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Graham
Thompson
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My research program uses natural history information, sociobiological theory, and molecular genetic tools and resources to better understand factors important to the origin and maintenance of social breeding systems, especially those of social insects.
I have tended to focus on termites and social bees as study organisms, both of which are of profound importance ecologically (as decomposers and pollinators) and economically (as pests and honey producers) - a direct consequence of their social biology and its characteristic division of labour.
Termites and bees are not related but have converged onto a similar way of life. Thus single species within each group, such as the Giant Northern Termite Mastotermes darwiniensis or the European Honeybee Apis mellifera, can act as independent models suitable for testing general hypotheses about why certain animals have evolved social breeding systems, and others have not.
Within this social biology theme, my research program can be broken down into four practical categories: population genetics, phylogenetics, immunogenetics and sociogenomics. Each of these headings reflects a distinct approach toward the study of social life, yet remain complementary to one another within an evolutionary genetic framework.
To learn more about my research please click one of the following links to our lab web page:
(1) Population
genetics of social species
(2) Phylogenetics
of social clades
(3) Immunogenetics
of model social taxa
(4) Sociogenomics
of the honey bee
To learn more about me and my career profile, please download my CV .
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