University of Groningen
Identification and evolution of a novel instructor gene of sex determination in the haplodiploid
wasp Nasonia
Zou, Yuan
DOI:
10.33612/diss.134366133
IMPORTANT NOTE: You are advised to consult the publisher's version (publisher's PDF) if you wish to cite from it. Please check the document version below.
Document Version
Publisher's PDF, also known as Version of record
Publication date: 2020
Link to publication in University of Groningen/UMCG research database
Citation for published version (APA):
Zou, Y. (2020). Identification and evolution of a novel instructor gene of sex determination in the haplodiploid wasp Nasonia. University of Groningen. https://doi.org/10.33612/diss.134366133
Copyright
Other than for strictly personal use, it is not permitted to download or to forward/distribute the text or part of it without the consent of the author(s) and/or copyright holder(s), unless the work is under an open content license (like Creative Commons).
Take-down policy
If you believe that this document breaches copyright please contact us providing details, and we will remove access to the work immediately and investigate your claim.
Downloaded from the University of Groningen/UMCG research database (Pure): http://www.rug.nl/research/portal. For technical reasons the number of authors shown on this cover page is limited to 10 maximum.
121
Acknowledgements
122
About five years ago, I decided to pursue a PhD in insects after graduating from my master’s degree. By coincidence, I read literature about sex determination in insects and found it very interesting. Many interesting studies were from Prof. Leo W. Beukeboom’s group. Therefore, I mailed Leo asking whether there was a vacancy in his group. I introduced myself and explained that I used to work on insects during my bachelor and master studies. Leo replied very quickly, interviewed me over Skype. He agreed to join his group for doing a PhD if I could get a grand from Chinese Scholar Council (CSC). Luckily, I won the CSC grand and arrived in Groningen to start my PhD in Oct. 2015. I have a great time for the past five years in Groningen and doing my PhD in Leo’s group would be one of the most important choices in my life. Now, it finally reaches this exciting and unforgettable moment and I would like to express my sincere appreciation to all the people that helped to complete my PhD project. I’m first deeply indebted to my supervisors Leo and Louis for their guidance and feedback throughout my PhD project. Leo, you are so warm-hearted and helpful. I still remember that when I first met you, you took Fangying and me to a PhD workshop which helped the new students to know about the university and settle down, and then you took us to a bike shop and gym which became an important part of our life in the past five years. Thanks for your support and encouragement when I met difficulties, especially at the beginning when I had a bit of culture shock. You could point out the issues in my writing precisely and changed with very simple and clear sentences. Thanks for your patience with my stupid English issues. Hopefully, I have learned from this training. Louis, you were always willing and enthusiastic to assist in my PhD project. You always have overall insights into a project. You taught me two basic but important rules of doing research, ‘why you do it and how to do it’, which benefitted my PhD study during the past five years and will benefit my future career as well. You always can point out exactly the structure issues, what was incorrect, and what was not clear in my writing and gave me your brilliant advice. I am extremely grateful for all our discussions in the past five years because I learned a lot and it has been an inspiring experience for me.
I would like to extend my sincere thanks to my daily promoter Elzemiek. Thanks for your advice and help in many ways. You were so friendly to help me settle down and get started on my research. You were so patient and your practical suggestions were always very helpful. I must also thank Eveline for your valuable suggestions for my PhD project and wom manuscript.
I would like to thank everyone in our Nasonia team: Anna, Kelley, Elena, and Pauline for all technical advice and help. Thanks to Marloes, Monika, and other colleagues who have helped me in my PhD study. My previous office mates, Akash, Martijn, Xuan, and Peter, thank you for all the interesting chats and jokes (about my napping, my diets, etc), but also for your advice and help related to work. Akash, thanks for your suggestions on my experiments.
Acknowledgements
123 Martijn, thanks for your help with my writing, data analyses, Dutch summary and being my paranymph. Xuan, thanks for your beautiful cover design for my thesis and suggestions in many respects, which were very helpful. Fangying, thank you for your advice and help not only on my research but also in many aspects of my life. I learned from your meticulosity with many things.
Thanks should also go to my Chinese friends. Wensi, Bingrun, Long, Ke, Liang, Li, Xiaoyan, Fuyu, Weihong, Fangfei, and Wenwen, it was so nice to meet you in Groningen. You are wonderful friends. We had lots of fun and I enjoyed spending time with you. Wensi, thanks for being my paranymph.
In the end, I would like to thank my family for your love, support, and encouragement during my PhD study. My sister and mother never failed to say that they were proud of me and believed in my ability to achieve my PhD degree. I am also grateful to my boyfriend, Yiwen, for all the support and company. You always encourage me to do my best and believe in me, even when I can’t believe in myself. Thanks for being my strength. It was so lucky to have you in my life. Thanks for all the happiness that you gave me!
