PD Dr. Jan Büllesbach
Professorship for Molecular Evolutionary Biology (Prof. Gadau)
Hüfferstraße 1
48149 Münster
Evolution of chemical communication – Deciphering common elements in the chemical language of insects
As the earliest and most wide-spread form of communication, chemical signaling has permeated through all known taxa of life. Insects, in particular, have exploited chemical signaling as their primary mode of communication. The overarching aim of my research is to investigate the chemical language of insects and the corresponding adaptation mechanisms that gave rise to the astonishing diversity of signaling molecules found in this remarkable, most species-rich class in the animal kingdom. Thereby, I pursue an interdisciplinary approach through the combination of evolutionary biology, chemical ecology, functional genetics, comparative genomics, behavioral biology, and analytical chemistry. The evolution of species- and sex-specific pheromone phenotypes and their influence on mate recognition, assortative mating, behavioral isolation and, ultimately, speciation, has thereby always played a prominent role throughout my research.
CURRICULUM VITAE
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
2023: Venia legendi (“Habilitation”) in Evolutionary Chemical Ecology at the University of Münster, Germany
Since 2018: Assistant professor at the Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity at the University of Münster, Germany
2016 - 2018: Research scholar at the Department of Environmental Science, Policy, & Management, University of California, Berkeley, USA
2013 - 2016: Scientific manager of the Excellence Jena Graduate School for Microbial Communication, Jena, Germany
2012 - 2013: Scientific consultant and project manager at Aldebaran, Hamburg, Germany and Overtaal, Utrecht, The Netherlands
2011 - 2012: Postdoctoral research scholar at the Department of Entomology, North Carolina State University, USA
2007 - 2010: Research associate at the Department of Evolutionary Biology and Animal Ecology, University of Freiburg, Germany and at the School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, USA
EDUCATION
2007 - 2010: PhD / Dr. rer. nat. in Evolutionary Biology and Chemical Ecology at the University of Freiburg, Germany and at the Arizona State University, Tempe, USA
2006 - 2007: Postgraduate studies / Master equivalent in Bioinformatics at the University of Cologne, Germany
2003 - 2006: Graduate studies in Biology at the University of Münster, Germany
2003: Semester abroad at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, USA
2000 - 2002: Undergraduate studies in Biology at the University of Münster, Germany
AREAS OF EXPERTISE
Chemical ecology, analytical chemistry, mass spectrometry, chemical communication, chemo-/bioinformatics, big data analysis, computational biology, chemical taxonomy, pheromones, entomology, evolutionary biology, functional genetics, comparative genomics, phylogeny, speciation, behavioral biology
PUBLICATIONS
Sun W., Clara Clinder, Mohammed Errbii, Lukas Schrader, Gadau J., Buellesbach J. "The impact of a fatty acid synthase gene in regulating a complex dual trait essential for survival and sexual communication", under revision, Nature Communications
Golian M., Friedman D., Harrison M., McMahon D., Buellesbach J. “Chemical and transcriptomic diversity do not correlate with ascending levels of social complexity in the insect order Blattodea”, under revision, Ecology & Evolution
Vonolfen M.C., Meyer zu Altenschildesche F.L, Nam H.-J., Brodesser S., Gyenis A., Buellesbach J., Lam G., Thummel C.S., Storelli G. Drosophila HNF4 acts in distinct tissues to direct a switch between lipid storage and export in the gut, under revision, Developmental Cell
