A joint doctoral program to educate tomorrow’s insect pathologists: Solving disease problems in the upcoming insect rearing industry.

Project Information

INSECT DOCTORS

Grant agreement ID: 859850

DOI

10.3030/859850

Project closed

EC signature date 9 August 2019

Start date 1 November 2019

End date 31 October 2024

Funded under

• EXCELLENT SCIENCE - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions

Total cost

€ 4 201 844,76

EU contribution

€ 4 201 844,76

Coordinated by

WAGENINGEN UNIVERSITY
Netherlands

CORDIS provides links to public deliverables and publications of HORIZON projects.

Links to deliverables and publications from FP7 projects, as well as links to some specific result types such as dataset and software, are dynamically retrieved from OpenAIRE .

Deliverables

Documents, reports (5)

Report I on dissemination and communication activities

Report on dissemination and communication activities

Report III on dissemination and communication activities
Final report and plan for using knowledge and further dissemination to the various stakeholders
Recruitment started

Recruitment started vacancies published interview sessions planned

Report II on dissemination and communication activities

Websites, patent fillings, videos etc. (1)

Website online

Website online with public and consortiumonly sections

Other (3)

Workshop: Insects for Food and Feed and the practical problems encountered
INSECT DOCTORS courses I-V given

Courses I-V given as indicated in the proposal.

Satellite symposium to European Conference of Entomology 2022

Publications

Peer reviewed articles (31)

Transcriptional dynamics during Heliothis zea nudivirus 1 infection in an ovarian cell line from Helicoverpa zea

Author(s): Jirka Manuel Petersen, Astrid Bryon, Annie Bézier, Jean-Michel Drezen, Monique M. van Oers
Published in: Journal of General Virology, Issue 106, 2025, Page(s) 002066, ISSN 0022-1317
Publisher: Society for General Microbiology
DOI: 10.1099/jgv.0.002066

The immunostimulatory role of an Enterococcus-dominated gut microbiota in host protection against bacterial and fungal pathogens in Galleria mellonella larvae

Author(s): Upfold, Jennifer Kate; Agnès Rejasse; Christina Nielsen-Leroux; Jensen, Annette Bruun; Vincent Sanchis-Borja
Published in: Frontiers in Insect Science, Issue 3, 2023, Page(s) 1260333, ISSN 2673-8600
Publisher: Lausanne: Frontiers Media SA
DOI: 10.3389/finsc.2023.1260333

Whole-genome sequence of <i>Enterobacter hormaechei</i> , isolate <i>jjbc</i> recovered from the gut of <i>Plutella xylostella</i> feeding on cabbage

Author(s): Loretta Mugo-Kamiri, Lea Schäfer, Jörg T. Wennmann, Elisabeth A. Herniou, Ben Raymond
Published in: Microbiology Resource Announcements, Issue 13, 2024, ISSN 2576-098X
Publisher: American Society for Microbiology
DOI: 10.1128/mra.00330-24

Effect of CO2 Concentrations on Entomopathogen Fitness and Insect-Pathogen Interactions

Author(s): Pascal Herren; Alison M. Dunn; Nicolai V. Meyling; Carlotta Savio; Helen Hesketh
Published in: Microbial Ecology, Issue Volume 87, art. 34, 2024, ISSN 1432-184X
Publisher: Springer Link
DOI: 10.1007/s00248-024-02347-6

Environment–host–parasite interactions in mass-reared insects

Author(s): Herren P, Hesketh H., Meyling NV, Dunn AM
Published in: Trends in Parasitology, Issue 39(7), 2023, 2023, Page(s) 588-602, ISSN 1471-4922
Publisher: Elsevier BV
DOI: 10.1016/j.pt.2023.04.007

Preparing eugregarine parasites and their cricket host Acheta domesticus as a model for gregarine infection studies

Author(s): Edouard Bessette, Bryony A.P. Williams, Nicolai V. Meyling
Published in: MethodsX, Issue 13, 2024, Page(s) 102888, ISSN 2215-0161
Publisher: Elsevier
DOI: 10.1016/j.mex.2024.102888

Advancing pathogen surveillance by nanopore sequencing and genotype characterization of Acheta domesticus densovirus in mass-reared house crickets

