Dr Sassan Asgari

• Insect molecular virology
• Venom proteins and insect immunity
• Role of microRNAs in host-pathogen interactions

Dr Mark Blows

• The genetic basis of male display traits and sexual selection in native rainforest Drosophila
• The genetic basis of behaviour in native Drosophila species

Dr David Booth

• Investigations of the influence of temperature on the energetics of development of insects
• Thermal biology of insects

Dr Lyn Cook

• Species richness and diversity of gall-inducing scale insects.
• Modelling distribution and host-use in eucalypt leaf beetles.
• Understanding host-use in galling insects
• Coevolution of endosymbionts and scale insects

Dr Bronwen Cribb

• Investigating insect sensory systems and how they affect movement in plant systems.
• The role of metals in insect mandibles: do they make a difference to feeding strategies?
• The role of nano-arrays found on insect exoskeletons (self-cleaning devices or camouflage aids?)
• Investigation of microstructure on mosquitoes and its role in droplet interactions (a project with application to control of mosquitoes)

Dr Mike Furlong

• Biological control of insect pests (predator-prey interactions, microbial agents for the biological control of insects, interactions between insect natural enemies)
• Plant-insect tri-trophic interactions (herbivore induced plant defences, chemical ecology of plant-parasitoid interactions)
• Parasitoid behavioural and nutritional ecology (food provision for adult parasitoids to enhance insect pest control, parasitoid foraging behaviour, host selection by egg parasitoids)
• Feeding preferences of foliar and ground dwelling spiders

Dr Karyn Johnson

• Ecology of RNA virus infection in Drosophila
• Wolbachia induced antiviral protection of insects
• Induction of host immune responses by Drosophila C virus

Dr Beth McGraw

• What does investing in immunity cost insects?
• The role of iron in host:pathogen interactions
• Genome evolution of symbionts
• *Iron resources and disease in an insect model for Tuberculosis
• *Interspecies adaptations to desiccation resistance
• *Relationship between immunity and life history traits

Dr David Merritt

• The regulation of light output by glow-worms
• Nervous system development in Drosophila
• Analysis of foraging behaviour in flies
• The development of dermal glands in wild type and mutant Drosophila
• The effect of nutritional state on attention in the fruitfly, Drosophila

Prof Scott O'Neill

• Development of a new approach to control lymphatic filariasis in the South Pacific through manipulation of mosquito longevity
• Comparative genomics of Wolbachia endosymbionts of insects: understanding the molecular basis of symbiosis

A/Prof Gimme Walter

• Generalist herbivores and their interactions with host plants
• How do volatile chemicals and vision influence host plant relationships of herbivores?
• Investigating host relationships for biological control (herbivores or parasitoids)
• Cryptic species complexes and sexual communication in insects
• Pollination mechanisms, with a possible project on cucurbit pollination by native insects in the Northern Territory

Dr Craig White

• Respiratory gas exchange of insects
• Development of the insect tracheal system in altered atmospheres

Prof Myron Zalucki

• Pollen feeding in adult Lepidoptera: getting a nitrogen fix
• Food utilization efficiency in neonates of a polyphagous caterpillar
• Optimal foraging in Lepidopteran larvae - or sabotaging the right meal size
• Egg size and survival of first instar caterpillars on host plants
• Population dynamics and resource use - is there empty suitable habitat for folivorous insects?
• Caterpillar foraging when predators are around: modelling movement in a treacherous landscape
• *Metapopulation dynamics and the matrix revisited

* Research projects for PhD/MPhil students only