Esparza-Mora M.A., Mazumdar T., Jiang S., Radek R., Thiem, J.N., Feng L., Petrašiūnaitė V., Banasiak R., Golian M., Gleske M., Lucas C., Springer A., Buellesbach J., McMahon D. (2023) “Defensive behavior is linked to altered surface chemistry following infection in a termite society”, Scientific Reports, 13, 20606, 10.1038/s41598-023-42947-9
Sun W., Lange M., Gadau J., Buellesbach J. (2023) “Decoding the genetic and chemical basis of sexual attractiveness in parasitic wasps“, eLife, 12:e86182, 10.7554/eLife.86182
Liu Y., Heath J.J., Zhanga S., van Wijk M., Wanga G., Buellesbach J., Wada-Katsumata A., Groot A.T., Schal C., (2023) “Endogenous and plant-derived courtship signals in male moths", Current Biology, 33(16): 3529-3535, 10.1016/j.cub.2023.07.010
Buellesbach J., Lammers M., van de Belt J., Pannebakker B. (2023) “Chemical and population genetic analysis show no evidence of ecotype formation in a European population of the parasitoid wasp Nasonia vitripennis”, Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution, 11:10.3389/fevo.2023.1232639
Drakula M., Buellesbach J., Gadau J., Schrader L. (2023) “The role of cuticular hydrocarbons in intraspecific aggression in the invasive ant Cardiocondyla obscurior”, Myrmecological News, 33: 187-196, 10.25849/myrmecol.news_033:187
Whyte B., Sandidge R., Buellesbach J., Cash E., Scheckel K., Gibson J.D., Tsutsui N. (2023) “The role of body size and cuticular hydrocarbons in the desiccation resistance of invasive Argentine ants (Linepithema humile)”, Journal of Experimental Biology, 226 (16): jeb245578, 10.1242/jeb.245578
Buellesbach J.*, Rinke J.*, Thomas, J.M., Reuter L., Hartmann V., Pohl M., Gadau J., Ernst U.R. (2023) “Worker policing independent of strikingly different egg chemotypes in carpenter ants”, Evolutionary Ecology, 37: 815–834, 10.1007/s10682-023-10245-5
Ostwald, M., Tretter S., Buellesbach J., Gadau J., Ernst U.R., Fewell, J. (2023) “Chemical variation and differences in desiccation resistance between haplometrotic and pleometrotic populations of the ant Pogonomyrmex californicus”, Journal of Comparative Physiology B, 193(3): 261–269
Buellesbach J., Holze H., Schrader L., Liebig J., Schmitt T., Gadau J., Niehuis, O. (2022) “Genetic and genomic architecture of species-specific cuticular hydrocarbon variation in parasitoid wasps”. Proceedings of the Royal Society B, 289(1976): 20220336
Leung, K., Beukeboom, L.W., Buellesbach J. (2022) “Novel insights into insect chemical communication – an introduction”. Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata, 170: 286- 288.
Golian M., Bien T., Schmelzle S., Esparza-Mora M.A., McMahon D.P., Dreisewerd K., Buellesbach J. (2022) “Neglected very long-chain hydrocarbons and the incorporation of body surface area metrics reveal novel perspectives for cuticular profile analysis in insects”. Insects, 13(1), 83
Möckel, L.; Meusemann, K.; Misof, B.; Schwartze, V.U.; De Fine Licht, H.H.; Voigt, K.; Stielow, B.; de Hoog, S.; Beutel, R.G.; Buellesbach, J. (2022) “Phylogenetic revision and patterns of host specificity in the fungal subphylum Entomophthoromycotina”. Microorganisms, 10(2): 256
Buellesbach, J., Diao, W., Schmitt, T. and Beukeboom, L.W. (2021), “Micro-climate correlations and conserved sexual dimorphism of cuticular hydrocarbons in European populations of the jewel wasp Nasonia vitripennis”. Ecological Entomology, 47(1): 38-51
Holze, H., Schrader, L. & Buellesbach, J. (2020) “Advances in deciphering the genetic basis of insect cuticular hydrocarbon biosynthesis and variation. Heredity, 126(2): 219–234
Dennis A.B., Ballesteros, G.I., Robin, S., Schrader, L., Bast, J., Berghöfer, J., Beukeboom, L.W., Belghazi, M., Bretaudeau, A., Buellesbach J. et al. (2020) “Functional insights from the GC-poor genomes of two aphid parasitoids, Aphidius ervi and Lysiphlebus fabarum”, BMC Genomics, 21(1): 376.