Author(s): Fang Shiang Lim, Joel González-Cabrera, Jens Keilwagen, Regina G. Kleespies, Johannes A. Jehle & Jörg T. Wennmann
Published in: Scienitifc Reports, Issue Volume 14, 2024, Page(s) 8528, ISSN 2045-2322
Publisher: Nature Publishing Group
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-58768-3

Thermal ecology shapes disease outcomes of entomopathogenic fungi infecting warm-adapted insects

Author(s): Anna R. Slowik, Helen Hesketh, Steven M. Sait, Henrik H. De Fine Licht
Published in: Journal of Invertebrate Pathology, Issue 204, 2024, Page(s) 108106, ISSN 0022-2011
Publisher: Academic Press
DOI: 10.1016/j.jip.2024.108106

Covert RNA viruses in medflies differ in their mode of transmission and tissue tropism

Author(s): Hernández-Pelegrín L, Huditz H, García-Castillo P, de Ruijter NCA, van Oers MM, Herrero S, Ros VID.
Published in: J Virol, Issue 98, 2025, Page(s) e00108-24, ISSN 1098-5514
Publisher: American Societu of Microbiology
DOI: 10.1128/jvi.00108-24

Low sex drive and choosy females: fungal infections are a reproductive downfall for male house flies

Author(s): Sam Edwards, Eleanor Bath, Henrik H De Fine Licht
Published in: Behavioural Ecology, Issue Volume 35, 2024, Page(s) arae004, ISSN 1465-7279
Publisher: Oxford UnNiversity Press
DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arae004

Protists in the Insect Rearing Industry: Benign Passengers or Potential Risk?

Author(s): Edouard Bessette; Bryony Williams
Published in: Insects, Issue 13(5), 482, 2022, ISSN 2075-4450
Publisher: Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (MDPI)
DOI: 10.3390/insects13050482

Determining multiple stressor interactions in mass-reared insects based on principles of ecotoxicology

Author(s): E. Dearlove, C.A.M. Van Gestel, S. Loureiro, C. Svendsen, M. Lloyd, L. Mugo-Kamiri, J.M. Petersen, E. Bessette, S. Edwards, F.S. Lim, P. Herren, L. Hernández Pelegrı́n, R.D. Pienaar, H. Huditz, A. Mostafaie, J. Pinto, A. Roman, C. Savio, A.R. Slowik, J. Takacs, J.K. Upfold, H. Hesketh
Published in: Journal of Insects as Food and Feed, Issue May 2025, 2025, Page(s) 1-18, ISSN 2352-4588
Publisher: Walter de Gruyter GmbH
DOI: 10.1163/23524588-bja10203

High-throughput screening reveals high diversity and widespread distribution of viruses in black soldier flies (Hermetia illucens)

Author(s): Robert D. Pienaar, Salvador Herrero, Alexandra Cerqueira de Araujo, Franciszek Krupa, Adly M.M. Abd-Alla, Elisabeth A. Herniou
Published in: Journal of Invertebrate Pathology, Issue 211, 2025, Page(s) 108322, ISSN 0022-2011
Publisher: Academic Press
DOI: 10.1016/j.jip.2025.108322

Nudiviruses in free-living and parasitic arthropods: evolutionary taxonomy

Author(s): Jirka Manuel Petersen, Amy L. Burgess, Monique M. van Oers, Elisabeth A. Herniou, Jamie Bojko
Published in: Trends in Parasitology, Issue Available online June 16, 2024, 2024, ISSN 1471-4922
Publisher: Elsevier BV
DOI: 10.1016/j.pt.2024.06.009

The effect of diet composition on the diversity of active gut bacteria and on the growth of <i>Spodoptera exigua</i> (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)

Author(s): Loretta Mugo-Kamiri, Marina Querejeta, Ben Raymond, Elisabeth A Herniou
Published in: Journal of Insect Science, Issue 24, 2024, ISSN 1536-2442
Publisher: Library of the University of Arizona
DOI: 10.1093/jisesa/ieae031

Bugs in Bugs: The Role of Probiotics and Prebiotics in Maintenance of Health in Mass-Reared Insects

Author(s): Carlotta Savio, Loretta Mugo-Kamiri, Jennifer K. Upfold
Published in: Insects, Issue 2022, 13(4), 376, 2022, ISSN 2075-4450
Publisher: Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (MDPI)
DOI: 10.3390/insects13040376

