20/07/2026
After years of groundbreaking research, the ERC funded EPIDEMIC project at our institute has officially concluded, but its impact is just beginning.
Led by Yuko Ulrich, leader of our Lise Meitner Group Social Behavior, the project used clonal raider ants — which are genetically identical, queenless, and ideal for isolating social dynamics — to explore a fundamental question: How do social behaviors shape disease risk in group-living organisms?
Using automated tracking, custom software, and controlled infection experiments, the team uncovered key insights: Foraging ants acquired infections earlier and at higher loads than nest-bound nurses, despite their identical genetics. Infected ants reduced outside activity, as did healthy ones, leading to increased clustering. Instead of avoiding sick nestmates, healthy ants increased grooming and contact — a "caring" strategy that may promote transmission.
These findings challenge assumptions about social immunity and highlight the critical role of behavioral variation in disease spread, a factor that is often overlooked in epidemiological models.
While the project ends, the science continues. Yuko Ulrich and her lab are now diving into the chemical cues of infection and pathogen-specific responses. This work bridges ecology, behavior, and public health, offering new perspectives on how social systems, from ant colonies to human communities, respond to infectious threats.
Experimental research with clonal raider ants reveals the social dynamics of disease transmission.,,,European Commission