Buellesbach J., Whyte B., Cash E., Gibson J.D., Scheckel K., Sandidge R., Tsutsui N. (2018) “Desiccation resistance and micro-climate adaptation: Cuticular hydrocarbon signatures of different Argentine ant supercolonies across California”, Journal of Chemical Ecology, 44(12):1101-1114
Buellesbach J., Cash E., Schmitt T. (2018) “Communication, insects”, in “Encyclopedia of Reproduction, Second Edition”, Volume 6, Elsevier Science Publishing Co Inc, San Diego, USA
Buellesbach J.*, Vetter S.G*., Schmitt T. (2018) “Differences in the reliance on cuticular hydrocarbons as sexual signaling and species discrimination cues in parasitoid wasps”, (*Authors contributed equally), Frontiers in Zoology, 15:22
Buellesbach J. (2018) “Pheromone Communication Systems in the Nasonia Species Complex” in “Advances in Animal Science and Zoology” Volume 11, Nova Science Publishers, Hauppauge NY, USA
Buellesbach J., Watt J.R., Shuker D.M. (2017). “Nasonia Wasp Behavior Genetics” in “Reference Module in Life Sciences”, Elsevier Science Publishing Co Inc, 978-0-12-809633-8
Buellesbach J., Schmitt T. (2015) “The role of cuticular hydrocarbon-based chemical communication in prezygotic reproductive isolation” in “Animal Communication and Cognition: Principles, Evolution and Development”, Nova Science Publishers, Hauppauge NY, USA
Buellesbach J., Greim C., Raychoudhury R., Schmitt T. (2014) “Asymmetric interspecific mating behavior reflects incomplete prezygotic isolation in the jewel wasp Nasonia”, Ethology 120 (8):834-843
Buellesbach J., Gadau J., Beukeboom L.W., Echinger F., Raychoudhury R., Werren J.H., Schmitt T. (2013) “Cuticular hydrocarbon divergence in males and females of the jewel wasp genus Nasonia: Evolutionary shifts in chemical communication?”, Journal of Evolutionary Biology 26(11):2467-2478
*Niehuis O., *Buellesbach J., *Gibson J.D., Pothman D., Hanner C., Mutti N., Judson A.K., Liebig J., Gadau J., *Ruther J., Schmitt T. (2013) “Behavioural and genetic analysis on Nasonia shed light on the evolution of sex pheromones”, (*Authors contributed equally), Nature 494(7437):345-348
Giesbers M., Gerritsma S., Buellesbach J., Diao W., Pannebakker B.A., van de Zande L., Schmitt T., Beukeboom L.W. “Prezygotic Isolation in the Parasitoid Wasp Genus Nasonia” in “Speciation: Natural Processes, Genetics and Biodiversity” (2013), Nova Science Publishers, Hauppauge NY, USA
*Niehuis O., *Buellesbach J., Judson A.K., Schmitt T., Gadau J. (2011) “Genetics of cuticular hydrocarbon differences between males of the parasitoid wasps Nasonia giraulti and Nasonia vitripennis”, (*Authors contributed equally), Heredity 107(1):61-70
Raychoudhury R., Desjardins C.A., Buellesbach J., Loehlin D.W., Grillenberger B.K., Beukeboom L., Schmitt T., Werren, J.H. (2010) “Behavioral and genetic characteristics of a new species of Nasonia“, Heredity 104(3):278-288
Oberle C., Huai J., Reinheckel T., Tacke M., Rassner M., Ekert P.G., Buellesbach J., Borner C. (2010) “Lysosomal membrane permeabilization and cathepsin release is a Bax/Bak-dependent, amplifying event of apoptosis in fibroblasts and monocytes.“ Cell Death Differ 17(7):1167-1178
Buellesbach J. (2008) “Hypothetical new class of coding RNAs in insect genomes.” BMMS 1(4):245-248
Koenig S., Mehlich A.-M., Buellesbach J., Michiels N. (2006) “Allohormones in Lumbricus terrestris? Mass spectrometry of the setal gland product indicates role of ubiquitin.” Invertebr. Reprod. Dev. 49(1-2):103-111
ACQUIRED FUNDING
2022: Collective Research Grant, Buellesbach J., Feldmeyer B., Menzel F., Nehring V., Niehus O., Schmitt T.: Genomic and gene regulatory basis of rapid evolutionary diversification of a multifunctional trait (DFG GEVOL – 503307636), 102.496 € (personal allocation out of 518.503 € in total)
2020: Doctoral Research Grant, Bakırdöven M., Lammers M., Buellesbach J.: Genetic, chemical and behavioural studies of sexual communication in the aphid parasitoid Aphidius ervi (DAAD – 5750787), 65.350 €
