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Insect Farming Initiative Webinar Series
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Insect Farming: Genetics of Farmed Insects
On Friday, August 22, 2025 at 10 a.m., uncover the how researchers are forwarding research in genetics of farmed insects. Free to attend. To receive the Zoom code, you must fill out our registration form!
Schedule
- Christina Adamaki-Sotiraki
PhD Candidate, University of Thessaly
Christina will highlight a key aspect of her research—how insect colonies derived from different geographical areas can exhibit significantly different performance
About
Christina holds a Bachelor's degree in Agricultural Sciences and a Master's degree in Phytopathology. She is currently a PhD candidate at the University of Thessaly, where her research focuses on optimizing the rearing conditions of Tenebrio molitor (yellow mealworm), a promising species for sustainable protein production. With a strong background in plant protection and entomology, Christina has participated in various research projects related to the control of insect pests in both field crops and stored products. Her recent work is dedicated to the field of insects as alternative protein sources for food and feed, aligning with circular economy and sustainable agriculture principles. Passionate about bridging science and practice, she collaborates closely with researchers, farmers, and innovators to bring insect-based solutions closer to market application. - Morgan Olmsted
PhD Student, North Carolina State University
In this presentation, I will explore genomic approaches for improving mealworm farming through the identification of genes linked to key developmental traits. I will be comparing slab-bred strains from around the world showing differences in development time and final larval weight. By comparing strains with distinct phenotypes, we can use tools such as Genome-Wide Association Studies (GWAS) and RNA-seq to identify molecular mechanisms driving these differences. This project will enable farmers to develop more productive mealworm strains through marker-associated selection.
About
Morgan Olmstead received her master’s degree in biology at the University of New Hampshire in 2018, where she studied insect microbiomes and their effect on parental care behavior. After graduation, she worked in a sequencing core at Vanderbilt University Medical Center and realized she missed working with insects, so she left Nashville to work for the USDA in Manhattan, KS. Under Dr. Brenda Oppert, at the Stored Product Insect and Engineering Unit, she ran numerous genetic-based projects on both stored product pests as well as insects to be used as food and feed. Now, she is expanding on those skills in her current role as a PhD student at North Carolina State University under the supervision of Dr. Marcé Lorenzen. - Dr. Brenda Oppert
Adjunct Faculty, Entomology, Kansas State University
This presentation will review the current status on insect genomics and genetics to support the development of animal feed. Dr. Oppert will discuss the knowledge gaps, as well as how the study of insects at a molecular level can lead to discovery of novel applications for insects to improve agriculture.
About
Dr. Brenda Oppert received a PhD in Biochemistry at Kansas State University, and after more than 30 years of research in the government sector, she has come home to dedicate her time to the KSU Insect Farming Initiative as an adjunct professor in the Department of Entomology. Her research historically focused on insect control through understanding insect digestion and insecticide resistance. Later, she directed genome sequencing projects to apply functional genomics to insect-related research. She incorporated RNASeq data from insect developmental stages and tissues to identify potential targets for RNAi and CRISPR in stored product pests. Dr. Oppert also developed genomic resources for insects as food and feed to address the global protein sustainability crisis. She collaborated on a Department of Defense DARPA SBIR project to develop genetic resources for Tenebrio molitor, Gryllodes sigillatus, and Acheta domesticus, and she worked with Ynsect to obtain a genome assembly for Alphitobius diapernius. The research is being used to improve insect nutrition for animal feed and solve problems associated with disease in farmed crickets and other species. - Ask the seminar presenters any questions!