Associate Professor Jan Engelstaedter
Associate Professor

Jan Engelstaedter

Email: 
Phone: 
+61 7 336 57959

Background

I am broadly interested in the evolutionary biology of sexual processes, parasitism, and the interplay between these phenomena. Most of my work involves mathematical models, but I also do experimental and field work. Currently, my research focuses on the following topics:

  • Reproductive parasites. These parasites, which include the famous bacterium Wolbachia, infect many insect species and manipulate the reproduction of their hosts in fascinating ways.
  • Recombination in bacteria. Bacteria reproduce clonally, but many still exchange genes with other bacteria, for example through plasmids or the uptake of free DNA from the environment. I'm especially interested in how recombination can affect the evolution of antibiotic resistance in bacteria.
  • Host-parasite coevolution. Hosts and parasites interact in an antagonistic manner, which may produce interesting coevolutionary dynamics. I am also scrutinizing the Red Queen hypothesis, which posits that host-parasite coevolution can produce selection for recombination and sexual reproduction.
  • Parthenogenesis in animals. Although most animals reproduce sexually, some species have given up sex and consist of asexually reproducing females only. I am interested in the factors that enhance or inhibit the evolution of such parthenogenetic species and on their long-term evolutionary fate.

http://engelstaedterlab.org/

Availability

Associate Professor Jan Engelstaedter is:
Available for supervision

Qualifications

  • Doctor of Philosophy, University College London

Search Professor Jan Engelstaedter’s works on UQ eSpace

80 works between 2004 and 2025
All (80) Journal Article (75) Other Outputs (3) Conference Publication (1) Book Chapter (1)

1 - 20 of 80 works

2025

Journal Article

Ecological and mutation‐order speciation in Senecio

James, Maddie E., Melo, Maria C., Roda, Federico, Bernal‐Franco, Diana, Wilkinson, Melanie J., Walter, Gregory M., Liu, Huanle, Engelstädter, Jan and Ortiz‐Barrientos, Daniel (2025). Ecological and mutation‐order speciation in Senecio. Molecular Ecology e70090, e70090. doi: 10.1111/mec.70090

Ecological and mutation‐order speciation in Senecio

2025

Journal Article

Optimal antimicrobial dosing combinations when drug-resistance mutation rates differ

Delaney, Oscar, Letten, Andrew D. and Engelstädter, Jan (2025). Optimal antimicrobial dosing combinations when drug-resistance mutation rates differ. Evolution, 79 (9), 1900-1910. doi: 10.1093/evolut/qpaf123

Optimal antimicrobial dosing combinations when drug-resistance mutation rates differ

2025

Journal Article

Evolution and evolvability of rifampicin resistance across the bacterial tree of life

Bolourchi, Negin, Brown, Christopher R. P., Letten, Andrew D. and Engelstädter, Jan (2025). Evolution and evolvability of rifampicin resistance across the bacterial tree of life. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 122 (31) e2424307122, 1-8. doi: 10.1073/pnas.2424307122

Evolution and evolvability of rifampicin resistance across the bacterial tree of life

2025

Other Outputs

Data associated with publication: Polygenic adaptation is constrained by variation in genetic network structure

O'Brien, Nicholas, Ortiz-Barrientos, Daniel and Engelstaedter, Jan (2025). Data associated with publication: Polygenic adaptation is constrained by variation in genetic network structure. The University of Queensland. (Dataset) doi: 10.48610/ed8140e

Data associated with publication: Polygenic adaptation is constrained by variation in genetic network structure

2025

Journal Article

A unifying principle for multispecies coexistence under resource fluctuations

Richardson, James A., Engelstädter, Jan and Letten, Andrew D. (2025). A unifying principle for multispecies coexistence under resource fluctuations. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 122 (24) e2424996122, 1-10. doi: 10.1073/pnas.2424996122

A unifying principle for multispecies coexistence under resource fluctuations

2025

Journal Article

Antidepressant drugs promote the spread of broad-host-range plasmid in mouse and human gut microbiota

Ding, Pengbo, Lu, Ji, Lei, Tong, Guo, Yinan, Zhu, Baoli, Zhao, Yong, Wang, Yue, Engelstädter, Jan, Schembri, Mark A. and Guo, Jianhua (2025). Antidepressant drugs promote the spread of broad-host-range plasmid in mouse and human gut microbiota. Gut Microbes, 17 (1) 2514138, 2514138. doi: 10.1080/19490976.2025.2514138

Antidepressant drugs promote the spread of broad-host-range plasmid in mouse and human gut microbiota

2024

Other Outputs

Data associated with publication: The genetic architecture of polygenic adaptation under a network-derived trait

O'Brien, Nicholas, Ortiz-Barrientos, Daniel, Engelstaedter, Jan and Holland, Barbara (2024). Data associated with publication: The genetic architecture of polygenic adaptation under a network-derived trait. The University of Queensland. (Dataset) doi: 10.48610/1a19d80

