We combine genomic, transcriptomic, and behavioural approaches to understand how complex insect societies evolve. Our work is organised around four themes:

• Evolution

  Sociality, major transitions to superorganismality, social parasitism and parasitoid-host relationships.

  Photo: Craig Kirkwood (CC BY-SA 2.0)

• Genomics and Bioinformatics

  Novel social insect genomes and comparative genomic, phylogenomic, transcriptomic and proteomic approaches.

• Coming soon

  Mechanisms and Development

  Gene expression, physiology and behaviour, and their role in caste determination, queen succession and social parasitism.

• Ecology and Human Interactions

  Ecology and ecosystem services of social and parasitoid wasps, agricultural applications, public perceptions and citizen science.