Effects of Temperature and Density on House Cricket Survival and Growth and on the Prevalence of Acheta Domesticus Densovirus

Author(s): Takacs, Jozsef; Bryon, Astrid; Jensen, Annette B.; van Loon, Joop J.A.; Ros, Vera I.D.
Published in: Insects, Issue 14, 2023, Page(s) 588, ISSN 2075-4450
Publisher: Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (MDPI)
DOI: 10.3390/insects14070588

A Rapid Method for Measuring In Vitro Growth in Entomopathogenic Fungi

Author(s): Anna R. Slowik; Helen Hesketh; Steven M. Sait; Henrik H. de Fine Licht
Published in: Insects, Issue 14, 2023, Page(s) 703, ISSN 2075-4450
Publisher: Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (MDPI)
DOI: 10.3390/insects14080703

Harmful and beneficial symbionts of Tenebrio molitor and their implications for disease management

Author(s): Slowik, Anna Ruth Herren, Pascal Bessette, Edouard F.S. Lim L. Hernández-Pelegrín C. Savio
Published in: Journal of Insects as Food and Feed, Issue 2023, 2023, Page(s) online, ISSN 2352-4588
Publisher: Wageningen Academic Publishers
DOI: 10.3920/jiff2022.0171

The naked truth: An updated review on nudiviruses and their relationship to bracoviruses and baculoviruses

Author(s): Jirka M. Petersen, Annie Bézier, Jean-Michel Drezen, Monique M. van Oers
Published in: Invertebrate Pathology, Issue Volume 189, March 2022, 107718, 2022, ISSN 0022-2011
Publisher: Academic Press
DOI: 10.1016/j.jip.2022.107718

Characterization and Tissue Tropism of Newly Identified Iflavirus and Negeviruses in Glossina morsitans morsitans Tsetse Flies

Author(s): Meki, I.K.; Huditz, H.-I.; Strunov, A.; van der Vlugt, R.A.A.; Kariithi, H.M.; Rezapanah, M.; Miller, W.J.; Vlak, J.M.; van Oers, M.M.; Abd-Alla, A.M.M.
Published in: Viruses, Issue 13(12), 2021, Page(s) 2472, ISSN 1999-4915
Publisher: Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (MDPI)
DOI: 10.3390/v13122472

Identification of Albopleistophora grylli n. gen. n. sp. (Microsporidia) and its impact on crickets (Gryllus spp.) in food-and-feed culture systems

Author(s): Edouard Bessette, Jamie Bojko, Kelly S. Bateman, Stuart Ross, Nicolai V. Meyling, Bryony A.P. Williams
Published in: Journal of invertebrate Pathology, Issue 208, 2025, Page(s) 108229, ISSN 0022-2011
Publisher: Academic Press
DOI: 10.1016/j.jip.2024.108229

Bacillus thuringiensis sv morrisoni biovar tenebrionis impact and persistence in Tenebrio molitor larvae,

Author(s): Carlotta Savio, Pascal Herren, Agnès Rejasse, Joop J.A. van Loon, Christina Nielsen-Leroux
Published in: Journal of Insect as Food and Feed, 2024, ISSN 2352-4588
Publisher: Wageningen Academic
DOI: 10.1163/23524588-00001028.

Covert infection with an RNA virus affects medfly fitness and the interaction with its natural parasitoid Aganaspis daci

Author(s): Hernández-Pelegrín, Luis; García-Martínez, Ricardo; Llácer, Elena; Nieves, Lorena; Llopis-Giménez, Ángel; Catalá-Oltra, Marta; Dembilio, Óscar; Pérez-Hedo, Meritxell; Urbaneja, Alberto; Ros, Vera I.D.; Beitia, Francisco; Herrero, Salvador
Published in: Journal of Pest Science, Issue 97, 2023, Page(s) 269–280, ISSN 1612-4766
Publisher: Springer
DOI: 10.1007/s10340-023-01617-5

Heat stress has immediate and persistent effects on immunity and development of Tenebrio molitor

Author(s): P. Herren, H. Hesketh, A.M. Dunn, N.V. Meyling
Published in: Journal of Insects as Food and Feed, Issue 10, 2024, Page(s) 835-853, ISSN 2352-4588
Publisher: Wageningen Academic
DOI: 10.1163/23524588-20230095

