Van Der Kooi Casper

Biography

van der Kooi Casper is working as Faculty of Biology and Medicine in Department of Ecology and Evolution at University of Lausanne.

Research Interest

My research centers on the reproductive biology of animals and plants. I use various insect species, such as parasitoid wasps and thrips, to understand what factors favor transitions between different reproductive modes. With Prof. Tanja Schwander and Prof. Christoph Vorburger (ETH, Zurich) I study the genetics underlying the transition from sexual to parthenogenetic reproduction, using breeding experiments and next-generation sequencing techniques (in particular RADseq). I furthermore study sexual trait decay in parthenogenetic lineages, the genetic architecture underlying trait decay and genetic diversity in asexual populations. Another line of my research is on pollination biology of flowers. I study how pigments and structures contribute to the visual display of flowers, how pollinators perceive this, and the consequences for pollinator visitation.