Yarira Ortiz-Alvarado

My doctorate research focused on the effect of antibiotics in honey bee microbiota,  and how these effects  can shape an organism’s life history. The importance of microbiota is clear, specifically its role in the interaction between the fat body and the brain of an organism, and behavioral development. I’m interested in studying the role of microbiota in social organisms, which has been found to be correlated with the development of sociality in termites and leaf cutter ants. Social insects have an intricate and complex sociality structure with microbiota playing a key role in the development of this behavior. Microbes may play a significant  role in the organization and evolution of social insects and my research hopes to advance our understanding of sociality in insects.