Prof Yannick Wurm
Professor of Evolutionary Genomics and Bioinformatics
School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences
Queen Mary University of London
Queen Mary University of London
Research
genome evolution, bioinformatics, ants, pollinators, pollinator health, social insects
Interests
We develop and apply novel technologies to address major questions on:- how we can better measure health and well-being of pollinators including bees, butterflies and beetles. Our ultimate aim is to better support our biodiversity & ecosystems. As part of this we apply AI/ML image and video analysis, and RNA-seq transcriptomics.
- the genetics, evolution and behaviour of ant societies. We've discovered supergenes that determine queen number and applied population-genomic approaches to understand the tradeoffs of these remarkable genetic architectures.
As part of this, we also develop generic tools. See also:
Publications
Publications of specific relevance to the Centre for Evolutionary and Functional Genomics2025
Acute and chronic pesticide exposure trigger fundamentally different molecular responses in bumble bee brainsWitwicka A López-Osorio F Arce A Gill RJ Wurm Y
Bmc Biology, Springer Nature vol. 23 (1)
11-03-2025
A neonicotinoid pesticide causes tissue-specific gene expression changes in bumble beesWitwicka A López-Osorio F Chaudhry-Phipps H Wurm Y
The Science of The Total Environment, Elsevier vol. 959, 178262-178262.
01-01-2025
2023
Transcriptomic responses to location learning by honeybee dancers are partly mirrored in the brains of dance-followers.Manfredini F Wurm Y Sumner S Leadbeater E
Proc Biol Sci vol. 290 (2013), 20232274-20232274.
20-12-2023
How genomics can help biodiversity conservation.Theissinger K Fernandes C Formenti G Bista I Berg PR Bleidorn C Bombarely A Crottini A et al.
Trends Genet vol. 39 (7), 545-559.
01-07-2023
Expression of subunits of an insecticide target receptor varies across tissues, life stages, castes, and species of social beesWitwicka A López‐Osorio F Patterson V Wurm Y
Molecular Ecology, Wiley vol. 32 (5), 1034-1044.
17-01-2023
2022
Convergent evolution of a labile nutritional symbiosis in antsJackson R Monnin D Patapiou PA Golding G Helanterä H Oettler J Heinze J Wurm Y et al.
The Isme Journal: Multidisciplinary Journal of Microbial Ecology, Oxford University Press (OUP) vol. 16 (9), 2114-2122.
14-06-2022
Individual-based Modeling of Genome Evolution in Haplodiploid OrganismsPracana R Burns R Hammond RL Haller BC Wurm Y
Genome Biology and Evolution, Oxford University Press vol. 14 (5)
02-05-2022
Recurring adaptive introgression of a supergene variant that determines social organizationStolle E Pracana R López-Osorio F Priebe MK Hernández GL Castillo-Carrillo C Arias MC Paris CI et al.
Nature Communications, Nature Research vol. 13 (1)
11-03-2022
The era of reference genomes in conservation genomics.Formenti G Theissinger K Fernandes C Bista I Bombarely A Bleidorn C Ciofi C Crottini A et al.
Trends Ecol Evol vol. 37 (3), 197-202.
01-03-2022
Genomic Signatures of Recent Adaptation in a Wild BumblebeeColgan TJ Arce AN Gill RJ Ramos Rodrigues A Kanteh A Duncan EJ Li L Chittka L et al.
Molecular Biology and Evolution, Oxford University Press vol. 39 (2)
01-02-2022
2021
Larger, more connected societies of ants have a higher prevalence of virusesBrahma A Leon RG Hernandez GL Wurm Y
Molecular Ecology, Wiley vol. 31 (3), 859-865.
20-11-2021
Functional genomics of supergene-controlled behavior in the white-throated sparrow.Holland PWH Jiggins CD Liedvogel M Warren G Wurm Y
Faculty Reviews, Faculty Opinions Ltd vol. 10, 75-75.
29-09-2021
Social isolation and group size are associated with divergent gene expression in the brain of ant queensManfredini F Martinez-Ruiz C Wurm Y Shoemaker DW Brown MJF
Genes, Brain and Behavior, Wiley Open Access vol. 21 (3)
20-06-2021
2020
Evolution: The Legacy of Endosymbiosis in AntsJackson R Henry LM Wurm Y
Current Biology, Elsevier (Cell Press) vol. 30 (22), R1385-R1387.
