Research Interests

• Behaviour and Chemical ecology of social insects
• Molecular ecology of honeybees
• Analytical method development
• Application of mathematical models in understanding ecology of honeybees

Colony health in South African honeybees: This project aims at understanding the population dynamics i.e. turnover rates between seasons as well as pathogen loads in managed honeybee colonies. Using genotyping techniques and novel RNA viral detection, we intend to entangle the relationship between types of beekeeping (migratory, sedentary, commercial, hobby), bee species, population dynamics, season and pathogen loads in honeybees from the different regions of South Africa.

Curriculum vitae

Personal Information

• Nationality: Nigerian
• Date of birth: 22. June 1978
• Languages: English, Hausa (mother tongue), German (A1), Arabic and Kiswahili

Education

• 2010: PhD Entomology (Insect Behaviour and Chemical Ecology) University of Pretoria, South Africa
  Thesis: Termite raiding by the ponerine ant Pachycondyla analis: Behaviour and Chemical ecology.
• 2004: MSc with Distinction in Instrumental Analytical Sciences (Environmental Analysis) Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen, UK
  Thesis: Analysis of Lipids and Fatty acids in environmentally sensitive samples.
• 2000: BSc (Hons) Biological Sciences University of Abuja, Nigeria
  Thesis: Nutritional contents of Ceasalpinia pulcherrima L. and Tamarindus indica L. seeds

Professional Career

• Since 2016: Georg Foster Experience Research Fellow, MLU Halle-W, Molecular Ecology Research Group.
• 2014-2016: DST/NRF Research Career Advance Fellow, Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of Pretoria, South Africa.
• 2012-2014: DST/NRF Innovation Postdoctoral Fellow, Social Insects Research Group, Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of Pretoria, South Africa.
• 2011-2012: Dean’s Assistantship Postdoctoral Fellow, Social Insects Research Group, Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of Pretoria, South Africa
• 2010-2011: Postdoctoral Fellow, Social Insects Research Group, Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of Pretoria, South Africa
• 2006-2010: Lecturer I, Department of Biological Sciences, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria Nigeria
• 2006-2010: PhD scholar, Behavioural and Chemical Ecology Department, International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology Nairobi, Kenya.
• 2004-2005: Assistant Lecturer, Department of Biological Sciences, Kaduna State University, Nigeria.
• 2004: Biology Tutor, Kaduna state School of Health Technology, Kaduna Nigeria.
• 2003-2004: MSc Research scholar FRS Marine Laboratory, Torry Aberdeen, UK.

Fellowships and Funding

• 2016-2018: Georg Foster Experience Research award, Alexander von Humboldt Foundation.
• 2015-2018: Thuthuka Grant (Rating track), National Research Foundation, South Africa.
• 2014-2018: NRF/DST Research Advancement Career Fellowship, National Research Foundation, South Africa.
• 2012-2014: DST/NRF Innovative Postdoctoral research award, National Research Foundation, South Africa.
• 2012-2015: Commonwealth Distance Learning MSc Scholarship, Edinburgh University, UK.
• 2006-2010: DAAD in-country PhD scholarship, German Academic Exchange Programme.
• 2006-2010: African Regional Postgraduate Programme in Insect Science (ARPPIS), icipe Kenya.
• 2003-2004: Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF) Nigeria Overseas Scholarship Scheme.

Selected Publications

Peer-reviewed

• Fabien Démares, Abdullahi A. Yusuf, Susan W. Nicolson & Christian W.W. Pirk (2017): Effect of Brood pheromone on Survival and Nutrient intake of African Honey Bees (Apis mellifera scutellata) under Controlled Conditions. Journal of Chemical Ecology 43: 443-450.
• Beatrice T. Nganso, Ayuka T. Fombong, Abdullahi A. Yusuf, Christian W. W. Pirk, Charles Stuhl & Baldwyn Torto (2017): Hygienic and grooming behaviours in African and European honeybees – new damage categories in Varroa destructor. PlosOne
• Christian W.W. Pirk, Ursula Strauss, Abdullahi A. Yusuf, Fabien Démares & Hannelie Human (2016): Honeybee health in Africa- A review. Apidologie
• Abdullahi A. Yusuf, Christian W. W. Pirk, & Robin. M. Crewe (2015): Mandibular gland pheromones from queens and workers of Apis mellifera adansonii (Latr.). Apidologie 46 (5): 559-572.
• Olabimpe O. Okosun, Abdullahi A. Yusuf, Robin M. Crewe, & Christian. W. W. Pirk (2015): Effects of age and reproductive status on tergal gland secretions in queenless honeybee workers Apis mellifera scutellata and A. m. capensis. Journal of Chemical Ecology 41; 896-903.
• Danica Marlin, Susan W. Nicolson, Abdullahi A. Yusuf, Philip C. Stevenson, Heino M. Heyman, & Kerstin Krüger (2014): The only African wild tobacco, Nicotiana africana: alkaloid content and the effect of herbivory. PlosOne
• Abdullahi A. Yusuf, Robin. M. Crewe, & Christian W. W. Pirk (2014): Olfactory detection of prey by the termite raiding ant Pachycondyla analis. Journal of Insect Science 14: 53.
• Abdullahi A. Yusuf, I. Gordon, R. M. Crewe, & C. W. W. Pirk (2014): Prey choice and Raiding Behaviour of the Ponerine ant Pachycondyla analis (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Journal of Natural History 48(5-6): 345-358 .
• Abdullahi A. Yusuf, Robin M. Crewe, & Christian W. W. Pirk (2014): An effective method for maintaining the African termite-raiding ant Pachycondyla analis in the laboratory. African Entomology 21(2): 132-136.
• Abdullahi A. Yusuf, Christian W. W. Pirk, Robin. M. Crewe, Peter. G. N. Njagi, Ian Gordon & Baldwyn Torto (2010): Nestmate recognition and the role of cuticular hydrocarbons in the African termite raiding ant Pachycondyla analis. Journal of Chemical Ecology 36: 441-448.
• Heath, M. R., Rasmussen, J., Abdullahi A. Yusuf, Allen, J., Anderson, C. I. H., et al. (2008): Spatial demography of Calanus finmarchicus, in the Irminger Sea. Progress in Oceanography 76: 39-88.
• Lynda Webster, Pam Walsham, Abdullahi A. Yusuf, Sarah Richards, Steve Hay, Mike Heath & Collin Moffat (2006): Development and application of an analytical method for the determination of storage lipids, fatty acids and fatty alcohols in Calanus finmarchicus. Journal of Separation Science 29(9): 1205 – 1216.

Book reviews

• Pirk, C.W.W., Yusuf, A.A (2015):. A small hive beetle lesson from South Africa. In: N.L. Carreck (Ed.) The small hive beetle in Europe. International Bee Research Association Groombridge, UK

Non Peer-reviewed

• Yusuf, Abdullahi Ahmed & Gordon Ian (2007): Understanding the behaviour and chemical ecology of the African termite raiding ant Pachycondyla analis could lead to the development of a novel termiticide. Mpala News issue 4:*
• Yusuf, Abdullahi Ahmed (2016): Hope for African Mountain honeybees? African mountain honeybees in the light of climate change and threat to honeybees’ diversity. Mountain Research Initiative Blog, March edition