Current students
PhD students
Fitiavana Rasaminirina
University of Antananarivo
Project title: Identification of Cyperaceae of Madagascar with focus on open canopy habitats
From April 2022
Supervisors: Isabel Larridon, Vonjison Rakotoarimanana & Helene Ralimanana
Funded by: Kew Foundation Today's Flora for Tomorrow project
Project title: Identification of Cyperaceae of Madagascar with focus on open canopy habitats
From April 2022
Supervisors: Isabel Larridon, Vonjison Rakotoarimanana & Helene Ralimanana
Funded by: Kew Foundation Today's Flora for Tomorrow project
Denise Molmou
Ghent University
Project title: The indigenous socio-economic plant species of Guinea (West Africa) - a case study
From January 2020
Supervisors: Isabel Larridon, Sékou Magassouba & Martin Cheek
Funded by: the Guinean government & the Ellis Goodman Family Foundation
Project title: The indigenous socio-economic plant species of Guinea (West Africa) - a case study
From January 2020
Supervisors: Isabel Larridon, Sékou Magassouba & Martin Cheek
Funded by: the Guinean government & the Ellis Goodman Family Foundation
Toral Shah
Imperial College London & Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
Project title: The evolutionary history and diversity of the Mickey Mouse plants
From January 2019
Supervisors: Iain Darbyshire, Isabel Larridon & Vincent Savolainen
Funded by: Science and Solutions for a Changing Planet DTP
Project title: The evolutionary history and diversity of the Mickey Mouse plants
From January 2019
Supervisors: Iain Darbyshire, Isabel Larridon & Vincent Savolainen
Funded by: Science and Solutions for a Changing Planet DTP
Luciana Pereira-Silva
Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina & Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
Project title: Integrative studies on the diverse genus Cyperus s.l. (Cyperaceae): diversity in Central Brazil, molecular phylogeny, and diversification patterns
From October 2017
Supervisors: Rafael Trevisan & Isabel Larridon
Project title: Integrative studies on the diverse genus Cyperus s.l. (Cyperaceae): diversity in Central Brazil, molecular phylogeny, and diversification patterns
From October 2017
Supervisors: Rafael Trevisan & Isabel Larridon
MSc students
Former students
PhD students
Dr Emily Veltjen
Ghent University
Project title: The Caribbean Magnolia species (Magnoliaceae): assessment of the genetic diversity and the underlying evolutionary history
Defended: 13 March 2020
Supervisors: Isabel Larridon, Marie-Stephanie Samain, Lars Chatrou & Paul Goetghebeur
Funded by: Ghent University Special Research Fund (BOF) PhD research grant (n° 01D24114)
Now: Research assistant / lab technician on the overarching project funded by Fondation Franklinia, see Magnolias
Project title: The Caribbean Magnolia species (Magnoliaceae): assessment of the genetic diversity and the underlying evolutionary history
Defended: 13 March 2020
Supervisors: Isabel Larridon, Marie-Stephanie Samain, Lars Chatrou & Paul Goetghebeur
Funded by: Ghent University Special Research Fund (BOF) PhD research grant (n° 01D24114)
Now: Research assistant / lab technician on the overarching project funded by Fondation Franklinia, see Magnolias
Dr Kenneth Bauters
Ghent University
Project title: Scleria revised: a molecular approach towards a new classification
Defended: 24 September 2018
Supervisors: Paul Goetghebeur, Isabel Larridon & A. Muthama Muasya
Funded by: Ghent University, Department of Biology
Now: Scientific Manager Outdoor Collections Botanic Garden Meise
Project title: Scleria revised: a molecular approach towards a new classification
Defended: 24 September 2018
Supervisors: Paul Goetghebeur, Isabel Larridon & A. Muthama Muasya
Funded by: Ghent University, Department of Biology
Now: Scientific Manager Outdoor Collections Botanic Garden Meise
Dr Marc Reynders
Ghent University
Project title: The challenging taxonomy and evolution of C4 Cyperus (Cyperaceae) - a focus on Pycreus and its laterally compressed pistils
Defended: 18 December 2013
Supervisors: Paul Goetghebeur & Godelieve Gheysen
Day-to-supervisor & member of examination committee: Isabel Larridon
Funded by: Ghent University Special Research Fund (BOF) PhD research grant (n° BO5622) & Ghent University, Department of Biology
Now: Scientific Manager Outdoor Collections Botanic Garden Meise
Project title: The challenging taxonomy and evolution of C4 Cyperus (Cyperaceae) - a focus on Pycreus and its laterally compressed pistils
Defended: 18 December 2013
Supervisors: Paul Goetghebeur & Godelieve Gheysen
Day-to-supervisor & member of examination committee: Isabel Larridon
Funded by: Ghent University Special Research Fund (BOF) PhD research grant (n° BO5622) & Ghent University, Department of Biology
Now: Scientific Manager Outdoor Collections Botanic Garden Meise
MSc students
Fitiavana Rasaminirina
Université d'Antananarivo & Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
Project title: Les Cypéracées de l’Aire Protégée du Massif d'Itremo
Academic years: 2019-2021
Supervisors: Isabel Larridon, Vonjison Rakotoarimanana & Helene Ralimanana
Project title: Les Cypéracées de l’Aire Protégée du Massif d'Itremo
Academic years: 2019-2021
Supervisors: Isabel Larridon, Vonjison Rakotoarimanana & Helene Ralimanana
Megan Griffiths
Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew & Queen Mary University of London
Project title: A revision of the tropical Cyperus section Incurvi using an integrative taxonomy approach
Academic year: 2019-2020
Supervisors: Isabel Larridon
Project title: A revision of the tropical Cyperus section Incurvi using an integrative taxonomy approach
Academic year: 2019-2020
Supervisors: Isabel Larridon
Cecile Kayitanirwa
Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew & Queen Mary University of London
Project title: Investigating the diversity of Olax (Olacaceae) in eastern Africa
Academic year: 2019-2020
Supervisors: Iain Darbyshire & Isabel Larridon
Project title: Investigating the diversity of Olax (Olacaceae) in eastern Africa
Academic year: 2019-2020
Supervisors: Iain Darbyshire & Isabel Larridon
Yuxi Liang
Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew & Queen Mary University of London
Project title: Should small annual Mesanthemum species from West Africa be separated as a new genus?