2020: Research project grant, Golian M., Buellesbach J.: The body surface microbiome and its effects on cuticular hydrocarbon variation in Nasonia (WWU – SAFIR), 5.000 €
2020: Funding support for junior scientists (WWU), 3.000 €
2019: Individual Research Grant: Genomic, phenotypic and behavioral investigation of sexual signaling evolution in parasitic wasps (DFG – 427879779), 227.450 €
2018 - 2020: Cumulative research equipment support for improvement of teaching conditions at the University of Münster (WWU – QVM), 10.750 €
STUDENT SUPERVISION
PhD
University of Münster, Germany
• Chemical and mass spectrometric investigations of the diversification in rapidly evolving chemical insect profiles, Shadi Karimifard, since 2023, co-supervision in the framework of the DFG SPP Genomic Basis of Evolutionary Innovations (GEVOL) with Dr. Barbara Feldmeyer (Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre) and Dr. Florian Menzel (University of Mainz)
• Genomic and gene regulatory basis of rapid evolutionary diversification of a multifunctional trait, Fabian Schweitzer, since 2022, co-supervision in the framework of the DFG SPP Genomic Basis of Evolutionary Innovations (GEVOL) with with Prof. Dr. Oliver Niehuis and Dr. Volker Nehring (University of Freiburg)
• Genetic, chemical and behavioral investigation of sexual signaling evolution in parasitoid wasps, Weizhao Sun, 2019-2024
• Genetic, chemical and behavioural studies of sexual communication in the aphid parasitoid Aphidius ervi, Murat Bakırdöven, 2020-2022
• From Genotype to Phenotype – Linking the evolution of the mitochondrial OXPHOS system, mitochondrial capacity, metabolic rates and hybrid incompatibility in the parasitoid wasp Nasonia, Dhevi Kalyanaraman, 2018-2023
Master
University of Münster, Germany
• Impact of desaturases and fatty acid synthases on the chemical profiles of Tribolium castaneum, Tobias Gryczan, since 2024
• Detection and structural investigation of semiochemicals in invertebrate chemical communication, Julian Edel, 2023
• Establishment of RNAi gene knockdown in an invasive ant, Selina Paczkowski, 2022
• Investigation of volatile organic compounds in parasitoid wasps by using EI‑GC‑MS/MS, Quoc Hung Le, 2021-2022
• Evolutionary Genomics in parasitoids and social insects, Jurian Thomas, 2021
• How do termites detect infection? Quantification of differences in the chemical profiles of Reticulitermes flavipes termites in different stages of infection with blastospores of Metarhizium anisopliae, Melanie Gleske, 2021
Bachelor
University of Münster, Germany
• Inducing a knockdown of fatty acid synthase genes in Tribolium castaneum adults to change the beetle´s cuticular hydrocarbon profiles, Lydia Lingsminat, 2023
• Does oral priming or wounding change the composition of cuticular hydrocarbons of Tribolium castaneum larvae?, Lilli Huyn, 2023
• Optimization of RNAi gene knockdown technique in the invasive ant Cardiocondyla obscurior with emphasis on CHC biosynthesis genes, Andreas Legat, 2023
• Chemical profiling of carpenter ant colonies from the Ivory Coast, Tobias Laukamp, 2023
• The effects of surface chemistry on the mating behaviour of parasitoid wasps, Louisa Bokern, 2022-2023
• Investigation of genes under positive selection for higher eusociality in termites, Simon Plösch, 2022
• RNAi knockdown of CHC biosynthesis genes in Nasonia, Clara Lindner, 2021-2022
• Identification of surface profiles in aquatic and basal arthropods, Leanne Westhoff, 2021-2022
• Aggression between different chemotypes in the carpenter ant Camponotus maculatus, Marius Caspers, 2021-2022
• Chemical caste differentiation and aggression behavior in Myrmecocystes Honeypot ants, Tobias Gryczan, 2021-2022
• Cuticular hydrocarbon differentiation in clonal female sibships between Nasonia giraulti and Nasonia longicornis, Marília Fischer, 2021-2022
• The effects of cuticular hydrocarbons on mating behaviour and desiccation resistance in the jewel wasp genus Nasonia, Michelle Lange, 2021
