Meet the team
Alina Mikhailova, PhD student, since 2020
alina.mikhailova[at]bam.de
Genomic evolution of eusociality in termites
Liu, C., Hellemans, S., Kinjo, Y., Mikhailova, A.A., et al. Horizontal gene transfers are widespread across termite genomes but do not confer metabolic innovations. bioRxiv, 2025
Jones, A.R.C., Mikhailova A.A., Aumont, C., et al. Cryptocercus genomes expand knowledge of adaptations to xylophagy and termite sociality. bioRxiv, 2025
Liu, C., Aumont, C., Mikhailova, A.A., et al. Unravelling termite evolution with 47 high-resolution genome assemblies. bioRxiv, 2025
Mikhailova, A.A., Rinke, S., & Harrison, M. C. Genomic signatures of eusocial evolution in insects. Current Opinion in Insect Science, 2024
Mikhailova, A., Dohmen, E., & Harrison, M. C. Major changes in domain arrangements are associated with the evolution of termite castes. Journal of Evolutionary Biology, 2024.
Fouks, B.*, Harrison, M. C.*, Mikhailova, A.A., et al. & Tobe, S. S. Live-bearing cockroach genome reveals convergent evolutionary mechanisms linked to viviparity in insects and beyond - iScience, 2023
*equal contributions
Sarah Rinke, PhD student, since 2022
s.rinke[at]uni-muenster.de
Genomic evolution of sub- and eusociality in beetles
*Mikhailova, A., *Rinke, S., & Harrison, M. C. Genomic signatures of eusocial evolution in insects. Current Opinion in Insect Science, 2024
Rinke, S, Biedermann, P, Schebeck, M, Harrison MC. Genomic Insights into the Evolution of Parental Care in Weevils. bioRxiv
*equal contributions
Fatemeh Akhlaghi, PhD student, since 2025
akhlaghif[at]uni.coventry.ac.uk
Molecular signatures of healthy ageing in long-lived rodents
Former students
Elisabeth Bretsch, BSc thesis: "Investigating the molecular footprints of eusociality and longevity in termites and mole-rats." June 2024
Patricia Holland, BSc thesis: "Investigating the importance of alternative splicing in the extreme longevity of termite queens." June 2024
Alina Jänsch, BSc thesis: "Investigating the molecular footprints of eusociality with machine learning." August 2023
Lea Steinbach, BSc thesis: "How sociality shapes Blattodean genomes." December 2022
Judith Ryll, BSc thesis: "Influence of Sociality and Selection on Blattodean Genomes." August 2019
Jan Berghöfer, MSc thesis: "Annotation and Analysis of Ionotropic Receptors in Blattodea." June 2019
Lukas PM Kremer, MSc thesis: "Dynamics of Gene Families Implicated in the Evolution of Termite Eusociality." July 2017