Anabelle Reber

Research Interests

I am interested in evolution of sociality and in host-parasite interaction. In my PhD project, I use Formica selysi as model species to study two main aspects of social organisation.
The evolution of social insect colonies with multiple queens is a puzzle for evolutionnary biologists and a challenge to kin selection. F. selysi is a good model to study the causes and consequences of changes in social structure because single and multiple-queen colonies occur in the same population. The aim of this project is to test if queens originating from single- and multiple-queen colonies differ in colony founding ability and to study the factors controlling the acceptance of new queens.
Social insects are also particularly exposed to parasites because of their group-living lifestyle. However, social life also permits the evolution of new collective mean of defence. In the second part of my PhD project, I aim to study how fungal parasites affect colony organisation, colony foundation and behavioral defences in ants.

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Curriculum Vitae

2002-2006
Studies in biology, University of Lausanne

2006
Master thesis on "Genetic diversity and disease resistance: an experimental test in an ant with variable queen number".
Supervisors: Grégoire Castella, Philippe Christe and Michel Chapuisat

2006
PhD in biology (Host-Parasite interactions), University of Lausanne, Supervisor: Michel Chapuisat

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anabelle.reber[@]unil.ch



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