Data associated with publication: The genetic architecture of polygenic adaptation under a network-derived trait

2024

Journal Article

The distribution of fitness effects during adaptive walks using a simple genetic network

O’Brien, Nicholas L. V., Holland, Barbara, Engelstädter, Jan and Ortiz-Barrientos, Daniel (2024). The distribution of fitness effects during adaptive walks using a simple genetic network. PLOS Genetics, 20 (5) e1011289, e1011289. doi: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1011289

The distribution of fitness effects during adaptive walks using a simple genetic network

2024

Journal Article

Belt and braces: Two escape ways to maintain the cassette reservoir of large chromosomal integrons

Richard, Egill, Darracq, Baptiste, Littner, Eloi, Millot, Gael A., Conte, Valentin, Cokelaer, Thomas, Engelstädter, Jan, Rocha, Eduardo P.C., Mazel, Didier and Loot, Céline (2024). Belt and braces: Two escape ways to maintain the cassette reservoir of large chromosomal integrons. PLoS Genetics, 20 (4) e1011231, e1011231. doi: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1011231

Belt and braces: Two escape ways to maintain the cassette reservoir of large chromosomal integrons

2023

Other Outputs

Data associated with publication: O'Brien et al. "The distribution of fitness effects during adaptive walks using a simple genetic network"

O'Brien, Nicholas, Ortiz-Barrientos, Daniel, Engelstaedter, Jan and Holland, Barbara (2023). Data associated with publication: O'Brien et al. "The distribution of fitness effects during adaptive walks using a simple genetic network". The University of Queensland. (Dataset) doi: 10.48610/f3850b0

Data associated with publication: O'Brien et al. "The distribution of fitness effects during adaptive walks using a simple genetic network"

2023

Journal Article

Frequent, infinitesimal bottlenecks maximize the rate of microbial adaptation

Delaney, Oscar, Letten, Andrew D and Engelstadter, Jan (2023). Frequent, infinitesimal bottlenecks maximize the rate of microbial adaptation. Genetics, 225 (4) iyad185. doi: 10.1093/genetics/iyad185

Frequent, infinitesimal bottlenecks maximize the rate of microbial adaptation

2023

Journal Article

Host phylogeny and ecological associations best explain Wolbachia host shifts in scale insects

Sanaei, Ehsan, Albery, Gregory F., Yeoh, Yun Kit, Lin, Yen‐Po, Cook, Lyn G. and Engelstädter, Jan (2023). Host phylogeny and ecological associations best explain Wolbachia host shifts in scale insects. Molecular Ecology, 32 (9), 2351-2363. doi: 10.1111/mec.16883

Host phylogeny and ecological associations best explain Wolbachia host shifts in scale insects

2023

Journal Article

Antidepressants can induce mutation and enhance persistence toward multiple antibiotics

Wang, Yue, Yu, Zhigang, Ding, Pengbo, Lu, Ji, Mao, Likai, Ngiam, Lyman, Yuan, Zhiguo, Engelstädter, Jan, Schembri, Mark A. and Guo, Jianhua (2023). Antidepressants can induce mutation and enhance persistence toward multiple antibiotics. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 120 (5) e2208344120, 1-12. doi: 10.1073/pnas.2208344120

Antidepressants can induce mutation and enhance persistence toward multiple antibiotics

2022

Journal Article

Genetic slippage after sex maintains diversity for parasite resistance in a natural host population

Ameline, Camille, Voegtli, Felix, Andras, Jason, Dexter, Eric, Engelstädter, Jan and Ebert, Dieter (2022). Genetic slippage after sex maintains diversity for parasite resistance in a natural host population. Science Advances, 8 (46) eabn0051, 1-15. doi: 10.1126/sciadv.abn0051

Genetic slippage after sex maintains diversity for parasite resistance in a natural host population

2022

Journal Article

The evolution of a specialized, highly virulent fish pathogen through gene loss and acquisition of host-specific survival mechanisms

Baseggio, Laura, Rudenko, Oleksandra, Engelstädter, Jan and Barnes, Andrew C. (2022). The evolution of a specialized, highly virulent fish pathogen through gene loss and acquisition of host-specific survival mechanisms. Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 88 (14) e0022222, 1-19. doi: 10.1128/aem.00222-22

The evolution of a specialized, highly virulent fish pathogen through gene loss and acquisition of host-specific survival mechanisms

2022

Journal Article

Cytoplasmic incompatibility in hybrid zones: infection dynamics and resistance evolution

Røed, Erik Sandertun and Engelstädter, Jan (2022). Cytoplasmic incompatibility in hybrid zones: infection dynamics and resistance evolution. Journal of Evolutionary Biology, 35 (2), 240-253. doi: 10.1111/jeb.13974

