Neuroethologist
Email: julia.mariette@universite-paris-saclay.fr ; julia.mariette8@gmail.com ; Citizenship : French : ORCID : 0000-0002-5437-2796
I am a neuroethologist and physiologist interested in uncovering the neuronal and sensory mechanisms underlying social behaviours, with a particular focus on social communication in eusocial insects, the most advanced level of sociality. My research has primarily used the honey bee (Apis mellifera) as a model, due to its remarkably complex and diverse pheromonal communication system and its sophisticated social organisation based on division of labour.Using this model, I have deciphered the neural processes underlying the detection of social and sexual pheromones within the honey bee olfactory system. My work placed special emphasis on male honey bees, whose simplified and specialised olfactory system provides an ideal entry point to unravel the neuronal basis of pheromone processing.So far, my research has focused on three main directions: (1) Identification of sexual pheromones involved in reproductive behaviour in Apis mellifera. (2) Characterisation of the neural pathways responsible for detecting ecologically relevant pheromones across Apis species, and the mechanisms ensuring efficient behavioural responses (3) Establishing the neurobiological basis of division of labour in honey bees, including the development of neurogenetic tools to study neuronal processes at the whole-brain level.
Skills
Current position
Electrophysiology (Single Sensillum Recording and Electroantennography) - Setting up and operating an electrophysiology recording station, experiments on drosophila antennae (trichoid and basiconica sensilla), honey bees (worker, male, basiconica and placodea sensilla)
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Calcium imaging - Transcuticular Calcium Imaging on Drosophila (transgenic samples), in vivo calcium imaging in honey bees (males and workers, calcium dye oregon green and fura) – training for the use of a two-photon microscopy.
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Transgenesis - Microinjection of honey bee eggs at one-cell stage
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Immunostaining - Honey bee brains, confocal microscopy
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Insect dissection - Insects (Drosophila, Honey bees) brains, pheromonal glands
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Molecular biology - PCR, Fragment Lenght Analysis (FLA), DNA extraction, pesticides applications protocols
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Genetic crosses - Drosophila crossing
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Behavioural tests - Appetitive and aversive learning paradigm (habituation, pavlovian conditionning absolute and differential), olfactometer, attraction assay, behavioural repertoire, sonograms
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Software - R, GraphPad, (statistical analysis) Visiview (calcium imaging software), CorelDraw, Endnote, Zotero, Inkscape, Photofiltre, PyMol, Animal TA (behavioural analysis), Jalview, AmplifX, MAFFT (molecular biology), Pack Office
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Alongside experiments - Students supervising (management), beekeeping & fruit fly rearing
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2025-2026
University Paris Saclay, France
Postdoctoral researcher
Pheromonal information processing depending on the division of labour in the honey bee Apis mellifera
EGCE Lab, Gif-sur-Yvette, J. Carcaud (ERC Olfatask)
Professional experience
2023-2025
CNRS Gif-sur-Yvette, France
Postdoctoral researcher
Pheromonal information processing in the honey bee brain
EGCE Lab, Gif-sur-Yvette, J. Carcaud (ANR Pherobrain)
2017-2022
University Paris-Saclay, France
Postgraduate researcher
Study of sexual communication in male honey bee of four species in the genus Apis
EGCE Lab, Gif-sur-Yvette, J-C Sandoz and F. Marion-Poll (graduate school fellowship)
01/2017-07/2017
University of Paris Saclay, France
Internship
Effect of sub-lethal doses of pyrethroids on aversive learning in the honey bee Apis mellifera
EGCE Laboratory, Gif-sur-Yvette, J-C Sandoz
05-08/2016
University of Nanterre, France
Voluntary internship
Study of food sharing in the Calopsitte parakeet Nymphicus hollandicus
LECD Lab, Nanterre, France, D. Bovet
04-05/2016
University of Nanterre, France
Voluntary internship
Study of intrasexual vocal communication in male Zebra finches Taeniopygia guttata
LECD, Nanterre, France, S. Deregnaucourt & N. Geberzahn
Education
2022
2017
2016
2015
PhD Neuroscience
University Paris-Saclay, France
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Master 2 Ethology research Path
University Paris-Nord, France
Valedictorian
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Master 1 Ethology
University Paris-Nord France
Valedictorian
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Bachelor of biology Specialization in cell biology and physiology
Université Evry Val D’Essonne, Evry
Valedictorian
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Conferences and presentations
International Congress ESITO, Villasimius, Sardegna (Oral, 2025)
Mariette J., Claisse, G., Sandoz, J-C. & Carcaud, J. ‘Pheromonal processing in the honey bee brain”
Club of Neuroethology, Montpellier, France (Oral, 2024)
Mariette J., Claisse, G., Sandoz, J-C. & Carcaud, J. ‘Pheromonal processing in the honey bee brain”
International Symposia on Olfaction and Taste, Rekjavik, Iceland (Oral, 2024)
Mariette J., Claisse, G., Sandoz, J-C. & Carcaud, J. ‘Pheromonal processing in the honey bee brain”
Club of Invertebrate Neurobiology (CNI), Gif-sur-Yvette, France (Oral contribution and chair, 2023)
Mariette J., Claisse, G., Sandoz, J-C. & Carcaud, J. ‘Pheromonal processing in the honey bee brain” | Chair
Club of Invertebrate Neurobiology (CNI), Toulouse, France (Oral contribution and chair, 2023)
