Brian Fisher

Brian L. Fisher is Chair of Entomology and Senior Curator at the California Academy of Sciences and an Adjunct Full Professor in the Department of Environmental Science, Policy & Management at UC Berkeley, where he has held an appointment since 2004. His research focuses on biodiversity discovery, evolution, and conservation, particularly the extraordinary insect diversity of Madagascar. Combining extensive field exploration with taxonomy, phylogenomics, ecological monitoring, and biodiversity informatics, he has helped advance our understanding of tropical biodiversity and develop new tools for documenting life on Earth.

Fisher founded AntWeb in 2002, one of the world's leading online resources for ant biodiversity, and established the Madagascar Biodiversity Center (MBC) in Antananarivo in 2004. Through MBC, he has developed long-term research and training programs that support Malagasy scientists and integrate biodiversity discovery, conservation, and environmental monitoring. He also founded the international Ant Course, which has trained more than 460 students from over 50 countries.

His more recent work bridges fundamental biodiversity science and practical solutions to environmental and societal challenges. Through MBC's Edible Insect Research Lab, he leads research on insect-based food systems, circular agriculture, and ecological restoration, exploring how sustainable insect production can improve nutrition, agricultural productivity, and livelihoods while reducing pressure on Madagascar's remaining natural habitats.

Research Description

My research seeks to accelerate biodiversity discovery and translate scientific knowledge into effective conservation and sustainable development. Madagascar is a primary focus, where my collaborators and I investigate patterns of insect diversity, evolution, endemism, and ecosystem change through field inventories, phylogenomics, large-scale environmental monitoring, and new computational approaches. Through AntWeb, AntCat, and international biodiversity monitoring initiatives such as LIFEPLAN, we develop open research infrastructure and emerging methods, including environmental DNA, automated imaging, and AI-assisted species identification. In parallel, research at the Madagascar Biodiversity Center explores how insect farming, especially black soldier flies and edible crickets, can support circular agricultural systems, soil fertility, ecological restoration, and improved nutrition. A central objective across these programs is to build lasting scientific capacity in Madagascar and connect biodiversity research with tangible conservation and community benefits.

Additional Websites

• Fisher Lab

• Madagascar Biodiversity Center

• AntWeb

• ORCID

Education

• Ph.D., Entomology, University of California, Davis, California, 1997

• M.S., Biology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, 1992

• B.A. (Honors), Biology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, 1988

Recent Teaching

• Field Entomology (ESPM 147-3), University of California, Berkeley, 2006–2023.

• International Ant Course, founder and organizer, 2000–2023. International field-based training in ant taxonomy, systematics, and biodiversity research.

• Graduate student and postdoctoral mentorship in biodiversity science, systematics, and conservation, with particular emphasis on training Malagasy scientists through the Madagascar Biodiversity Center.

Selected Publications

• Katzke, J., et al., including Fisher, B. L. (2026). High-throughput phenomics of global ant biodiversity. Nature Methods, 23, 663–672.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41592-026-03005-0

• Ovaskainen, O., et al., including Fisher, B. L. (2025). Common to rare transfer learning (CORAL) enables inference and prediction for a quarter million rare Malagasy arthropods. Nature Methods, 22, 2074–2082.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41592-025-02823-y

• Doré, M., et al., including Fisher, B. L. (2025). Evolutionary history of ponerine ants highlights how the timing of dispersal events shapes modern biodiversity. Nature Communications, 16, 8297.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-63709-3

• Abrego, N., et al., including Fisher, B. L. (2024). Airborne DNA reveals predictable spatial and seasonal dynamics of fungi. Nature, 631, 835–842.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-024-07658-9

• Antonelli, A., et al., including Fisher, B. L. (2022). Madagascar's extraordinary biodiversity: Evolution, distribution & use. Science, 378, eabf0869.https://doi.org/10.1126/science.abf0869

• Ralimanana, H., et al., including Fisher, B. L. (2022). Madagascar's extraordinary biodiversity: Threats & opportunities. Science, 378, eadf1466.https://doi.org/10.1126/science.adf1466

• Kass, J. M., et al., including Fisher, B. L. (2022). The global distribution of known and undiscovered ant biodiversity. Science Advances, 8, eabp9908.https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.abp9908

• Fisher, B. L., Branstetter, M. G., Blaimer, B. B., Borowiec, M. L., Camacho, G. P., Doré, M., Ward, P. S. & Longino, J. T. (2025). A genus-level classification of the ant subfamily Ponerinae (Hymenoptera, Formicidae). ZooKeys, 1264, 281–349.https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1264.173399

Selected Honors and Awards

• Fulbright Scholar Award, Mozambique, 2015–2016

• Patterson Scholar, California Academy of Sciences

• National Science Foundation Postdoctoral Fellowship, South African Museum, Cape Town, 1997–1999