Carina D. Heussler, PhD MSc

Room 514
carina.heussler@uibk.ac.at

The black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens) is a multi-beneficial organism that can provide nourishment, can be used for composting various organic wastes, can produce sustainable fertilizer, and is a source of chitin. It is also an optimal species for industrial rearing.

During my PhD thesis, I worked on optimizing lab and pilot-scale rearing, on further understanding the basic biology of this fascinating organism, and on understanding microbe-host interactions during development.

Currently, I am involved in a new project, in which we investigate the influence that volatile organic compounds derived from microbes have on the oviposition process of black soldier flies.

Research topics
Behavioural ecology
Insect farming
Life history
Microbe-host interactions
Waste management and monitoring