sara Mitri, co-advised with Prof. Dario Floreano EPFL. Currently Associate Professor, University of Lausanne
2005-2009	Yannick Wurm. Received a Faculty Prize for the excellence of his PhD. Currently Senior Lecturer, Queen Mary, University of London
2004-2009	Danesh S. Tarapore, co-direction with Prof. Dario Floreano EPFL. Currently Associate Professor, University of Southampton
2003-2007	Tanja Schwander. Received several prizes for her PhD, including the 2009 John Maynard Smith Prize by the European Society of Evolutionary Biology. Currently Associate Professor, University of Lausanne
2003-2007	Markus Waibel, co-advised with Prof. Dario Floreano. Currently CEO of Verity Studios AG
2002-2008	Valérie Vogel. Currently teacher
2002-2008	Barbara Holzer. Currently Research Associate at Disentronic Medica Systems AG
2001-2006	Stéphanie Jemielity. Received a Faculty prize for the excellence of her PhD. Currently Senior Scientist at CSL Behring
2001-2006	Rolf Kümmerli. Received a Faculty Prize for the excellence of his PhD. Currently Associate Professor, University of Zurich
2000-2001	Magdalena Konior. Supervised during 1-year. Currently Adiunkt, Polish Academy of Sciences
1998-2003	Philipp Langer. Currently Deputy Director International Cooperation in Research & Innovation, State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation
1997-2002	Cathy Liautard. Currently Ingénieur de Recherche, Institute of Evolutionary Sciences, University of Montpellier
1997-2002	Max Reuter. Received a Faculty Prize for the excellence of his PhD. Currently Professor, University College London
1997-2002	Drude Molbo. Currently Data administrator, Department of Social Medicine, Copenhagen University
1993-1998	Michael J. B. Krieger. Currently Senior Project Manager at PASS Technologies
1993-1997	Giorgina Bernasconi. Obtained a Full Professor position, University of Neuchâtel

Post-Doctorals

2019-2023	Llilans Calvo Gonzalez. Currently Postdoctoral, Unil
2019-2023	Ebi Antony George. Currently Postdoctoral, Unil
2019-2023	Alba Motes Currently Postdoctoral, Unil
2019-2023	Miya Qiaowei Pan. Currently Postdoctoral, Unil
2019-2023	Joanito Liberti (co-supervised with Philip Engel). Currently Postdoctoral , Unil
2019-2023	Germain Montazeaud. Currently permanent researcher CIRAD, INRAE, Institut Agro, Montpellier
2019-2021	Claire Morandin. Currently Project Manager at ICON plc
2018-2022	Quentin Helleu. Currently Maître de Conférence (Lecturer), Museum d’Histoire Naturelle, Paris
2018-2021	Erik Thomas Frank. Currently Assistant Professor, University of Würzburg
2017-2022	Hugo Darras. Received the young researcher award from the French section of the International Union for the Study of Social Insects. Currently Assistant Professor, University of Mainz
2014-2020	Katja Hoedjes. Currently Assistant Professor, University of Amsterdam
2018-2020	Sean McKenzie. Currently Bioinformatician, Emory University
2013-2020	Tom Richardson. Currently Postdoc, Bristol University
2015-2019	Cleo Bertelsmeier. Currently Associate Professor, University of Lausanne
2010-2019	Nathalie Stroeymeyt. Currently Senior Lecturer, University of Bristol
2017-2018	Arthur Bernard. Currently working for Neovision (Machine learning and Deep learning)
2016-2017	Oksana Riba-Grognuz. Currently head of ORD Engagement & Service team, Swiss Data Science Center, EPFL
2016-2017	Chelsea Weitekamp. Currently Assistant Center Director for Research Translation and Program/Regulatory Support in the Center for Computational Toxicology and Exposure at the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
2015-2016	Romain Libbrecht. Currently permanent Researcher, CNRS, University of Tours
2014-2018	Jonathan Romiguier. Currently permanent Researcher, CNRS, University of Montpellier
2013-2015	Charles Mullon. Currently Assistant Professor, University of Lausanne
2013-2016	Giovanni Iacca, co-direction with Dario Floreano. Currently Associate Professor at University of Trento
2013-2015	Paolucci Silvia. Deceased.
2013-2015	Eduardo Goncalves Fox. Currently Professor, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro

