Dr Bram Kuijper (he/him)

Bram is a Senior Lecturer in Theoretical and Computational Biology. He uses mathematical and simulation models to improve our understanding of fundamental questions in evolutionary biology and epidemiology. He is a member of Exeter Evolution.

Research interests

A large part of Bram's previous work has focused on the evolution of sex differences and sexual selection. His current research focuses on the development of mathematical and simulation models to predict (i) the evolution of parental influences on offspring and (ii) how stressors and infectious disease shape an individual's life history.

To explore these questions, Bram uses a range of theoretical techniques (game theory, quantitative genetics, individual-based simulations, dynamic programming). Bram has expertise in developing scientific software using a range of programming languages, (C++, R, Python, github profile) and has a long-standing experience working with high-performance computing environments.

Broad research specialisms:

• Computational Biology
• Disease Evolution
• Adapting to stress
• Epidemiology & Statistics
• Behavioral Ecology
• Sex allocation
• Evolution of inheritance systems

Teaching

Bram is heavily involved in teaching quantitative techniques and statistical methods to undergraduate and postgraduate students at the Centre for Ecology and Conservation. He currently teaches on the 2nd year module Bio2430 Behavioural Ecology, the 3rd year module Bio3420 Evolutionary Biology in Health and Disease and the MSc module Biom4046 Evolution, Behaviour and Ecology. From 2025 onwards, Bram will start to teach on the module Bio2414 Evolutionary Ecology. Previously, Bram has been a module coordinator for the MSc module Biom4018 Approaches in Behavioural Ecology (2018-2021). He has also taught modules on scientific programming in Python to the University's doctoral college.

Management

Bram is currently the academic lead for admissions at the Centre for Ecology and Conservation. Moreover, he is co-director of Global Engagement and the academic lead for the student open days.

Join us! Interested in working on the interface between evolutionary theory and data? Interested in joining the group for a postdoctoral, PhD or MbyRes project? Please get in touch to discuss project ideas and funding options.
We welcome new group members who want to understand more about topics such as social evolution, evolutionary theory, sexual selection, sex allocation or the evolution of inheritance. We also welcome any collaborations in which some theory is done as part of an empirical project. No background in theory is required as long as you are willing to learn cool new things about models, genetics, programming and data science.

Office hours

Thursdays 13:00 - 15:00
Fridays 13:00 - 17:00

(booking a meeting via outlook preferable)

Career:

2023 - Senior Lecturer in Theoretical and Computational Biology
2019 - 2023 Lecturer in Theoretical and Computational Biology
2016 - 2019 Leverhulme Trust Early Career Fellow, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus
2013 - 2016 Research Fellow (Engineering & Physical Sciences Research Council), University College London
2010 - 2013 Research Associate (Engineering & Physical Sciences Research Council), University of Cambridge

2013 PhD Theoretical Biology (University of Groningen)