Gaspar Bruner Montero, PhD
I study how insects, microbes, and the environment interact to shape symbiosis, behavior, and evolution. My work uses fungus-growing ants as a main model to explore host–microbe partnerships across tropical ecosystems in Panama.
Research assistant
Angela Mendieta
She is a biologist and research assistant involved in microbial isolation and microbiological assays. Her work supports ongoing projects focused on microbial diversity, host–microbe interactions, and the functional characterization of microorganisms.
Undergraduate students
Genesis Quintero
She is pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Biology with a focus on Environmental Biology at the University of Panama. Her undergraduate thesis investigates the thermal ecology of fungus-growing ants, examining how environmental temperature influences their biology, distribution, and symbiotic interactions.
Catherine Guardado
She is pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Biology with a focus on Genetics and Molecular Biology at the University of Panama. Her undergraduate thesis examines how geographic isolation shapes the microbial communities associated with Apterostigma ants from the Coiba Archipelago.
Raul Cogley
He is pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Biology with a focus on Genetics and Molecular Biology at the University of Panama. His undergraduate thesis examines how geographic isolation shapes the microbial communities associated with Apterostigma ants from the Coiba Archipelago.
Raul Almanza
He is pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Biology with a focus on Zoology at the University of Panama. His undergraduate thesis examines how social immunity in fungus-growing ants helps defend colonies against the social parasite Megalomyrmex, with a focus on host–parasite interactions and collective defense behaviors.
Volunteers
Denisse Avecedo, Rebeca Fuentes, and Ana Mirones are undergraduate biology students contributing to our field research on the thermal ecology of fungus-growing ants in Panama.