Non-retroviral Endogenous Viral Elements in Tephritid Fruit Flies Reveal Former Viral Infections Not Related to Known Circulating Viruses

Author(s): Luis Hernández-Pelegrín, Vera I. D. Ros, Salvador Herrero & Cristina M. Crava
Published in: MIcrobial Ecology, Issue 87, 2023, Page(s) 7, ISSN 1432-184X
Publisher: Springer Link
DOI: 10.1007/s00248-023-02310-x

First Evidence of Past and Present Interactions between Viruses and the Black Soldier Fly, Hermetia illucens

Author(s): Robert D. Pienaar, Clément Gilbert, Carole Belliardo, Salvador Herrero and Elisabeth A. Herniou
Published in: Viruses, Issue 14(6), 2022, Page(s) 1274, ISSN 1999-4915
Publisher: Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (MDPI)
DOI: 10.3390/v14061274

Expanding the Medfly Virome: Viral Diversity, Prevalence, and sRNA Profiling in Mass-Reared and Field-Derived Medflies

Author(s): Luis Hernández-Pelegrín; Ángel Llopis-Giménez; Cristina Maria Crava; Félix Ortego; Pedro Hernández-Crespo; Vera I. D. Ros; Salvador Herrero
Published in: Viruses, Issue 14(3), 2022, Page(s) 623, ISSN 1999-4915
Publisher: Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (MDPI)
DOI: 10.3390/v14030623

Minor impact of probiotic bacteria and egg white on Tenebrio molitor growth, microbial composition, and pathogen infection

Author(s): Carlotta Savio, Pascal Herren, Agnès Rejasse, Alfredo Rios, William Bourelle, Annette Bruun-Jensen, Antoine Lecocq, Joop J. A. van Loon, Christina Nielsen-LeRoux
Published in: Frontiers in Insect Science, Issue 4, 2024, ISSN 2673-8600
Publisher: Frontiers Media SA
DOI: 10.3389/finsc.2024.1334526

Rearing zombie flies: Laboratory culturing of the behaviourally manipulating fungal pathogen Entomophthora muscae

Author(s): Sam Edwards Henrik H. De Fine Licht
Published in: Methods X, Issue Volume 12, 2023, Page(s) 102523,, ISSN 2215-0161
Publisher: Elsevier
DOI: 10.1016/j.mex.2023.102523

Rich diversity of RNA viruses in the biological control agent, Orius laevigatus

Author(s): Hernández-Pelegrín L, Rodríguez-Gómez A, Abelaira AB, Reche MC, Crava C, Lim FS, Bielza P, Herrero S.
Published in: Journal of Invertebrate Pathology, Issue 206, 2024, Page(s) 108175, ISSN 0022-2011
Publisher: Academic Press
DOI: 10.1016/j.jip.2024.108175

Thesis and dissertations (12)

https://researchprofiles.ku.dk/en/publications/investigation-of-microsporidia-and-protist-symbionts-in-reared-in

Author(s): Edouard Bessette
Published in: 2024
Publisher: University of Copenhagen and nNiversity of Exteter

Improving mass rearing of mosquito for pest management: impact of Asaia on host growth and vector competence

Author(s): Alessandro Roman
Published in: University of Exeter and Wageningen University PhD thesis, Issue June 2024., 2024
Publisher: Exeter University and Wageningen University

Impact of environmental stressors on host-parasite interactions in mass-reared Tenebrio molitor.

Author(s): Pascal Herren
Published in: Issue 26-2-2024, 2024
Publisher: University of Copenhagen and University of Leeds

An analysis of the interaction between the gut microbiota and host gut immunity in Galleria mellonella during infection by Bacillus thuringiensis and Metarhizium robertsii

Author(s): Jennifer Upfold
Published in: Issue 17-11-2023, 2023
Publisher: Micalis and University of Copenhagen

Discovery and pathology of novel viruses associated with the unexplored model, Hermetia illucens (black soldier fly)

Author(s): Robert Pienaar
Published in: 2024
Publisher: Univeristy de Tours and University of Valencia

Effects of feed and probiotic bacteria on Tenebrio molitor performance and entomopathogen susceptibility

Author(s): Carlotta Savio
Published in: Issue 20-11-2023, 2023, ISBN 978-94-6447-852-5
Publisher: Wageningen University and Université Paris-Saclay
DOI: 10.18174/637145

Contribution of gut microbiota to infection progression in Lepidoptera.

