No open calls at the moment. However, if you are interested in working with us or want to investigate a specific topic for your bachelor or master thesis feel free to send us an email.
2023 - Research stay - Ass. Prof. Siripuk Suraporn (Mahasarakham University), TH
Description: Collaboration within the ASEA-UNINET (OeAD) project “Frass4Gas: Thailand”
If you are interested in working with us or want to investigate a specific topic for your bachelor or master thesis feel free to send us an email.
2022 - Master Thesis - Linda Tekaat, DE
2022 - Master Thesis - Elisa Gemassmer, IT
2022 - Student assistant - Katharina Stonig, AT
Description: Supports the preparation and execution of experiments for our project on black soldier fly oviposition and interkingdom communication.
2021 - Student assistant - Julia Rothärmel, DE
Description: Julia joined us for our “frass for gas” project and assists us in the lab. She takes care of sample preparation for microbiome analyses and for the analysis of physicochemical features such as volatile fatty acids and ammonia content.
2020 - Erasmus+ Internship - Nazlıcan Yalçın, TU
Description: This internship provided an opportunity to observe the process of black soldier fly breeding and to gain in-depth knowledge on this subject. After characterizing the structure of various organic wastes, they were used as a substrate for feeding black soldier fly larvae and their impact on the growth parameters of the larvae were evaluated. In addition to the black soldier fly project, a general knowledge of the biogas production process was obtained and some basic microbiological analysis methods were learned.
2020 - Bachelor Thesis - Philipp Eckert; DE
Title: Optimierung und Evaluierung einer bestehenden Zucht von Hermetia illucens und molekularbiologische Analyse der Oberflächenmikrobiota von Hermetia-Eipaketen.
Description: Within this bachelor thesis, the microbial communities residing on the surface of Black Soldier Fly egg clutches were investigated by cultivation techniques and Sanger sequencing of bacterial isolates.
2019 - Diploma Thesis - Magdalena Gaßner, AT
Title: Die Black Soldier Fly als Modellorganismus für eine nachhaltige Abfallverwertung - Konzeption und Applikation des FWF Top Citizen Science-Projekts “Six-legged livestock: rearing Black Soldier Fly on communal biowaste” im modernen Unterricht.
Description: This diploma thesis was part of our Six-legged Livestock citizen science project funded by the Austrian Science Fund (FWF). School workshops were conceptualized to teach pupils about the benefits and features of industrially reared insects. Within these workshops, the pupils built their own rearing system and supervised a three-week feeding experiment where they used their leftover food as substrate for Black Soldier Fly larvae. Results of this thesis are part of the first citizen-science-based publication funded by the Austrian Science Fund (FWF) [Walter and Klammsteiner et al. (2020)].
2019 - Bachelor Thesis - Arianna Serra, IT
Title: Modelle und Konzepte zur Zucht von Hermetia illucens.
Description: Within this theoretical bachelor thesis, available models and concepts for rearing Black Soldier Fly larvae were collected and summarized. Many different rearing systems in form of bucket designs can be found in internet resources or publications, mainly intended for hobbyist purposes.
2019 - Bachelor Thesis - Katharina Stonig, AT
Title: Microbial Colonization on Different Developmental Stages of the Black Soldier Fly Hermetia illucens.
Description: Within this bachelor thesis, the microbial load of Black Soldier Fly eggs, larvae, pupae, and flies reared in our lab population was assessed by applying traditional cultivation techniques. Morphologically distinct colonies were isolated and their DNA was amplified using colony polymerase chain reaction. The PCR products were used to identify the isolates via Sanger sequencing and nucleotide BLAST search.
2018 - Bachelor Thesis - Simon Oberegger, AT
Title: The Microbiota on the Surface of Black Soldier Fly (Hermetia illucens) larvae.
Description: Within this bachelor thesis, microorganisms living on the surface of larvae raised on various waste substrates were quantified and identified via sequencing. Wash solutions of larvae were plated on multiple nutrient media to check for the growth of pathogens such as E. coli, Salmonella sp., or Listeria spp.. Bacterial isolates were obtained from samples plated on standard methods agar. Their DNA was amplified via colony polymerase chain reaction and subsequently identified via Sanger sequencing and nucleotide BLAST search. This study served as preliminary experimetn for a subsequent paper by Klammsteiner et al. (2020).
2018 - Master Thesis - Tajda Bogataj, SI
Title: Use of the black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens) for protein production from organic wastes and its microbiome.
Description: Within this master thesis project, organic wastes such as grass-cuttings and various canteen waste fractions were applied in feeding trials as feed for Black Soldier Fly larvae. The substrates were characterized in-depth and their impact on larval growth parameters was observed. In addition, larval gut microbiomes were analyzed using high-throughput 16S rRNA sequencing to investigate diet-induced changes in microbial gut communities. The results from this thesis are part of an upcoming paper by Klammsteiner et al. (2020).
2017 - Erasmus+ Internship - Sabina Vrečko, SI
Description: The internship provided an opportunity to contribute to ongoing projects and learn commonly used microbiological and biomolecular techniques. Moreover, by helping to take care of our laboratory population, insights in Black Soldier Fly rearing were given.
2017 - Erasmus+ Internship - Katarina Bačnik, SI
Description: The internship provided an opportunity to contribute to ongoing projects and learn commonly used microbiological and biomolecular techniques. Moreover, by helping to take care of our laboratory population, insights in Black Soldier Fly rearing were given.
2017 - Bachelor Thesis - Hannes Oberkofler, AT
Title: Influence of Artificial Lightsources on Oviposition of the Black Soldier Fly, Hermetia illucens.
Description: Within this bachelor thesis, the impact of various light sources such as LEDs, fluorescent lamps, and halogen lamps on Black Soldier Fly oviposition was assessed. Using suitable light sources is crucial for adult fly mating and can improve small-scale and industrial rearing. This study served as preliminary experiment for a subsequent paper by Heussler et al. (2018).