Madesh Kamalakannan

Doctoral Researcher in Chemical Ecology (2026 – present, University of Greifswald)

Postgraduate Diploma in Agriculture Warehousing Management (2026, MANAGE)
Master’s in Agricultural Entomology (2024, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University)

Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Agriculture (2022, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University)

I am an early-career researcher in chemical ecology with an interest in spiders and insects. My journey in arthropod science began under the mentorship of Dr Komala Gudla, who inspired my curiosity and ignited my passion for studying insects.

During my early research period, I studied slow-release semiochemicals systems in key insect pests in Prof. Kannan Malaichamy’s lab. His work and guidance fostered my interest in chemical communication, sensory ecology, and insect behavior. I later gained industrial R&D experience at ATGC Biotech Pvt. Ltd., where I contributed to the development of semiochemical-based pest management techniques for agricultural and horticultural systems.

In March 2026, I began my doctoral research at the Animal Metabolomics and Ecology Lab, Department of General and Systematic Zoology, University of Greifswald, Germany, under the supervision of Dr Andreas Fischer. My DFG funded doctoral research focuses on the chemical communication in the Mediterranean widow spider, Latrodectus tredecimguttatus. I investigate interactions between and among the sexes using metabolomics, behavioural assays, and synthetic validation of candidate compounds. The results will help us to understand how mate choice and sexual conflict shape the evolution of animal communication.