Christophe Lucas

Academic

Full CV (PDF in French)

Oct. 2010- CNRS Research Scientist (section 29)
University of Tours, France

2010 FNS Senio researcher
University of Lausanne, Suisse
Behavioral genetics in the ant Solenopsis invicta

2007-09 First assistant
University of Lausanne, Suisse (Supervisor: Laurent Keller)
Social structure and genetic expression in the ant Solenopsis invicta

2003-06 Post-doctoral researcher
University of Toronto, Canada (Supervisor: Marla B. Sokolowski)
Molecular mecanisms of the plasticity of social behaviors in the ant Pheidole pallidula

1998-2002 Doctorat ès sciences
University of Paris-Sud (Directors: Jean-Marc Jallon & Dominique Fresneau)
Chemical and behavioral bases of the recognition system in the ponerine ants (Pachycondyla)

Research keywords

Research fields: Chemical ecology, behavioral ecology, behavioral genetics, adaptation

Keywords: Chemical communication, genetic expression, behavior, polyethism, polyphenism, foraging gene, social conflict, reproduction, insect societies, invasive species.

Biological models: Social insects (termite, ant, wasp), earwig, drosophila, nasonia.

Research projects

My main research projects are to understand complex behaviors of insects and particularly of social insects. How environmental factors are pursued, analyzed and which behavioral responses are influenced? But also, how intra- and interspecific interactions could modify behaviors by changing gene expression? By using tools from chemical ecology and behavioral genetics, my own researches focus on social interactions and their adaptive impacts. So, my studies are based on insect behaviors (recognition, aggressiveness, foraging, parental care, sexual courtship) through the study of chemical communications and gene expression.

Behaviors and genes expression are under several abiotic and biotic environmental factors which also include social environment. Chemical communication plays an important role in inter-individual interaction in insects and codifies part of the environmental and social information. To unravel communication mechanisms of insects and their evolutions, it is of primary importance to decrypt such chemical information. In more details, I explore questions on behavioral plasticity of insects and in particular in social insects: What are the chemical signals and the genes involved? How environmental factors play a role? What are the consequences of the different reproductives/castes on social organization in insect societies? How such systems are maintained and evolved?

In social insects, the caste system allow the main factor influencing behavioral plasticity is the caste system which is linked to social organization and raised several questions

Species studied

To answers such questions, I study several insect models like termites, ants, earwigs, wasps (solitary and social) and drosophila. They all presents specificity and possess different advantages for my researches. Social insects like termites and ants are organized in complex societies with several social interactions. Nevertheless, eusociality (true sociality) appeared independently in Isopteran (termites) and Hymenopteran (ants, bees and wasps) which gives to termites unique specificities. Concerning drosophila, it is the most studied insect model and its genome is known since a long time, which allow to dissect in details the genetic pathways of its communication system.

Main methods

- Chemical analyze and identification: gas chromatography (GC), mass spectrometry (GC-MS/GC-TQ), thin layer chromatography (TLC), liquid chromatography (HPLC), chemical extraction (SPME, SBSE, SHS, DHS, DMDS)
- Genetic expression: quantitative RT-PCR, in situ, RNA interference
- Experimental behavior: video-tracking, cross-linked reproduction, cross-fostering

Liens

Union Internationale pour l'Etude des Insectes Sociaux - Section Française
GDR d'écologie chimique
Canadian TV news on "foraging behaviour of Pheidole pallidula"