Mariette J., Carcaud, J., Lacassagne, E., Servais, I., Montagné N., Chertemps T., Jacquin-Joly E., Marion-Poll F. & Sandoz J. C.“Functional study of the queen pheromone receptor OR11 in honey bees within the genus Apis”| Chair
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International Congress of Neuroethology (ICN), Lisbon, Portugal (Oral, 2022)
Mariette J., Carcaud, J., Lacassagne, E., Servais, I., Montagné N., Chertemps T., Jacquin-Joly E., Marion-Poll F. & Sandoz J. C.“Functional study of the queen pheromone receptor OR11 in honey bees within the genus Apis”
International Congress ESITO Backaskog, Sweden, (Oral, 2022)
Mariette J., Carcaud, J., Lacassagne, E., Servais, I., Montagné N., Chertemps T., Jacquin-Joly E., Marion-Poll F. & Sandoz J. C.“Functional study of the queen pheromone receptor OR11 in honey bees within the genus Apis”
International Congress of International Union for the Study of Social Insects IUSSI, Virtual, (Oral, 2022)
Mariette J., Lacassagne, E., Louis, T., Carcaud, J., Montagné N., Chertemps T., Jacquin-Joly E., Marion-Poll F. & Sandoz J. C.“Functional study of the queen pheromone receptor OR11 in honey bees within the genus Apis”
Gottingen meeting of the German Society International Congress (NWG), Virtual (Oral, 2022)
Mariette J., Lacassagne, E., Louis, T., Carcaud, J., Montagné N., Chertemps T., Jacquin-Joly E., Marion-Poll F. & Sandoz J. C. “Functional study of the queen pheromone receptor OR11 in honey bees within the genus Apis”
International Congress Insect Olfaction and Taste in 24 Hours around the globe, Virtual, (Oral, 2022)
Mariette J., Lacassagne, E., Louis, T., Carcaud, J., Montagné N., Chertemps T., Jacquin-Joly E., Marion-Poll F. & Sandoz J. C.“Functional study of the queen pheromone receptor OR11 in honey bees within the genus Apis”
International Congress European Chemoreception Research Organisation ECRO, Virtual (Poster, 2021)
Mariette J., Louis T., Noël A., Larcher V., Montagné N., Chertemps T., Jacquin-Joly E., Marion-Poll F. & Sandoz J. C.“Functional study of the honeybee queen pheromonal receptor AmOR11 expressed in Drosophila olfactory neurons” Poster price
European Symposium of Insect Taste and Olfaction (ESITO), Villasimus, Sardinia (Oral contribution, 2020)
Mariette J., Louis T., Noël A., Larcher V., Montagné N., Chertemps T., Jacquin-Joly E., Marion-Poll F. & Sandoz J. C.“Functional study of the honeybee queen pheromonal receptor AmOR11 expressed in Drosophila olfactory neurons”
Neurosciences German Society International Congress (NWG), Gottingen, Germany, (Poster, 2020)
Mariette J., Louis T., Noël A., Larcher V., Montagné N., Chertemps T., Jacquin-Joly E., Marion-Poll F. & Sandoz J. C. “Probing honeybee’s olfactory repertoire: a new approach toward OR deorphanization”
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International Union for the Study of Social Insects IUSSI, Guaruja, Brasil (Poster, 2019)
Mariette J., Louis T., Noël A., Larcher V., Montagné N., Chertemps T., Jacquin-Joly E., Marion-Poll F. & Sandoz J. C. “Sexual communication in honey bees (Apis mellifera): first steps toward the deorphanization of drone olfactory receptors”
Scientific popularisations
Popularisation conference: presentation at Fresnes Town Hall, France - Presentation - Audience of all ages: "The world of bees". 2021
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Popularisation conference: presentation at Bures Town Hall, Bures-sur-Yvette, France - Presentation - Audience of all ages: "Communication in bees". 2022
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Science Day stand Gif-sur-Yvette (2017 to 2025)
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Doctoral seminars, international guests - IDEEV Institute (2018-2022)
- Bi-monthly team seminars « pôle comportement », EGCE laboratory (2017-2021)
- EvryBio undergraduate conference, Evry Val d'Essonne University (2015)
Supervising and mentoring activities
2025
Co-supervision of PhD student, Camille Faber “Pheromonal information processing depending on the division of labour in the honey bee Apis mellifera” Biosphera Graduate School, University Paris Saclay
2025
Master final project supervision, Pauline Masnou “Functionnal characterization of male honey bee olfactory receptor in the drosophila melanogaster empty neuron system” Sorbonne University, Master Biodiversity Ecology and Evolution
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2025
Master 1 project supervision, Naïs Gilardet “Pheromonal information processing in the honey bee Apis mellifera brain” University of Tours, Master Evolutive Ecology and Behaviour
2024
Master 1 project supervision, Benoît Mandive “Pheromonal information processing in the honey bee Apis mellifera brain” University of Tours, Master Evolutive Ecology and Behaviour
2024
Master 1 project supervision, Léane Roux “Attraction towards pheromones depending on task specialization in the honey bee” University of Tours, Master Evolutive Ecology and Behaviour
2024
Final year bachelor voluntary internship, Mathilde Martin, “Transgenesis in honey bees for pheromonal processing study in the honey bee” University Paris Saclay, Biology licence
2023
Final year bachelor project, Evan Branlé, “Transgenesis in honey bees for pheromonal processing study in the honey bee” University Paris Saclay, Biology licence
2022
Lecture M1 Biology Evolution & Ecology - UE Ethology - Université Paris Saclay, Orsay, France
2020
Final year bachelor project, Eleanor Lacassagne, “Functional study of the queen pheromone receptor OR11 in honey bees within the genus Apis” University Paris Saclay, Biology licence
2020
Final year bachelor project, Ilana Servais, “Functional study of the queen pheromone receptor OR11 in honey bees within the genus Apis” University Paris Saclay, Biology licence
2019
Final year bachelor project, Chloé Petitimbert, “Functional study of the queen pheromone receptor OR11 in honey bees within the genus Apis” University Paris Saclay, Biology licence
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