16-11-2020
Only a Single Taxonomically Restricted Gene Family in the Drosophila melanogaster Subgroup Can Be Identified with High ConfidenceZile K Dessimoz C Wurm Y Masel J
Genome Biology and Evolution, Oxford University Press (OUP) vol. 12 (8), 1355-1366.
26-06-2020
Healthy Pollinators: Evaluating Pesticides with Molecular Medicine ApproachesLópez-Osorio F Wurm Y
Trends in Ecology and Evolution vol. 35 (5), 380-383.
04-03-2020
2019
The first draft genomes of the ant Formica exsecta, and its Wolbachia endosymbiont reveal extensive gene transfer from endosymbiont to hostDhaygude K Nair A Johansson H Wurm Y Sundström L
Bmc Genomics, Biomed Central vol. 20 (1)
16-04-2019
Caste- and pesticide-specific effects of neonicotinoid pesticide exposure on gene expression in bumblebeesWURM Y CHITTKA L
Molecular Ecology, Wiley
06-03-2019
Choosing the best gene predictions with GeneValidatorMoghul I Priyam A Wurm Y
Gene Prediction, Springer Science+Business Media, Llc, Part of Springer Nature vol. 1962, 257-267.
01-01-2019
2018
Degenerative Expansion of a Young SupergeneStolle E Pracana R Howard P Paris CI Brown SJ Castillo-Carrillo C Rossiter SJ Wurm Y
Molecular Biology and Evolution, Oxford University Press (OUP) vol. 36 (3), 553-561.
21-12-2018
Foraging bumblebees acquire a preference for neonicotinoid-treated food with prolonged exposureArce AN Rodrigues AR Yu J Colgan TJ Wurm Y Gill RJ
Proceedings of The Royal Society B, The Royal Society vol. 285 (1885)
29-08-2018
2017
Genes and genomic processes underpinning the social lives of antsFAVREAU E Martínez Ruiz C RODRIGUES SANTIAGO L Hammond RL WURM Y
Current Opinion in Insect Science, Elsevier vol. 25
20-12-2017
The Global Ant Genomics Alliance (GAGA)Boomsma JJ Brady SG Dunn RR Gadau J Heinze J Keller L Moreau CS Sanders NJ et al.
Myrmecological News vol. 25, 61-66.
01-10-2017
Fire ant social chromosomes: Differences in number, sequence and expression of odorant binding proteinsPracana R Levantis I Martínez-Ruiz C Stolle E Priyam A Wurm Y
Evolution Letters vol. 1 (4), 199-210.
23-08-2017
The fire ant social chromosome supergene variant Sb shows low diversity but high divergence from SBPracana R Priyam A Levantis I Nichols RA Wurm Y
Molecular Ecology, Wiley vol. 26 (11), 2864-2879.
01-04-2017
2016
Impact of controlled neonicotinoid exposure on bumblebees in a realistic field settingArce AN David TI Randall EL Ramos Rodrigues A Colgan TJ Wurm Y Gill RJ
Journal of Applied Ecology
12-10-2016
Transcriptomic identification of starfish neuropeptide precursors yields new insights into neuropeptide evolutionSemmens DC Mirabeau O Moghul I Pancholi MR Wurm Y Elphick MR
Open Biology, The Royal Society vol. 6 (2)
01-02-2016
GeneValidator: identify problems with protein-coding gene predictionsDrăgan M-A Moghul I Priyam A Bustos C Wurm Y
Bioinformatics vol. 32 (10), 1559-1561.
18-01-2016
2015
Arthropod genomics beyond fruit flies: bridging the gap between proximate and ultimate causationWurm Y
Briefings in Functional Genomics, Oxford University Press (OUP) vol. 14 (6), 381-383.
01-11-2015
Desktop as a Service supporting Environmental ‘omicsWallom DCH Bowery A Collier B Field D Kershaw P Booth T Priyam A Wurm Y
2015 IEEE 11th International Conference on e-Science., 214-214.
01-08-2015
Ant genomics (Hymenoptera: Formicidae): challenges to overcome and opportunities to seizeWURM Y Nygaard S
Myrmecological News, ÖSterreichische Gesellschaft FüR Entomofaunistik (The Austrian Society of Entomofaunistics) vol. 21, 59-72.
01-01-2015
2014
Effects of ploidy and sex-locus genotype on gene expression patterns in the fire ant Solenopsis invicta.Nipitwattanaphon M Wang J Ross KG Riba-Grognuz O Wurm Y Khurewathanakul C Keller L
Proc Biol Sci vol. 281 (1797)
22-12-2014
Transposable element islands facilitate adaptation to novel environments in an invasive speciesSchrader L Kim JW Ence D Zimin A Klein A Wyschetzki K Weichselgartner T Kemena C et al.
