Academic and Professional Background

• Background:

  Postgraduate student

• Research:

  Project: Tracking the fate and dynamics of entomopathogenic fungi in soil

• Personal Resume: Celine's project is to obtain a better understanding of the ecology and the population dynamics of Beauveria bassiana F418 in the soil. This fungal strain is highly pathogenic to clover root weevil, Sitona lepidus - a serious exotic pest of New Zealand pastures.
  
  The main aim is to research what happens to the fungal inoculum once applied in the soil and the influence of some abiotic and biotic factors on its persistence and virulence in the soil. This study is essential to improve the use of this biopesticide.
  
  She'll have the opportunity to use recently-developed techniques for this project such as a transformed strain of Beauveria bassiana F418 expressing fluorescence and real time PCR to monitor the level of expression of pathogenicity-related gene and genes involved in germination and sporulation.
  
  

  Celine completed a Masters degree in crop protection at the Ecole Nationale Supérieure Agronomique de Rennes, France, before starting her PhD in March 2007.