My mission is to understand how adaptation at the level of individuals (pphenotypic plasticity), population (genetic evolution), and community (ecological sorting) in combination with neutral ecological and evolutionary dynamics shaped the diversity of life in time and space. I am particularly interested in the predictability of this change, both on the short term, which has important applications in managing agricultural and natural systems, and on the long term, which is relevant for our understanding on the origin and diversification of life on Earth. As assistant professor of Evolutionary Ecology in the Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics at the University of Amsterdam I teach and investigate the evolutionary consequeces of biotic interactions, ranging from sexual communication to animal-microbe co-evolution. I aim to lead a team that studies fundamental questions about the dynamics of biodiversity and engages in transdiciplinary activities to brgin that research to society. My research combines population genetics, experimental evolution, and behavioral experiments to identify the emergent properties of biological interactions with public outreach activities. Read more about my current and past research on the nematodes, moths, crickets, and herpetofauna here.

Contact information

University of Amsterdam

Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics

Science Park 904

1098 XH Amsterdam, The Netherlands

t.blankers <at> uva.nl

AMCOOL steering board member

Origins Center steering board member

NLSEB steering board member



Public dissemination and outreach


Chemical Ecology

E-NICHE: A European Network in Chemical Ecology. COST action. Website

E-NICHE youbtube channel: A gateway to the diverse community of European researchers active in the field of chemical ecology

NPO1 radio interview: waarom heb ik okselhaar?


Predictability of Evolution

nu.nl Interview: kunnen we evolutie voorspellen?

Origins Center Podcast: vertellen universele evolutiewetten hoe buitenaards leven er uit zal zien?

KNAW symposium over de zoektocht naar buitenaards leven: Bestaat er buitenaards leven en hoe zou dat er dan uitzien?

Virtual Lab Experience: A 360 video in the lab with me and postdoc Isbale explaining why we are evolving nematode and microbes


Links

Institutional webpage

Scripts are available on GitHub

Pre-prints are available on BioRxiv

See also ResearchGate and Google Scholar

Thomas Blankers

Assistant professor at the University of Amsterdam