2013-2014

Shigeto Dobata. Currently Associate Professor, University of Tokyo

2012-2017

Alexandra Bezler. Currently Scientific Collaborator, EPFL

2011-2017	Adria LeBoeuf, co-direction with Richard Benton. Currently holding a PRIMA grant, University of Fribourg
2011-2015	Eric Lucas. Currently Post-Doctoral, University of Liverpool
2011-2015	Brian Hollis, co-direction with Tad Kawecki. Currently Assistant Professor, University of South Carolina

2011-2013	Akiko Koto. Currently Senior Researcher, University of Tsukuba
2011-2013	Eyal Privman. Currently Senior Lecturer, University of Haifa
2010-2014	Colby Tanner. Currently Adjunct Professor Nebraska Wesleyan University
2010-2011	Julien Roux. Currently works for the Bioinformatics Care Facility, University of Basel
2010-2011	Yannick Wurm. Currently Professor, Queen Mary University of London
2009-2012	Philip Newey. Currently Writer in Australia
2008-2008	Daniel J. C. Kronauer. Currently Associate Professor, Rockefeller University
2007-2012	Michiel B. Dijkstra. Currently Medical Writer at Syneos Health Communications
2007-2012	Steffen Wischmann. Currently, Head of the Data Economics and Business Models group at “VDI/VDE Innovation + Technik GmbH”
2007-2011	Miguel Corona. Currently Research Entomologist, USDA Beltsville
2007-2009	Dietrich Gotzek. Currently Lab manager Smithsonian Institution
2006-2010	Christophe Lucas. Currently CNRS Permanent Researcher, University of Tours
2006-2010	Morgan Pearcy. Currently Research Assistant at the Université catholique de Louvain
2006-2009	Lino Ometto. Currently Associate Professor, University of Trente
2006-2008	Frederic Masclaux, co-direction with Philippe Reymond. Currently Bioinformatician, University of Geneva
2005-2009	Michael Nicolas. Currently Senior Scientist, University of Wageningen
2004-2005	Virginie Ravigné. Currently Permanent Researcher, CIRAD and INRA, University of Montpellier
2004-2005	Julien Varaldi. Currently Maître de Conférence (Lecturer), University of Lyon
2004-2005	Denis Fournier. Currently Lecturer, University of Bruxelles
2003-2010	John Wang. Currently Associate Professor, Academia Sinica, Taiwan
2003-2004	Paolo Uva. Currently Researcher, Clinical Bioinformatics group at the IRCCS Gaslini
2002-2006	Hélène Niculita. Currently Senior researcher Unisanté (Hospital, Lausanne)
2002-2006	Rob Hammond. Currently Lecturer, University of Leicester
2002-2003	Max Reuter. Currently Full Professor, University College London
2001-2003	Andres Perez-Uribe. Currently Professor, HES Yverdon
2000-2004	Sara Cahan Helms. Currently Associate Professor, University of Vermont
2000-2002	Ken R. Helms. Currently Research Assistant Professor, University of Vermont
2000-2001	Michel Chapuisat. Currently Associate Professor, University of Lausanne
1999-2005	Joel D. Parker. Currently Associate Professor, SUNY Plattsburgh
1999-2000	Tatiana Giraud. Currently Research Director, CNRS, University of Paris-Sud and full Professor Ecole Polytechnique, Paris
1998-2001	Jes Soe Pedersen. Currently Associate Professor, University of Copenhagen
1997-1999	Else J. Fjerdingstad. Currently Adjunct Professor, New York Institute of Technology
1996-1999	William D. Brown. Currently Full Professor, SUNY Fredonia
1994-1995	Liselotte Sundström. Currently Full Professor, University of Helsinki