Two Wageningen insect researchers receive NWO Vici grants

Vera Ros works at the Laboratory of Virology. She received her Vici for the research project Invisible influencers: How hidden virus infections shape insect life. “Insects appear to harbour an enormous diversity of viruses, most of which do not cause any visible disease,” Ros says. “With this research, we will map whether and how these ‘hidden’ virus infections affect insects’ immune defence, fitness and behaviour.”

Ros will also look at situations where several viruses are present at the same time, and what that means for how insects respond to new (pathogenic) infections, within and across generations. “This knowledge will help us better understand host-virus and virus-virus interactions,” Ros explains. “That is relevant for optimising large-scale insect rearing and for biological control programmes.”

Eveline Verhulst, from the Laboratory of Entomology, will examine which genes control female development in insects in her Vici project DOUBLE-IN-SEX: Redefining sexual development and its evolution in insects. “For many insects, we have a reasonable idea of which genes regulate male development, but for females that knowledge is often missing,” Verhulst says. In a growing number of insect species, the well-known gene Doublesex seems to be needed mainly for male development. Which genes, then, steer female development is often still unknown.

In young embryos of parasitoid wasps, she will therefore search for previously unknown genes involved in male and female development. She will then investigate what these genes do and where they are active in the body. “This will provide new insights into how sexual development is regulated in insects and how these mechanisms have evolved,” Verhulst says. The findings are also relevant for species used in biological control, where the male-to-female ratio matters.

In this round, NWO awarded a total of 39 Vici grants to researchers at Dutch knowledge institutions, including four to Wageningen researchers. The grant enables researchers to develop a research line over the next five years and further expand their research group. Vici is one of the Netherlands’ largest personal research grants and is aimed at experienced scientists. NWO also awards Veni and Vidi grants to earlier-career researchers, following Julius Caesar’s motto: veni, vidi, vici – “I came, I saw, I conquered”.

The other two Vici awards in Wageningen went to: 

• David Ludwig, for research into the role of science in times of complex crises such as climate change. 
• Sanne Boesveldt, for research into the influence of smell on health and eating behaviour.