Nature Communications, Springer Nature vol. 5 (1)
16-12-2014
Social chromosome variants differentially affect queen determination and the survival of workers in the fire ant Solenopsis invicta.Buechel SD Wurm Y Keller L
Mol Ecol vol. 23 (20), 5117-5127.
01-10-2014
Convergent genetic architecture underlies social organization in antsPurcell J Brelsford A Wurm Y Perrin N Chapuisat M
Current Biology, Cell Press vol. 24 (22), 2728-2732.
01-01-2014
2013
Discovery and molecular characterization of an ambisense densovirus from South American populations of Solenopsis invictaValles SM Shoemaker DW Wurm Y Strong CA Varone L Becnel JJ Shirk PD
Biological Control vol. 67 (3), 431-439.
01-12-2013
Social insect genomes exhibit dramatic evolution in gene composition and regulation while preserving regulatory features linked to socialitySimola DF Wissler L Donahue G Waterhouse RM Helmkampf M Roux J Nygaard S Glastad KM et al.
Genome Research vol. 23 (8), 1235-1247.
01-08-2013
Comparative genomics of chemosensory protein genes reveals rapid evolution and positive selection in ant-specific duplicatesKulmuni J Wurm Y Pamilo P
Heredity vol. 110 (6), 538-547.
01-06-2013
Duplication and concerted evolution in a master sex determiner under balancing selection.Privman E Wurm Y Keller L
Proc Biol Sci vol. 280 (1758)
07-05-2013
A Y-like social chromosome causes alternative colony organization in fire ants.Wang J Wurm Y Nipitwattanaphon M Riba-Grognuz O Huang Y-C Shoemaker D Keller L
Nature vol. 493 (7434), 664-668.
31-01-2013
Comparative genomics of chemosensory protein genes reveals rapid evolution and positive selection in ant-specific duplicatesKulmuni J Wurm Y Pamilo P
Heredity
01-01-2013
Sociogenomics of Cooperation and Conflict during Colony Founding in the Fire Ant Solenopsis invictaManfredini F Riba-Grognuz O Wurm Y Keller L Shoemaker DW Grozinger CM
Plos Genetics vol. 9 (8)
01-01-2013
Vitellogenin underwent subfunctionalization to acquire caste and behavioral specific expression in the harvester ant Pogonomyrmex barbatus.Corona M Libbrecht R Wurm Y Riba-Grognuz O Studer RA Keller L
Plos Genet vol. 9 (8)
01-01-2013
2012
The Molecular Clockwork of the Fire Ant Solenopsis invictaIngram KK Kutowoi A Wurm Y Shoemaker DW Meier R Bloch G
Plos One vol. 7 (11)
13-11-2012
Epigenetics: the making of ant castes.Chittka A Wurm Y Chittka L
Curr Biol vol. 22 (19), R835-R838.
09-10-2012
The genomic impact of 100 million years of social evolution in seven ant speciesGadau J Helmkampf M Nygaard S Roux J Simola DF Smith CR Suen G Wurm Y et al.
Trends in Genetics vol. 28 (1), 14-21.
01-01-2012
2011
Visualization and quality assessment of de novo genome assemblies.Riba-Grognuz O Keller L Falquet L Xenarios I Wurm Y
Bioinformatics vol. 27 (24), 3425-3426.
15-12-2011
Relaxed selection is a precursor to the evolution of phenotypic plasticityHunt BG Ometto L Wurm Y Shoemaker DW Yi SV Keller L Goodisman MAD
Proceedings of The National Academy of Sciences of The United States of America vol. 108 (38), 15936-15941.
20-10-2011
The genome of the leaf-cutting ant Acromyrmex echinatior suggests key adaptations to advanced social life and fungus farmingNygaard S Zhang G Schiøtt M Li C Wurm Y Hu H Zhou J Ji L et al.
Genome Research vol. 21 (8), 1339-1348.
01-08-2011
The genome of the fire ant Solenopsis invicta.Wurm Y Wang J Riba-Grognuz O Corona M Nygaard S Hunt BG Ingram KK Falquet L et al.
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A vol. 108 (14), 5679-5684.
