People

Current members

Dr. Anne Duplouy- Group Leader

I am fascinated by the interactions between eukaryotic hosts and their microbial symbionts, particularly their evolution in changing environments. I completed my PhD at the University of Queensland in Brisbane Australia, and then moved to Helsinki for my first research fellowship, where I worked on population genetics and adaptation in the Glanville fritillary butterfly. After a couple of years at the University of Lund on a Marie Curie Fellowship, I am now back in Helsinki as the leader of the Insect Symbiosis Ecology and Evolution research group

Federica Valerio - Postdoctoral researcher

I have a PhD in Genetic and Molecular Biology from the University of Pavia, Italy (2021).
I am now working on a comparative genomics project aiming at characterizing the genomic diversity of Wolbachia in various insects, their phylogenetic relationship and evolutionary history.

Camila S. Beraldo - PhD student

I joined the ISEE lab as a graduate student in December 2019. I am fascinated by symbiotic relationships and how they affect the evolution of the species involved in the interaction. Currently, I am working on the diversity, transmission, and evolution of bacterial symbionts in the insect community associated with the ribwort plantain (Plantago lanceolata). To address my questions, I am combining fieldwork across the Åland archipelago, Finland, experiments in the laboratory, molecular work, and phylogenetic analyses.  I am funded by LUOVA, and co-supervised by Dr. Saskya van Nouhuys from the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bangalore, India.

Elina Hanhimäki - Technical assistant

I am a microbiologist enthusiast with an interest in the versatile connections between animals and their associated microbiota. I have a BSc degree in Biology (2018) and a MSc degree in Genetics (2021) from the University of Oulu, Finland. I completed both degrees by studying gut microbiota diversity. I am now a Technical assistant in the ISEE lab, investigating variation in microbiota and metagenomic data.

Uxue R. Rodriguez - Master student

I am interested in plant symbiosis, evolution and adaptation. I graduated in genetics in Barcelona and joined a Master program in plant biology at the University of Helsinki. I first joined the ISEE lab as a research assistant in the lab and now study the quadripartite interaction between insect, their symbionts, their host plant, and plant viral pathogens. Project co-supervised by Dr. Hanna Susi from the University of Helsinki.

Sanna Korhonen - Master student

I am a student in the Master's program in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of Helsinki. I have a BSc degree in Biology. My BSc's thesis was about how insects protect themselves against parasitoids at different life stages. I am generally interested in species interactions, especially host-parasite interactions, and their importance in the ecology and evolution of species. For my MSc's thesis, I focus on parasitic mites of damselflies, and their Wolbachia infection.

Julian Schach - Master student

I have a BSc in Ecology from the University of Calgary. I am now enrolled in the Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Master's program at the University of Helsinki. I am interested in insect ecology and evolution, and I am excited to explore host-symbiont relationships. For my thesis work I investigate speciation in Cotesia wasps and the role of Wolbachia in species radiation. I am supervised by both Dr. Anne Duplouy and Dr. Federica Valerio.

Aleksi Hippi - Master student

I am a student of the Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Master program at the University of Helsinki. My Master's thesis is on variations in the microbiota of Atlantic Salmon populations from Finland. I am supervised by Dr. Tutku Aykanat (University of Helsinki), and co-supervised by Dr. Anne Duplouy.

Past members

  • Ruby Kaiser - Visiting Master student, Sonoma State University, USA (co-supervised)
  • Arttu Saarinen - Bachelor student
  • Mikael Englund - Bachelor student
  • Daniel Blande - postdoc
  • Junchen Deng - Master student, Lund University, Sweden
  • Cornelia Martel - Master student, Lund University, Sweden
  • Aude Giraud - Intern, Lund University, Sweden
  • Olivera Stojilovic - Intern, Lund University, Sweden
  • Isa Bengzon - Bachelor thesis, Lund University, Sweden
  • Amy Truit - PhD student, Portland State University, USA (co-supervised)
  • Meri Lahteenaro - Bachelor student
  • Zana Sinko - Professional school lab trainee
  • Carolina Sánchez Carpena - ERASMUS intern
  • Ekaterina Pylsy - Professional school lab trainee
  • Minna Kohonen - Bachelor student
  • Szabolcs Péterfi  - Professional school lab trainee
  • Shravya Kadali - Master student

Collaborators

  • Dr. Oskar Brattström - Butterfly taxonomy and evolution - University of Glasgow, UK
  • Dr. Sylvain Charlat - Dynamics of host/parasite associations - CNRS, University of Lyon 1, France
  • Dr. Michelle Di Leo - Population genetics and genomics - Toronto, Canada
  • Prof. Ilkka Hanski - Metapopulation, population/community ecology and evolution. - The University of Helsinki, Finland
  • Prof. Gregory Hurst - Eco-evolution of host-parasite interactions - University of Liverpool, UK
  • Dr. Inaki Iturbe-Ormaetxe - Eco-evolutionary biology of Wolbachia-host interactions - Monash University, Melbourne Australia
  • Dr. Jean-Yves Meyer - Botanist and conservation biologist - Tahiti, French Polynesia
  • Prof. Nathan Rank - Plant/herbivore/pathogen interactions - Sonoma State University, USA
  • Prof. Pasi Sihvonen - Systematics, species biodiversity - LUOMUS, University of Helsinki, Finland
  • Prof. Ayco Tack - Interactions plants/microbes/insects - Stockholm University, Sweden
  • Prof. Rose Thorogood - Evolution, Sociality and behaviour - University of Helsinki, Finland
  • Prof. Scott O'Neill - Evolution of Wolbachia, biocontrol strategy of mosquito-borne diseases - Monash University, Melbourne Australia.
  • Prof. Niklas Wahlberg - Systematics, evolutionary history of Lepidoptera - Lund University, Sweden
  • Prof. Scott Beatson - Genomics of infectious diseases - University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
  • Dr. Neil Davies - Executive director of the Moorea Gump Research Station, University of Berkeley (French Polynesia)
  • Prof. Jan Engelstadte - Mathematical modelling of the evolution of reproductive parasite, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
  • Dr. Emily A. Hornett - Ecology and evolution of symbiotic bacteria in butterflies - University of Liverpool, UK
  • Prof. Rainer Lehtonen - Genomics and genetics - The University of Helsinki, Finland
  • Prof. Wolfgang J. Miller - Functional and evolutionary dynamics of symbiotic systems - University of Vienna, Austria
  • Prof. Marjo Saastamoinen - Ecology and Evolution - Environmental stress in natural populations - The University of Helsinki, Finland
  • Dr. Vicencio Oostra - Evolution in changing environments - Queens Mary University, London, UK
  • Prof. Saskya van Nouhuys - Community ecology and evolution - Bangalore, India
  • Dr. Fabrice Vavre - Host/symbionts interactions - CNRS, University of Lyon 1, France
  • Dr. Megan Woolfit - Bioinformatics, genetics and genomics - Monash University, Melbourne Australia