I am working on the evolution of interspecific interactions (plants/herbivores, herbivorous insects/symbiotic bacteria) and their role in the diversification of life. Since joining INRAe, I have developed a research programme on aphids (Hemiptera: Aphididae). These aphids represent both fascinating biological models in evolutionary biology, due to the complexity of their life cycles and their specialisation with regard to their host plants, and a group of agronomic importance, as they include species responsible for significant damage to crops and ornamental plants.

My research aims, through phylogenetic studies focused on specific groups, to highlight the role of adaptation to host plants as well as that of bacterial symbionts in the evolution and diversification of aphids. To this end, I work at different taxonomic levels (from the family to the species complex), reflecting different timescales.

Keywords: Phylogeny, symbiosis, co-evolution, plant-insect interaction, aphids.