05-04-2011
Odorant binding proteins of the red imported fire ant, Solenopsis invicta: an example of the problems facing the analysis of widely divergent proteins.Gotzek D Robertson HM Wurm Y Shoemaker D
Plos One vol. 6 (1)
31-01-2011
2010
Parasitoid wasps: from natural history to genomic studies.Wurm Y Keller L
Curr Biol vol. 20 (5), R242-R244.
09-03-2010
Changes in reproductive roles are associated with changes in gene expression in fire ant queens.Wurm Y Wang J Keller L
Mol Ecol vol. 19 (6), 1200-1211.
01-03-2010
2009
Fourmidable: a database for ant genomics.Wurm Y Uva P Ricci F Wang J Jemielity S Iseli C Falquet L Keller L
Bmc Genomics vol. 10
06-01-2009
2007
Behavioral genomics: A, bee, C, G, T.Wurm Y Wang J Keller L
Curr Biol vol. 17 (2), R51-R53.
23-01-2007
An annotated cDNA library and microarray for large-scale gene-expression studies in the ant Solenopsis invicta.Wang J Jemielity S Uva P Wurm Y Gräff J Keller L
Genome Biol vol. 8 (1)
01-01-2007
2005
Cryostock - A software for cell culture managementZerlin M Greiffenberg L Wurm Y Winkler I Kreusel D Toemoe S Ballabas L Martin J
Animal Cell Technology Meets Genomics., 397-400.
01-01-2005
Acute and chronic pesticide exposure trigger fundamentally different molecular responses in bumble bee brainsWitwicka A López-Osorio F Arce A Gill RJ Wurm Y
In Biorxiv
Minimal overlaps in responses to insecticides between pollinator speciesWitwicka A López-Osorio F May C Jeong Y Wurm Y
In Biorxiv
Sequenceserver: a modern graphical user interface for custom BLAST databasesWurm Y
Molecular Biology and Evolution, Oxford University Press (OUP)
Genomic architecture and evolutionary antagonism drive allelic expression bias in the social supergene of red fire antsWurm Y
Elife, Elife Sciences Publications Ltd
Convergent evolution of a nutritional symbiosis in antsJackson R Monnin D Patapiou PA Golding G Helanterä H Oettler J Heinze J Wurm Y et al.
In Research Square
Parameter exploration improves the accuracy of long-read genome assemblyPriyam A Witwicka A Brahma A Stolle E Wurm Y
In Biorxiv
Complexity of the social environment and behavioural plasticity drive divergent gene expression in the brain of ant queensManfredini F Ruiz CM Wurm Y Shoemaker D Brown M
In Authorea
No supergene despite social polymorphism in the big-headed ant Pheidole pallidulaFavreau E Lebas C Stolle E Priyam A Pracana R Aron S Wurm Y
In Biorxiv
Grants
Grants of specific relevance to the Centre for Evolutionary and Functional GenomicsTransforming meiofaunal molecular systematics and community ecology through nanopore-based transcriptome skimmingYannick Wurm
£79,493 NHM Natural History Museum
01-10-2024 - 30-09-2028
‘Building a Bioinformatics Ecosystem for Agri-EcologistsYannick Wurm
£37,394 BBSRC Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council
18-09-2023 - 17-09-2026
BBKA - Lido iCase studentshipYannick Wurm
£6,000 BBKA British Beekeepers Association
01-09-2023 - 31-08-2027
Characterization of high quality genome map for the Mayfly Ephemera danicaYannick Wurm and James Pretty
£35,232 Environment Agency, The
15-01-2022 - 14-01-2023
Transcriptomic diagnostics for identifying interactive effects of pesticides, food deficiency, and heat stress on bee healthYannick Wurm
£548,472 BBSRC Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council
06-04-2021 - 05-05-2025
ConvergeAnt - Federico Lopez FellowshipYannick Wurm
£179,947 EU Commission - Horizon 2020
04-10-2019 - 25-02-2022
EvolvAnt - Anindita Brahma FellowshipYannick Wurm
£170,347 EU Commission - Horizon 2020
23-05-2019 - 04-08-2021
Industrial CASE StudentshipYannick Wurm
£107,303 BBSRC Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council
01-10-2018 - 01-12-2022
Research Group
PhD Students
- Srishti Arya
Transforming Meiofaunal Molecular Systematics and Community Ecology Through Nanopore-Based Transcriptomics. - Marcus Hicks
How Do Amazonian Butterflies (Specifically Panacea Prola) Adapt to Natural Seasonal Cycles and How Will This Help Them to Cope With Anthropogenic Climate Change? - Yeahji Jeong
High Resolution Molecular Diagnostics to Improve Pollinator Health
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