Ann Vanderheyden

Ann Vanderheyden holds a Master of Science degree in Biology, graduating from the University of Ghent in 2015. With a passion for genetic techniques, Ann thrives on the diverse array of methodologies available for DNA identification.

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Function

Ann Vanderheyden is a scientific assistant at the Institute of Natural Sciences and a key member of the BopCo team, specializing in DNA identification. This role presents her with diverse and challenging requests. Her passion for molecular biology and technology drives her to explore new approaches in genetic analysis, including qPCR, NGS, and eDNA techniques.

Research team: Barcoding Organisms and Tissues of Policy Concern (BopCo)
Research theme: DNA Identification Service

Current Project(s)

DNA Identification, handling requests from government, universities, research facilities or the private sector
https://www.bopco.be/
https://www.naturalsciences.be/en/science/research/evolution-and-the-web-of-life/projects/bopco

Area of Expertise

Ann is an expert in molecular biology and species identification. Her work involves challenging samples, such as processed food, tissues with minimal DNA (like mosquito eggs), and environmental DNA (eDNA) from aquatic environments. This demands a broad skill set and proficiency in various molecular techniques, including DNA barcoding, qPCR, NGS, and eDNA analysis.

Professional Experience

Ann has been active in molecular labs since 2014, including the marine center in Roscoff, France, and the Entomology department at the Institute of Natural Sciences. She worked for 2 years at the Institute of Natural Sciences identifying ants from the Galapagos and Ecuador. She also worked as a teaching assistant at the University of Ghent before returning to the Institute of Natural Sciences in 2019 to join the BopCo team (https://www.bopco.be/).

Dissemination activities

BopCo Demo video Science Figured Out Federale Minuut

Publication highlights

Vanderheyden, A., Dekoninck, W., Smitz, N., Lombal, A., De Meyer, M., Backeljau, T. (2024). First record of three alien termite species in Belgium. BioInvasions Records, 13(2): 335–344. https://doi.org/10.3391/bir.2024.13.2.04

Pauwels, S.G. O., Brecko, J., Baeghe, D., Venderickx, J., Vanderheyden, A. and Backeljau, T. (2023). Morphological, acoustic and genetic identification of a reproducing population of the invasive African clawed frog Xenopus laevis (Anura, Pipidae) recently discovered in Belgium. Zookeys, 1184: 41-64. https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1184.103702

Dekoninck, W., Smitz, N., Vanderheyden, A., Grootaert, P. (2023). DNA-based species identification of mosquitoes collected with Malaise Traps in the Botanical Garden “Jardin Massart” (Diptera: Culicidae). Belgian Journal of Entomology, 134: 247-255.

Vanderheyden, A., Smitz, N., De Wolf, K., Deblauwe, I., Dekoninck, W., Meganck, K., Gombeer, S., Vanslembrouck, A., De Witte, J., Schneider, A., Verlé, I., De Meyer, M., Backeljau, T., Müller, R., Van Bortel, W. (2022). DNA identification and diversity of the vector mosquitoes Culex pipiens s.s. and Culex torrentium in Belgium (Diptera: Culicidae). Diversity, 14(6): 486. https://doi.org/10.3390/d14060486