De Bekker Lab

Parasitic behavioral manipulation

  • About
  • People
  • Research
  • Research positions
    • Undergraduate Positions
    • Graduate Positions
  • Publications
  • Outreach
    • Education Activities
    • Media Coverage
  • Genomes
  • Contact
  • Screenshot of a scientific article titled "Mechanisms behind the Madness: How Do Zombie-Making Fungal Entomopathogens Affect Host Behavior To Increase Transmission?" published on October 5, 2021.

    New mBio publication

  • De Bekker Lab 2021 group photo

    Lab members

  • Close-up image of an ant's head showing its compound eyes and mandibles against a blurred blue background.

    Ophiocordyceps

  • A spider hangs upside down from a thin twig against a blurred green background.

    Infected ant

  • Two people in a forested area, one examines plants closely, the other writes in a notebook.

    Field work

  • A dried ant hangs from a plant's stem, with a pink tagged label attached to it.

    Ant in field

Latest publications

  • Cover of G3: Genes, Genomes, Genetics, July 2020, features an ant with a parasitic fungus growing from its body.

    Genetic Underpinnings of Host Manipulation by Ophiocordyceps as Revealed by Comparative Transcriptomics

    July 8, 2020 0
  • A dead ant is attached to a thin branch with fungal growths protruding from its body. The background is green and blurred.

    Ophiocordyceps-ant interactions as an integrative model to understand the molecular basis of parasitic behavioral manipulation.

    June 1, 2019 0
  • Illustration depicting experiments in a forest setting with three close-up images (a, b, c) of bees on plants. Images show different perspectives of the bees interacting with the foliage.

    Do zombie ant fungi turn their hosts into light seekers?

    January 8, 2019 0

Recent outreach

  • Flyer for the 7th Annual Science Play Festival on Saturday, June 27 with sessions from Charissa de Bekkar, Sandra Wheeler, Neil Duncan, and Peter Sinelli, featuring topics on genomics and archaeology.

    Mad Cow Theatre: Ask a Science Expert

    June 27, 2020 0
  • UCF STEM Virtual Chat Series

    STEM Virtual Chat Series

    June 1, 2020 0
  • Close-up of an ant's head and upper body as seen under a microscope, with small fungi growing on its surfaces.

    Orlando Science Center Spooky Science Month

    October 1, 2019 0
  • A woman stands beside a projected screen with a slide titled "6 mating strategies animals use to lock it down" at a dimly lit event. People seated at tables are watching her presentation.

    Nerd Nite Orlando

    October 1, 2019 0

Available Positions

Other news

  • Presentation slide titled "Getting Lost: The Fungal Hijacking of Ant Foraging Behavior in Space and Time" by Thienthanh Trinh with Dr. Charissa de Bekker, Advisor. Includes UCF logo and an image of a woman.

    Thienthanh passes her M.S. defense

    July 8, 2020 0
  • A woman in a lab holding a container, seen in an article titled "Five Year Grant Will Deepen Research Into 'Zombie Ants'". .

    NSF CAREER Award

    January 14, 2020 0
  • A group of people standing in front of a projector screen, holding certificates and posing for a photo at a student travel awards event.

    Mycological Society of America Conference

    August 15, 2019 0
  • A person is presenting a slide titled "Hybrid genome assembly and discovery of candidate manipulation genes in Ophiocordyceps zombie ant fungus" to an audience in a lecture hall.

    Southeastern Society of Parasitologists Meeting

    May 29, 2019 0
  • A man stands smiling with a thumbs-up in front of a scientific research poster about changes in ant chronotypes with aging. The poster displays text, charts, and graphs.

    Graduate Research Forum at UCF

    April 8, 2019 0

Copyright © 2025 | WordPress Theme by MH Themes

We use cookies to enhance your browsing experience and analyze our traffic. By clicking "Accept", you consent to our use of cookies. UCF Privacy Policy.Accept