• The influence of different egg chemotypes on the policing behaviour in Camponotus maculatus, Leonie Reuter, 2021
• Annotation of the CHC biosynthesis gene repertoire in Cardiocondyla obscurior, Eyleen Wiese, 2021
• Species-, strain- and sex specific cuticular hydrocarbon variation and quantification in Nasonia, Stella Schummer, 2020-2021
• Desiccation resistance in Nasonia vitripennis, Anastasia Dzemiantsei, 2020-2021
• Effects of cuticular hydrocarbon biosynthesis genes on female attractiveness of the jewel wasp Nasonia vitripennis, Lisa Sewald, 2020-2021
• Optimization of RNAi gene knockdown and qPCR in Nasonia, Hannah Vogt, 2020
• Chemical variation and differences in aggressive behaviour between haplometrotic and pleometrotic populations of the ant Pogonomyrmex californicus, Sandra Tretter, 2020
• Male courtship and mating behaviour of Nasonia giraulti in context of cuticular hydrocarbon communication, Felicitas Fleischer, 2020
• Variation in aggressive behavior during nestmate discrimination in the invasive ant Cardiocondyla obscurior, Maja Drakula, 2020
• Chemical and phylogenetic divergence in Blattodea: Signatures of social complexity, Marek Golian, 2019-2020
• Targeted knockdown of CHC biosynthesis genes in Nasonia, Nina Franke, 2019
• Signatures of selection in candidate genes for CHC variation in parasitoid wasps, Henrietta Holze, 2019
University of California Berkeley, USA
• Cuticular Hydrocarbons of Argentine Ants: Tradeoffs Between Desiccation and Communication, Junrun Chen, 2018
• Winter Is Coming: Uncovering the role of overwintering in queen executions and production in Argentine ants, Katelyn Sanko, 2017-2018
• Nestmate recognition and desiccation resistance in super colonies of the invasive Argentine ant, Naomichi Yamamoto, 2017
• Colony Identity and Cuticular Hydrocarbon Profiles of the tawny crazy ant N. fulva and the invasive Argentine ant L. humile, Jon Lau, 2016
University of Freiburg, Germany
• Female Preference Tests for Sex Pheromone Extracts of RNAi-treated Males of Nasonia vitripennis”, Christian Mueller, 2010-2011
TEACHING EXPERIENCE
2020 - 2024: Conceptualization, organization and instruction for literature seminar series: “Scientific writing, thinking and visualizing”, University of Münster, Germany
2019 - 2024: Lecturer/Tutor for practical course: “Animal evolution and biodiversity”, University of Münster, Germany
2018 - 2023: Lecturer/Instructor for advanced Master course: “Basics in Evolutionary Biology”, University of Münster, Germany
2018 - 2023: Lecturer/Instructor for Bachelor course: “Evolutionary Ecology of Animals”, University of Münster, Germany
Supervisor for course-relevant student research projects:
• A comparison of the chemical composition of ovi- and viviparous Zootoca vivipara males, Laura Ermlich
• Mating behaviour and mate choice of the parasitic wasp Nasonia: How much are these processes influenced by cuticular hydrocarbons?, Kathrin Barth
• Host preferences of the parasitoid jewel wasp Nasonia vitripennis”, Katharina Meyer zu Riemsloh
• Differences in the chemical profile of two populations of Oryzaephilus surinamensis originated in the evolution canyon in Israel, Marek Jürgen Golian
• Finding Candidate Genes for CHC Biosynthesis in Nasonia, Henrietta Holze
2022: Lecturer/Instructor for Bachelor course: “Evolutionary Ecology of Animals”, part “Evolutionary chemical ecology“ and “Excursion to Hiddensee”, University of Münster, Germany
2022: Lecturer/Instructor for advanced Master course: “Experimental Ecology”, University of Münster, Germany
Supervisor for course-relevant student research projects:
• Chemical profiles of aquatic invertebrates, Joshua Grebe, Helle Jensen, Florian Stahl
2022: Invited Guest lecturer/Instructor for seminar: “Advanced chemical data analysis with MassHunter”, University of Würzburg, Germany
2021: Lecturer/Instructor for advanced Master course: “Experimental Ecology”, University of Münster, Germany
