Pepijn Luijckx

Address
Universität Basel,
Zoologisches Institut
Evolutionsbiologie
Vesalgasse 1
CH-4051 Basel
Switzerland

Office
O1.27

Phone
+41 (0)61 267 03 72

Fax
+41 (0)61 267 03 62

Email
pepijn.luijckx-at-unibas.ch

Fieldwork

Pepijn Luijckx

Graduate student in the group of Prof. Dieter Ebert. Works on the Red Queen theory in the Daphnia-Pasteuria co-evolutionary model system.

 

Research interests

I am interested in questions related to understanding how species handle the ecological and evolutionary challenges of continued interactions. I am particularly intrigued by cases of rapid evolutionary change exemplifying that ecological and evolutionary processes occur on the same time scales. These interests led me to do a Ph.D. on coevolution between Daphnia magna and its parasite Pasteuria ramosa. I am especially interested in the specificity of their interaction as specificity is a strong determinant for antagonistic coevolution by negative frequency dependent selection. As suggested by the Red Queen Hypothesis coevolution by negative frequency dependent selection may give an advantage for rare genotypes. This could lead to an advantage for recombination and explain the evolution of sexual reproduction. Besides strong specificity the Red Queen Hypothesis also requires a specific genetic architecture of host resistance. To elucidate the genetics of host resistance I am performing large sets of crosses. Besides, I am also interested in alternative explanations for the evolution of sex.

Occupations outside of science

Besides science I do enjoy hiking. Although when the weather is bad I prefer to play board and card games. I am also fond of fantasy books which are great to listen to while working in the laboratory.

 

Curriculum vitae

 
Born in 1978 in Dirksland, The Netherlands
2007-ongoing PhD thesis in evolutionary biology at the Zoological Institute, University of Basel
2004-2007 Topmaster Evolutionary Biology, University of Groningen, the Netherlands
  • M.Sc. 1: University of Groningen, Department of marine biology, the Netherlands.
  • M.Sc. 2: University of Groningen, COCON, the Netherlands.
  
2001-2004 Biology, main subjects marine biology and ecology. University of Groningen, the Netherlands, propaedeutic examination cum laude august 2002.    
1997-2002 Bachelor of Science in Aquatic Ecotechnology, Hogeschool Zeeland, the Netherlands.
  • B.Sc.1: Alterra Texel, the Netherlands.
  • B.Sc.2: Landcare Research, Lincon, New Zealand.
   

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Teaching experience

 
2011 Teaching assistant, practical of Animal biology (Entomology) with Prof. Dieter Ebert. University of Basel, Switzerland.
2010 Supervision of an undergraduate research intern (Loukas Theodosiou), Zoological Institute, University of Basel, Switzerland.    
2010 Supervision of an undergraduate research intern (Martina Lori), Project: Host range determination of P. ramosa C1 and C19. University of Basel, Switzerland.    
2010 Teaching assistant, practical of Animal biology (Entomology) with Prof. Dieter Ebert. University of Basel, Switzerland.
2009 Supervisor of scientific projects during a 1-month course (Blockkurs) focused on undergraduate research skills. University of Basel, Switzerland.    
2009 Teaching assistant, practical of Animal biology (Entomology) with Prof. Dieter Ebert. University of Basel, Switzerland.    
2007 Teaching assistant and development of course material (spring 2007), practical Maple 10 of “Biomathematica”with Prof. F. Weissing. University of Groningen, The Netherlands    
1999-2005 Nature guide, mudflat excursions for tourists and school classes Waddenverenging, the Netherlands    
 

Publications

Papers

2011

  • Duneau D., Luijckx P., Ben-Ami F., Laforsch C., Ebert D. (2011) Resolving the infection process reveals striking differences in the contribution of environment, genetics and phylogeny to host-parasite interactions BMC Biology
  • Luijckx P., Ben-Ami F., Mouton L., Du Pasquier L. and Ebert D. (2011) Cloning of the unculturable parasite Pasteuria ramosa and its Daphnia host reveals extreme genotype–genotype interactions. Ecology Letters 14:125–131. doi: 10.1111/j.1461-0248.2010.01561.x

2010

  • Coyer J. A., Hoarau G., Van Schaik J., Luijckx P. and Olsen J. L. (2010) mtDNA and microsatellite analyzes of the intertidal macroalgal Fucus distichus reveal multiple colonizations from the North Pacific to the North Atlantic and several glacial refugia. Journal of Biogeography
  

Talks & Posters

Talks

2010

  • Luijckx P., Fienberg H., Duneau D., and Ebert D. The genetics of Daphnia - parasite interactions: host resistance is based on epistasis between 2 closely linked resistance loci. (2010) Swiss-Russian Cladoceran Meeting, Fribourg, Switzerland.
  • Metzger C., Luijckx P. (2010) Experimental co-evolution by negative frequency-dependent selection under semi-natural conditions – Interaction Seminar, Zoological Institute, University of Basel, Switzerland. (in-house interaction seminar)
  • Luijckx P., Fienberg H., Duneau D., and Ebert D. Resistance of Daphnia magna to a bacterial pathogen is based on few loci with strong epistasis. (2010) Biology10, Neuchâtel, Switzerland.
  • Luijckx P., Fienberg H., Duneau D., and Ebert D. Resistance of Daphnia magna to a bacterial pathogen is based on few loci with strong epistasis. (2010), The Daphnia Genomics Consortium Meeting 2010, Leuven, Belgium.
  • Luijckx P., Fienberg H., Duneau D., and Ebert D. Resistance of Daphnia magna to a bacterial pathogen is based on few linked loci with strong epistasis. (2010), Zurich interaction seminar, Zurich, Switzerland.

2009

  • Luijckx P., Fienberg H., Ben-Ami F., Du Pasquier L., Mouton L. and Ebert D. Simple genetics underlie highly specific host × parasite genotypic interactions in the Daphnia Pasteuria system. (2009) Annual Basel-Zurich meeting, Basel, Switzerland.
  • Luijckx P., Fienberg H., Ben-Ami F., Du Pasquier L., Mouton L. and Ebert D. Simple genetics underlie highly specific host × parasite genotypic interactions in the Daphnia Pasteuria system. (2009) 15th EMPSEB, Schoorl, The Netherlands.
 

Posters

2010

  • Duneau D, Luijckx P, Ebert E Sex-specific adaptation of the parasite Pasteuria ramosa to its host Daphnia magna. (2010) Biology10, Neuchatel, Switzerland

2009

  • Luijckx, P., Fienberg H., Ben-Ami F., Du Pasquier L., Mouton L. and Ebert D. Simple genetics underlie highly specific host × parasite genotypic interactions in the Daphnia Pasteuria system. (2009) 12th ESEB, Turin, Italy
  • Duneau D., Luijckx P. and Ebert D. Sex-specific adaptation of the parasite Pasteuria ramosa to its host Daphnia magna. (2009) 12th ESEB, Turin, Italy