Cytoplasmic incompatibility in hybrid zones: infection dynamics and resistance evolution

2021

Journal Article

Wolbachia in scale insects: a distinct pattern of infection frequencies and potential transfer routes via ant associates

Sanaei, Ehsan, Lin, Yen‐Po, Cook, Lyn G. and Engelstädter, Jan (2021). Wolbachia in scale insects: a distinct pattern of infection frequencies and potential transfer routes via ant associates. Environmental Microbiology, 24 (3), 1326-1339. doi: 10.1111/1462-2920.15833

Wolbachia in scale insects: a distinct pattern of infection frequencies and potential transfer routes via ant associates

2021

Journal Article

Phenotypic and genotypic parallel evolution in parapatric ecotypes of Senecio

James, Maddie E., Wilkinson, Melanie J., Bernal, Diana M., Liu, Huanle, North, Henry L., Engelstädter, Jan and Ortiz‐Barrientos, Daniel (2021). Phenotypic and genotypic parallel evolution in parapatric ecotypes of Senecio. Evolution, 75 (12), 3115-3131. doi: 10.1111/evo.14387

Phenotypic and genotypic parallel evolution in parapatric ecotypes of Senecio

2021

Journal Article

Correction: Non-antibiotic pharmaceuticals enhance the transmission of exogenous antibiotic resistance genes through bacterial transformation

Wang, Yue, Lu, Ji, Engelstädter, Jan, Zhang, Shuai, Ding, Pengbo, Mao, Likai, Yuan, Zhiguo, Bond, Philip L. and Guo, Jianhua (2021). Correction: Non-antibiotic pharmaceuticals enhance the transmission of exogenous antibiotic resistance genes through bacterial transformation. The ISME Journal, 16 (2), 612-612. doi: 10.1038/s41396-021-01074-x

Correction: Non-antibiotic pharmaceuticals enhance the transmission of exogenous antibiotic resistance genes through bacterial transformation

2021

Journal Article

Highly replicated evolution of parapatric ecotypes

James, Maddie E., Arenas-Castro, Henry, Groh, Jeffrey S., Allen, Scott L., Engelstädter, Jan and Ortiz-Barrientos, Daniel (2021). Highly replicated evolution of parapatric ecotypes. Molecular Biology and Evolution, 38 (11), 4805-4821. doi: 10.1093/molbev/msab207

Highly replicated evolution of parapatric ecotypes

Past funding

  • 2019 - 2024
    Predicting the evolutionary dynamics of adaptation
    ARC Discovery Projects
    Open grant
  • 2019 - 2023
    Recombination and the genomic landscape of speciation
    ARC Discovery Projects
    Open grant
  • 2015 - 2019
    Sex and bottlenecks: understanding the evolutionary dynamics of bacterial adaptation
    ARC Future Fellowships
    Open grant
  • 2014 - 2017
    The evolution of recombination cold spots during speciation
    ARC Discovery Projects
    Open grant
  • 2013
    The role of fitness interactions in the evolution of multidrug resistance
    UQ Early Career Researcher
    Open grant
  • 2012 - 2013
    Elucidating the role of natural transformation in the evolution of multidrug resistance
    UQ New Staff Research Start-Up Fund
    Open grant

Availability

Associate Professor Jan Engelstaedter is:
Available for supervision

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Supervision history

Current supervision

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Understanding the evolution of intrinsic antibiotic resistance using machine learning

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Andrew Letten

  • Doctor Philosophy

    The role of resource fluctuations in structuring microbial communities

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Andrew Letten

  • Doctor Philosophy

    The evolution of genetic networks during polygenic adaptation

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Professor Daniel Ortiz-Barrientos

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Uncovering the role of Chromosomal Inversions in Adaptive Evolution

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Professor Daniel Ortiz-Barrientos, Dr Maddie James

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Evolutionary systems biology of adaptive radiation

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Professor Daniel Ortiz-Barrientos

  • Doctor Philosophy

    The costs and consequences of antibioitic resistance in fluctuating environments

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Andrew Letten

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Rapid evolution and the dynamics and stability of ecological communities.

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Andrew Letten, Dr Simon Hart

  • Doctor Philosophy

    The polygenic basis of adaptation

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Maddie James, Professor Daniel Ortiz-Barrientos

  • Doctor Philosophy

    The evolution of antibiotic resistance through the lens of ecological competition theory

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Andrew Letten

  • Doctor Philosophy

    The evolution of genetic networks during rapid adaptation

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Professor Daniel Ortiz-Barrientos

  • Doctor Philosophy

    The effects of rapid evolution and phenotypic plasticity on ecological dynamics in fluctuating environments

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Andrew Letten, Dr Simon Hart

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Costs of antibiotic resistance through the lens of resource-competition theory

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Andrew Letten

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Microbial community dynamics in nonequilibrium systems

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Andrew Letten

Completed supervision

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