Publications

Neuroparasitology Publications

• Beckerson WC. (2025). Neuroparasitology: Fungal effectors induce feeding in zombie silkworms. Current Biology. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2025.06.069

• Beckerson WC, Krider C, Mohammad U, de Bekker C. (2025). Which chemical makes ants walk like zombies? In: Panayotova E & Firth F. Science Journal for Kids.  https://www.sciencejournalforkids.org/articles/which-chemical-makes-ants-walk-like-zombies/. adapted from: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anbehav.2023.06.011

• Beckerson WC, Laraba I, Torres-Cruz TJ, Steinkraus D, Hajek A. (2024). Mechanisms of Host Manipulation and Mimicry in Fungi. In: Haelewaters D. (ed.) Biodiversity and Evolution of Fungal Parasites and Pathogens. Amsterdam, Netherlands: Elsevier. (ISBN: 9780323885331) – Preprint https://doi.org/10.22541/au.172124619.90197485/v1

• Will I, Beckerson WC, de Bekker C. (2023). Using machine learning to predict protein-protein interactions between a zombie ant fungus and its carpenter ant host. Scientific Reports 13, 13821. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-40764-8​

• De Bekker C, Beckerson WC, Carolyn Elya (2023). How do some fungi turn insects into zombies? In: Panayotova E & Firth F. Science Journal for Kids.  https://www.sciencejournalforkids.org/articles/how-do-some-fungi-turn-insects-into-zombies/. adapted from: https://doi.org/10.1128/mBio.01872-21

• Beckerson WC, Krider C, Mohammad UA, de Bekker C. (2023). 28 Minutes Later: Investigating the role of aflatrem-like compounds in Ophiocordyceps parasite manipulation of zombie ants. Animal Behaviour 203, 225-240. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anbehav.2023.06.011

• De Bekker C, Beckerson WC, Carolyn Elya. (2021). Mechanisms Behind the Madness: How do zombie-making fungal entomopathogens affect host behavior to increase transmission? mBio 12(5), e01872-21. https://doi.org/10.1128/mBio.01872-21