Supervisor for course-relevant student research projects:
• Surface profile extractions and analysis of aquatic and limnic arthropods, Mohammad Sajid Ahmad
• Chemical caste differentiation in Myrmecocystes Honeypot ants, Marc Diensch
• Speciation and cuticular differentiation in a hybrid zone of Poecilimon field crickets, Florian Groß
• Effect of CHC biosynthesis gene knockouts on chemical profiles in Nasonia wasps, Sarah Rinke-Stack
• Chemical profile preservation in conserved ant samples, Lena Mücher
• The body surface microbiome and its effects on cuticular hydrocarbon variation in parasitoid wasps, Selina Paczkowski
• Effect of CHC biosynthesis gene knockouts on sexual attractiveness in Nasonia wasps, Pascal Höhne
2021 - 2022: Lecturer/Instructor for advanced Master course: “Concepts and Current Topics in Evolutionary Biology”, part “Communication and chemical Ecology of insects”, University of Münster, Germany
2020: Guest lecturer for Master course: “Host-Parasite Interaction”, University of Münster, Germany
2018: Lecturer/Tutor for advanced module “Sex, sexual selection and reproduction”, University of Münster, Germany
2018: Guest lecturer at undergraduate class animal communication seminar series, University of California, Berkeley, USA
2018: Guest lecturer at Molecular Environmental Biology advanced graduate seminar series, University of California, Berkeley, USA
2017: Guest lecturer for BASIS CRS seminar, University of California Berkeley, USA 2016: Guest lecturer at Insect Behavior Advanced Undergraduate class of Environmental Science & Policy Management Department, University of California Berkeley, USA
2013 - 2016: Conceptualization, organization and hosting of seminar series “Alternative Careers in Science”, University of Jena, Germany
2012: Completion of advanced seminar series “University Level Teaching Techniques”, North Carolina State University, USA
2010: Teaching assistant: Practical course “Exercises in zoological identification”, University of Freiburg, Germany
2009: Supervision / Teaching assistant: Advanced practical course: “Evolutionary biology and chemical communication” for bachelor students, University of Freiburg, Germany
2009: Teaching assistant: Practical course “Zoological excursions”, University of Freiburg, Germany
2009: Supervision: Advanced seminar “Evolutionary biology and chemical communication”, University of Freiburg, Germany
2008: Teaching assistant: Practical course “Exercises in zoological identification”, University of Freiburg
INVITED TALKS
2024: Genetics and chemical ecology of parasitoid wasps: Steps towards sustainable pest management, European Network in Chemical Ecology meeting, Athens, Greece
2024: Advances in deciphering the chemical language of insects, Evolutionary Ecology Seminar, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
2023: How chemical ecology can help us to understand communication mechanisms in different insect taxa, TUM School of Life Science Systems Summer Colloquium, Munich, Germany
2023: Decoding the physiological, behavioural and genetic mechanisms behind conserved signalling patterns across insects, Guest seminar at INRAE, Versailles, France
2022: Investigating common elements in the chemical language of insects, Individualisation in Behaviour, Ecology and Evolution Seminar Series of SFB NC3, Münster, Germany
2022: Methyl-branched alkanes as universal cues in insect communication, Department of Animal Ecology and Tropical Biology Seminar Series, Würzburg, Germany
2022: Evolution of olfactory communication: Deciphering the chemical language of insects, Perspective: Biology, Berlin, Germany
2022: Unraveling evolutionary conserved signaling elements in chemical profiles of insects, International Society of Chemical Ecology meeting, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
2021: To PhD or not to PhD? How to survive academia in the name of Science, Seminar for fostering scientific progeny, Berlin, Germany
