Research

Ecological Genetics and Pest Genetics.

Professor Ary Hoffman FAA

Rapid changes in the environment associated with human impacts are starting to have a major effect on the genetic constitution of populations.

Our lab is investigating the way that organisms can adapt to climate change and changes in response to pollutants. Along the way we are aiming to develop new approaches to monitoring environments. We investigate a variety of organisms in this endeavour including insects (chironomids, rainforest and widespread Drosophila), plants, and mammals.

We are also heavily involved in using genetic tools to understand and control pest organisms. These include species of earth mites important in the grains industry, phylloxera that attack grapevines, moth pests that attack field crops and scales that attack horticultural crops.

We run projects on developing new ways of controlling insect pests, based around microorganisms that live inside insects. These microorganisms can be used to introduce transgenes into populations of mosquitoes and other pests.

CESAR