Kunal started as a PhD candidate in Environmental Biology in 2025, studying the coevolution of ageing and eusociality.

More information about Kunal Chaudhary

professional experience

Kunal holds a dual degree (B.Tech and M.Tech) in Biochemical Engineering and Biotechnology from the Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, where his research focus on environmental biotechnology. He completed his Master’s degree in Bioinformatics and Systems Biology at Vrije Universiteit and the University of Amsterdam. In August 2025, he joined Leiden University as a PhD candidate in environmental biology, continuing his academic development in computational biology and systems-level analysis of biological processes. He has professional experience in data engineering and academic support.

His research interests span microbial ecology, mathematical and computational modeling. He has contributed to projects involving microbial community dynamics, genome annotation, and fermentation-based strategies for improving plant-based food products. His work integrates data-driven approaches with biological systems, with an emphasis on sustainability.

research topic

Evolution of a group is affected by environmental and ecological factors. Therefore, it stands to reason that the social structure of communities can significantly change the evolutionary direction. In social organisms like termites, the reproductive function is limited to the queen while the workers are responsible for procuring food and maintaining the hive. Interestingly, the two classes have significantly different lifespans. Using mathematical modelling, Kunal studies the evolution of ageing in social organisms using stage-structured demographic models.