We study animal-microbe interactions. We’re 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. Our work is supported by NSF and NIGMS/NIH.
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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]. Ben is an assistant professor in the Department of Biology.
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Keertana Tallapragada
PhD Candidate - Ecology, Evolution & Organismal Biology Track at UNC. Keertana’s research is focused on the role of host genetic variation in symbiosis.
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Paula Rozo-Lopez
Postdoc - Paula worked in Barbara Drolet’s lab at USDA / Kansas State for her PhD. She studies the hidden role of heritable insect viruses in aphid phenotypes and evolution, funded by an NSF Postdoc Research Fellowship.
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Meaghan Adler
PhD Student - Molecular, Cellular & Developmental Biology Track, UNC. DoD SMART Scholar. Meaghan is studying fungi in the order Entomophthorales from a genomic and molecular perspective to better understand how these fungal pathogens kill insects.
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Stephen Salisbury
Postdoc - starting summer 2025
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Oliver Cope
Graduate student (starting fall 2025) - EEOB at UNC.
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Stephanie Preising
Postdoc - starting fall 2025
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Joseph Torres
Lab technician - Joseph is working on aphid genome assembly and annotation.
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Vanesa Torres
Undergrad
Lab News
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Summer conferences
Keertana & Ben are headed to the Animal-Microbe Symbiosis Gordon Conference In June, and are excited to learn about the latest research in the field.
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Lab news spring 2025
We wrapped up our first semester at UNC Biology. Post-bac Joseph had a paper on the A. solani genome assembly published in G3, and former undergrad / CURE student Seth published a first author paper on the firefly virome in microPubs. Postdoc Paula posted a preprint about her work on heritable viruses across the aphid phylogeny, and more importantly, announced the birth of her daughter in February! Keertana & Ben setup the new lab at UNC and most of the aphid lines survived the move.
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We've Moved!
We’re excited to announce that the Parker Lab moved to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Department of Biology in January 2025.
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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!
Read about it here.
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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