Author(s): Loretta Mugo-Kemiri
Published in: 2024
Publisher: UNiversity of Tours and University of Exeter

Viral and fungal pathogens in house cricket rearing: Effects of temperature, density and co-infection

Author(s): Jozsef Takacs
Published in: Issue 28-02-2024, 2024
Publisher: Wageningen Unversity & University of Copenhagen
DOI: 10.18174/646807

Evolutionary ecology of obligate fungal and microsporidian invertebrate pathogens

Author(s): Sam Edwards
Published in: Issue 15-1-2024, 2024
Publisher: University of Exeter and University of Copenhagen

Nudivirus nexus : Synthesis of diversity, evolution and pathology within the family Nudiviridae

Author(s): Jirka Manuel Petersen
Published in: 2025
Publisher: Wageningen University and Research
DOI: 10.18174/681223

Covert infections with RNA viruses in the Mediterranean fruit fly

Author(s): Luis Hernández Pelegrin
Published in: 2024
Publisher: University of Valencia and University of Wageningen

Ecological considerations of thermal and nutritional interactions in Metarhizium host range evolutionA multidimensional analysis of niche width in insect-pathogenic fungi

Author(s): Anna R. Slowik
Published in: 2023
Publisher: University of Leeds and UNiversity of Copenhagen

Non-peer reviewed articles (3)

Beyond viral detection: multitrophic effects of covert infection with an RNA virus in medfly

Author(s): Luis Hernández-Pelegrín, Ricardo García-Martínez, Elena Llácer, Lorena Nieves, Ángel Llopis-Giménez, Marta Catalá-Oltra, Óscar Dembilio, Meritxell Pérez-Hedo, Alberto Urbaneja, Vera I.D. Ros, Francisco Beitia, Salvador Herrero
Published in: BioRxiv, Issue November 25, 2022, 2022, Page(s) 11.25.517915, ISSN 2692-8205
Publisher: Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
DOI: 10.1101/2022.11.25.517915

Optimization of screening methods leads to the discovery of new viruses in black soldier flies (<i>Hermetia illucens</i>)

Author(s): Robert D. Pienaar, Salvador Herrero, Alexandra Cerqueira de Araujo, Frank Krupa, Adly M. M. Abd-Alla, Elisabeth A. Herniou
Published in: BioRxiv, Issue 609913, August 27, 2024, 2024, ISSN 2692-8205
Publisher: Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
DOI: 10.1101/2024.08.27.609913

Detection of insect health with deep learning on near-infrared sensor data

Author(s): Emily Bick, Sam Edwards, Henrik H. De Fine Licht
Published in: BioRxiv, Issue 2021, 2021, Page(s) 11.15.468635, ISSN 2692-8205
Publisher: Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
DOI: 10.1101/2021.11.15.468635

Other (2)

Identification of Albopleistophora Grylli N. Gen. N. Sp. (Microsporidia) and its Impact on Crickets (Gryllus Spp.) in Food-and-Feed Culture Systems

Author(s): Edouard Bessette, Jamie Bojko, Kelly Bateman, Stuart Ross, Nicolai V. Meyling, Bryony A. P. Williams
Published in: SRRN, Issue 2024, 2024, Page(s) 4935009
Publisher: Elsevier

Evolutionary ecology of an obligate and behaviorally manipulating insect- pathogenic fungus, Entomophthora muscae

Author(s): Henrik H. De Fine Licht, Sam Edwards, Carolyn Elya
Published in: Issue 2023, 2023
Publisher: Authorea, Inc.
DOI: 10.22541/au.167778641.14505987/v1

Book chapters (1)

Viral diseases of insects

Author(s): Vera I.D. Ros, Delphine Panziera, Remziye Nalcacioglu, Jirka Manuel Petersen, Eugene Ryabov, Monique M. van Oers
Published in: Invertebrate Pathology, Issue 2022, 2022, Page(s) 249-285
Publisher: Oxford University Press
DOI: 10.1093/oso/9780198853756.003.0010