We use cookies on our website. Some are necessary for the operation of the website. You can also allow cookies for statistical purposes. You can adjust the data protection settings or agree to all cookies directly.
Data Protection Declaration
Imprint
InsectDoctors: Educating tomorrow’s insect pathologists (InsectDoctors)
Project
Project code: JKI-BI-08-1268
Contract period: 01.08.2020
- 31.07.2023
Purpose of research: Applied research
Mass rearing of insects is a rapidly expanding industry due to improved mechanization and creasing interest in the use of insects for a variety of purposes, such as sterile insect techniques, food and feed, waste management and biocontrol of insect pest species. However, expertise is urgently needed to address emerging problems with infectious disease outbreaks in mass reared insects. Therefore, we propose the InsectDoctors joint doctoral program to build a durable European framework to educate experts in insect pathology in order to overcome the shortage in properly educated experts in Europe, and beyond. The research of InsectDoctors will expand our understanding of emerging pathogens and will provide necessary tools for disease management in industrial insect rearing. The complementary expertise of the participating institutes and companies leads to an ambitious and exiting program, providing interdisciplinary training and research in pertinent areas of insect pathology (bacteriology, mycology, virology) and entomology (immunology, physiology). In an overarching raining program, novel advanced courses will provide students with technical, scientific and transferable skills. This interdisciplinary approach, crucial to provide insight in the complexity of insect-microbe interactions in a range of farmed insects, can only be achieved by joining forces between European universities. Furthermore, this joint doctoral program aims to build durable partnerships for doctoral training in insect pathology, thereby overcoming national and interdisciplinary boundaries in doctoral research. By requiring equal excellence from all participants in this training program we will contribute to high level PhD education across Europe. In short: InsectDoctors will provide the curable framework, the people, the scientific knowledge and the tools to assist the upcoming insect industry to diagnose and mitigate infectious diseases in their mas reared insects cultures.
Section overview
Subjects
- Communication Sciences
- Process engineering
- Toxicology
