Research group of Insect Physiology and Molecular Ethology

Main research topics

• Feeding and starvation effects on the overall endocrinological regulation with major
  emphasis towards reproduction in grasshoppers
• cGMP differential gene expression and foraging behaviour in social insects and locusts
• Circadian clock effects on fertility and fecundity in the locust Schistocerca
• Study of metalloprotease enzymes in evolutionary context
• Functional elaboration of innate immunity and its use for optimizing the biocontrol of
  locusts
• Alllatotropin receptor signalling and energy metabolism, sleep and feeding regulation
• Allatotropin regulation of feeding and reproductive succes.
• Search for peptides involved in the regulation of behaviour.

Major research technologies

• All molecular tools from basics to Q-PCR over RNAi and transgenic Drosophila
• Prokaryotic and Eukaryotic gene expression systems
• Receptor reporter assays for ligand identification
• Insect cell culture
• Modelling of receptor ligand interaction and search for receptor antagonists 

Courses

http://bio.kuleuven.be/fysio/onderwijs.htm

Contact information

Research group of Insect Physiology and Molecular Ethology
Naamsestraat 59
B-3000 Leuven
Belgium
Tel. +32 16 32 42 60 (0476-487466)
Fax +32 16 32 39 02
E-mail: Roger.Huybrechts@bio.kuleuven.be