We study animal-microbe interactions. We’re particularly interested in how these associations evolve and the underlying molecular and immunological mechanisms. We blend molecular, genomic, microbiological, and experimental techniques, and we focus on insect model systems and their associated bacteria, viruses, and fungi. We’re located in Fordham Hall in the Department of Biology at UNC Chapel Hill.
With funding from a new NIH NIGMS R35 award, we’re recruiting at all levels including a lab manager, postdoctoral researchers, and graduate students. Please contact us for more information!
Research
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Host-symbiont coevolution
How does the immune system evolve to regulate beneficial microbes while combatting pathogens?
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Heritable viruses and lateral gene transfer
How do vertically-transmitted viruses shape insect ecology and evolution?
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Pathogen evolution
How do fungal pathogens kill insects, and how do hosts and their microbiomes resist infection?
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Molecular approaches to pest biocontrol
How can this knowledge be harnessed for the control of pest insects?
Recent publications
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Kolp, de Anda Acosta, Brewer, Goldstein, Nichols, & Parker (2024) Pathogen-microbiome interactions and the virulence of an entomopathogenic fungus. Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 90(6).
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Rozo-Lopez, Brewer, Käfer, Martin, & Parker, (2023) Untangling an insect’s virome from its endogenous viral elements. BMC Genomics, 24(636).
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Goldstein, de Anda Acosta, Henry, & Parker (2023) Variation in density, immune gene suppression, and co-infection outcomes among strains of the aphid endosymbiont Regiella insecticola. Evolution, 77(7): 1704-1711.
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Rozo-Lopez & Parker (2023) Why do viruses make aphids winged? Insect Molecular Biology. 32: 575-582.
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Nichols, Goldstein, Saleh Ziabari, & Parker (2021) Intraspecific variation in immune gene expression and heritable symbiont density. PLOS Pathogens. 17(4): e1009552.
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Parker, B.J. Mechanisms and evolution of heritable microbial density in insect hosts. (2021) mSystems. 6(4): e00728-21.
People
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Ben Parker
Assistant Professor [CV]
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Keertana Tallapragada
PhD Candidate, Genome Science and Technology, UTK
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Meaghan Adler
PhD Student
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Paula Rozo-Lopez
NSF Postdoctoral Fellow
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Joseph Torres
Lab technician
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Seth Brewer
Undergrad
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Vanesa Torres
Undergrad
Lab News
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We're Moving!!
We’re excited to announce that the Parker Lab will be moving to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Department of Biology in January 2025. With ongoing support from NSF and a new R35 MIRA award from NIH/NIGMS, we’ll be recruiting at all levels including a lab manager, postdoctoral researchers, and graduate students. Please contact us for more information!
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Lab news spring 2024
Another semester in the books. Meaghan was awarded a DoD SMART fellowship and got to work on her project unraveling the molecular and genetic mechanisms of pathogenic fungal infections. The lab published a new paper in AEM with current and former lab members Matt Kolp, Holly Nichols, Elliott Goldstein, Yazmin de Anda Acosta, Will Brewer, and Keertana Tallapragada as authors. Undergrad McKayla won a EUREcA award for her poster presentation on the viral communities associated with pea aphids, along with MICR493 CURE students Seth Brewer (who will be continuing on in the lab this summer) and Vada Kelley. Ben won the UTK Microbiology outstanding faculty research award. Meaghan, Keertana, and Paula attended ASM Microbe in Atlanta and presented their work.
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It's a MIRA-cle
We’re grateful to have received the NOA on a new grant from NIH/NIGMS through the R35 MIRA program. The award provides generous support for the next 5 years on our research into the evolutionary genetics of host-symbiont coevolution.
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Meaghan awarded a DoD smart fellowship!
Meaghan Adler (Ph.D. student, Microbiology) was awarded a Science, Mathematics, and Research for Transformation (SMART) fellowship from the Department of Defense!
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MICR493 students present at EuRECA
Students that participated in the lab’s insect virus discovery course presented their findings at UTK’s Exhibition of Undergraduate Research and Creative Achievement poster session
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Congrats Georgina!
Congrats to grad student Georgina Aitolo, who successfully defended her thesis! She’s off to UT Austin to start a PhD in integrative bio.
Join us in Chapel Hill!
We’re recruiting at all levels including a lab manager, postdoctoral researchers, and graduate students—starting in January 2025. Please contact us for more information!