2020: Signatures of complexity in chemical profiles and regulatory gene networks in relation to different levels of sociality in Blattodea, Evolution and Ecology seminar series, Berlin, Germany
2020: The role of cuticular hydrocarbons in niche conformance and chemical signal preservation, SFB NC3 Principal investigator assembly, Münster, Germany
2020: The genetic basis of cuticular hydrocarbon biosynthesis and sexual signalling evolution in a parasitoid wasp, Behaviour & Evolution Seminar Series, Bielefeld, Germany
2018: Conserved signatures in solitary and social Hymenopteran recognition systems: How cuticular hydrocarbon variation can help us understand the evolution of chemical signaling, Complexity Seminar Series Gordon Lab, Stanford, USA
2017: Traversing taxonomic boundaries with cuticular hydrocarbons: Finding common elements in diverse insect communication systems, Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution Seminar Series, Münster, Germany
2017: Tales of Love and War: Evolutionary conserved signaling modalities in insect communication, Annual Meeting of the Entomological Society of America, Denver, USA 2017: How to survive Science – Academia and beyond, Entomology career panel, Berkeley, USA
COMMITTEE, ORGANIZATIONAL & OUTREACH ACTIVITIES
since 2023: Expert member at the European Network in Chemical Ecology (E-NICHE) as part of the European Cooperation in Science and Technology (COST)
since 2022: Principal investigator at the Priority Program (SPP) of the German Research Foundation (DFG), “Genomic Basis of Evolutionary Innovations (GEVOL)”
since 2022: Review Editor for Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution
since 2022: Associated researcher at the DFG Transregio 212: “A Novel Synthesis of Individualisation across Behaviour, Ecology and Evolution: Niche Choice, Niche Conformance, Niche Construction (NC³)”
2022: Organizer of the Symposium “Evolutionary Chemical Ecology” at the joint meeting of International Society of Chemical Ecology (ISCE) and the Asia-Pacific Association of Chemical Ecologists (APACE) at Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
2022: Panel reviewer for the Dutch Research Council (NWO) Open Competition XL program
2020 – 2021: Search committee member for tenure track Green Biotechnology W1 junior professorship, University of Muenster, Germany
2019 – 2023: Deputy Rectorate Committee Member for Academic Personnel Development, University of Münster, Germany
2017 – 2018: Conception, organization and participation in Bay Area Scientists in Schools (BASIS) scientific outreach program, Oakland, USA
2016 – 2018: Board member at the Berkeley Postdoc Association, UC Berkeley, California
2016 – 2018: Conception, organization and participation in selected events for Nightlife scientific outreach, California Academy for Sciences, San Francisco, USA
2016 – 2017: Conception and participation in the annual Bay Area Science Festival, San Francisco, USA
2015: Conception, organization and hosting of the 2nd JSMC Doctoral Researcher Retreat, Bad Sulza, Germany
2014: Conception and organization of the Annual JSMC Doctoral Researcher Symposium, Jena, Germany
2014: Organization and co-hosting of public discussion session “Mikrobengeflüster” at the 4th international conference on Microbial Communication, University of Jena, Germany
2013 – 2016: Conception and organization of the 13th - 15th international JSMC Doctoral Researcher Recruitment, Jena, Germany
2013 – 2016: Administrative & scientific manager of the Jena School for Microbial Communication steering committee, University of Jena, Germany
2011: Co-organization of BugFest, largest entomological outreach event in the US, North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences and North Carolina State University, Raleigh, USA
2009: Co-organization of 1st SGBM PhD retreat "Scientists get brains moving", Breisach, Germany