ERC Consolidator Grant · 2023
Leveraging the zombie-making strategies of Ophiocordyceps fungi to understand animal behaviour
Reminiscent of zombies in pop culture, some parasites hijack host behaviours. Our understanding of this parasite strategy to improve transmission is minimal, despite its convergent evolution across major taxa. Functional genetics studies would advance our knowledge of the molecular underpinnings of “zombie behaviour”. Additionally, learning how behaviour can be altered would elucidate how “normal” phenotypes are maintained. However, most zombie-making parasites and their hosts are not classic model organisms, which complicates mechanistic interrogation. The so-called “zombie ants’ can be used to study parasite hijacking of animal behaviour in more detail. Zombie ants are infected by…
From the public funding record at EU CORDIS. Describes the funded project, not the reviews below.