Academic year: 2017-2018
Supervisors: Martin Cheek, Isabel Larridon & Sylvia Phillips
Now: First did a MRes in Molecular and Cellular Biosciences at Imperial College London and currently doing a PhD at the Sainsbury Lab at University of Cambridge
Project title: Should small annual Mesanthemum species from West Africa be separated as a new genus?
Academic year: 2017-2018
Supervisors: Martin Cheek, Isabel Larridon & Sylvia Phillips
Now: First did a MRes in Molecular and Cellular Biosciences at Imperial College London and currently doing a PhD at the Sainsbury Lab at University of Cambridge
Javier Galán Díaz
Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew & Queen Mary University of London
Project title: Malagascan Scleria diversity: evolutionary links to mainland Africa
Supervisors: Isabel Larridon, Martin Xanthos, Andrew Leitch
Academic year: 2016-2017
Now: PhD student at Estación Biológica de Doñana & Universidad de Sevilla (Spain)
Project title: Malagascan Scleria diversity: evolutionary links to mainland Africa
Supervisors: Isabel Larridon, Martin Xanthos, Andrew Leitch
Academic year: 2016-2017
Now: PhD student at Estación Biológica de Doñana & Universidad de Sevilla (Spain)
Soua Doré
Université Gamal Abdel Nasser de Conakry
Project title: Caractérisation biophysique des ressources ligneuses du Mont Gangan, Préfecture de Kindia
Supervisors: Isabel Larridon
Academic year: 2016-2017
Now: Employed at Université de Kindia (Guinea) and pursuing a PhD
Project title: Caractérisation biophysique des ressources ligneuses du Mont Gangan, Préfecture de Kindia
Supervisors: Isabel Larridon
Academic year: 2016-2017
Now: Employed at Université de Kindia (Guinea) and pursuing a PhD
Ilias Semmouri
Ghent University
Project title: Character evolution in Cyperaceae: the importance of the small embryos
Supervisors: Paul Goetghebeur & Isabel Larridon
Academic year: 2015-2016
Now: Teaching Assistant at Ghent University Department of Animal Sciences and Aquatic Ecology
Project title: Character evolution in Cyperaceae: the importance of the small embryos
Supervisors: Paul Goetghebeur & Isabel Larridon
Academic year: 2015-2016
Now: Teaching Assistant at Ghent University Department of Animal Sciences and Aquatic Ecology
Kenny Meganck
Ghent University
Project title: Taxonomic revision of the Scleria subgenus Hypoporum (Cyperaceae) based on molecular phylogeny and morphology
Supervisors: Paul Goetghebeur & Isabel Larridon
Academic year: 2015
Now: Molecular Biologist at AfricaMuseum
Project title: Taxonomic revision of the Scleria subgenus Hypoporum (Cyperaceae) based on molecular phylogeny and morphology
Supervisors: Paul Goetghebeur & Isabel Larridon
Academic year: 2015
Now: Molecular Biologist at AfricaMuseum
Kenneth Bauters
Ghent University
Project title: Molecular Phylogeny and Systematics of Ascolepis, Lipocarpha and Volkiella (Cyperaceae)
Supervisors: Paul Goetghebeur & Isabel Larridon
Academic year: 2011
Now: Scientific Manager Outdoor Collections Botanic Garden Meise
Project title: Molecular Phylogeny and Systematics of Ascolepis, Lipocarpha and Volkiella (Cyperaceae)
Supervisors: Paul Goetghebeur & Isabel Larridon
Academic year: 2011
Now: Scientific Manager Outdoor Collections Botanic Garden Meise