Sept. 2025~ UKRI/Marie Skłodowska-Curie Research Fellow, Swansea University, UK Biosciences Department, Centre of Expertise in Behavioural Ecology and Evolution, SHOALgroup Advisor: Prof. Andrew King
Oct. 2023 - Aug. 2025 Research Fellow, Institute for Advanced Study in Toulouse, France Toulouse School of Economics, University of Toulouse Capitole, IAST Mentor: Prof. Jonathan Stieglitz
May 2022 - Jan. 2023 Postdoctoral Research Fellow, The University of Hong Kong, China School of Biological Sciences, Applied Behavioural Ecology & Conservation Lab Advisor: Dr. Hannah Mumby
Sept. 2019 - Nov. 2021 Japan Society for the Promotion of Science Postdoctoral Fellow, Kyoto University, Japan Primate Research Institute, Inuyama Campus, Language & Intelligence Section, Primate Cognition Lab Advisors: Dr. Ikuma Adachi, Dr. Andrew MacIntosh
2013-2014 MSc in Ecophysiology & Ethology, University of Strasbourg, France Thesis: In the dirt: Hygienic behaviors and revulsion for feces as parasite avoidance strategies in Japanese macaques of Koshima island 2012-2013 Research assistant, Kyoto University Primate Research Institute, Japan 2011-2012 1st year of MSc in Animal & Human Behavior, University of Rennes 1, France
2009-2011BSc in Animal Biology, University of Caen Normandy, France Thesis: Cannibalism in wild chimpanzees, a literature review 2010-2011 Erasmus exchange student, Faculty of Science & Forestry, University of Joensuu, Finland
RESEARCH PROJECTS
As PI/co-PI
2025~ Baboon adaptations to disease and predation: Evolution at the service of human-wildlife interactions with Andrew King, Ines Fürtbauer (Swansea University), Justin O'Riain (University of Cape Town), Russell Hill (Durham University)
2025~ Disgust and immunity - Is there any relationship? with Arnaud Tognetti (CNRS-CEE-M), Julie Lasselin, Elahe Tavakoli, Lina Hansson, John Axelsson and Mats Olsson (Karolinska Institutet)
2025~ Behavioral adaptations of a BaYaka community to ubiquitous disease risk with Haneul Jang (IAST), Romain Duda (CNRS-CEFE) and Anne Laudisoit (University of Antwerp)
2025~ Exotic animal dealers and wildlife trade in Japan with Marie Sigaud (CESCO-MNHN), Saeko Terada (Osaka Metropolitan University) and Rémi Tournier (IntraCherche)
2025~ Conditioned food aversion and wild boar management applications with Yifu Wang (The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzen) and Jorge Tobajas (University of Córdoba)
2024~ Living in the mystery of the mines: Human perception of bats in Haut-Uélé, DRCongo with Anne Laudisoit (University of Antwerp) and Paul Webala (Maasai Mara University)
2023~ Behavioral, cognitive & physiological responses to bats and rodents in humans and chimpanzees with Nobuyuki Kawai, Takashi Hirata and Keiichi Kimura (Nagoya University), Ikuma Adachi and Sanjana Kadam (Kyoto University), Anne Laudisoit (University of Antwerp)
2022 Risk perception in human-wild boar interactions and wildlife management applications in Hong Kong with Yifu Wang (The University of Hong Kong)
2019-2022 Cognitive and physiological responses to disgust and fear elicitors in chimpanzees with Ikuma Adachi, Andrew MacIntosh and André Gonçalves (Kyoto University), Nobuyuki Kawai (Nagoya University)
2014-2019 Parasite handling strategies in non-human primates with Andrew MacIntosh and Takeshi Furuichi (Kyoto University), Clémence Poirotte (German Primate Center), Marie Charpentier (CNRS/ISEM), Barthélémy Ngoubangoye (CIRMF), Raphaël Belais (Lola ya Bonobo)
As Co-I
2024~ Foraging in the landscape of peril with Tomasz Podgórski and Jérémy Hardouin (Czech University of Life Sciences)
2024~ Non-pharmaceutical interventions across societies with the Tybur Behavioral Immune Research Lab (Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam)
2023~ Parasite avoidance and hygiene among Koshima macaques revisited with Khalid Mazid and Andrew MacIntosh (Kyoto University)
2021-2024 Attention and behavioral reactions to coprophagy in great apes with Yena Kim, Juan Perea García and Mariska Kret (Leiden University)
2021-2023 Molecular tracing of traded otters to monitor and combat illegal trade in Southeast Asia with Worata Klinsawat (King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi) Other Co-Is: Mayako Fujihara, Miho Murayama, Akiyuki Suzuki (KUWRC), Wanlop Chutipong (King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi), Marie Sigaud (CESCO-MNHN), Vanessa Gris (KUPRI), Tomomi Kitade (WWF/TRAFFIC Japan)
2019-2021 Exotic animal cafés and wildlife trade in Japan with Marie Sigaud (CESCO-MNHN) and Tomomi Kitade (WWF/TRAFFIC Japan)
2016-2022 Contaminated food aversion in captive Asian elephants and welfare implications with Nachiketha Sharma (Kyoto University) and Yena Kim (Leiden University)
MENTORING & SUPERVISION
2026~ Emma Hardel (RA, Université de Genève). Disgust database. Co-supervision with Dr. Thibaud Gruber 2025~ Nicola Jefferies (MRes student, Swansea University). Testing optimal foraging theory in coastal corvids. Co-supervision with Prof. Andrew King and Dr. Ines Fürtbauer 2025~ Caroline Berry (PhD student, Université de Genève). The role of emotional feedback in the acquisition of culture and the transmission of knowledge in chimpanzees. Supervised by Dr. Thibaud Gruber 2025~Nerice Ngoma et Reische Ouamba (Research assistants, Université Marien Ngouabi, Brazzaville). Ontogeny of microbehaviors in BaYaka from North Congo. Co-supervision with Dr. Haneul Jang 2025~Jérémy Hardouin (PhD student, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague). Foraging in the landscape of peril. Co-supervision with Dr. Tomasz Podgórski 2025Guofeng Zhou (Research assistant, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen). Conditioned food aversion in wild boars. Co-supervision with Dr. Yifu Wang 2024Romain Bawanday (Research assistant, Université de Kisangani). Living in the mystery of the mines: Human perception of bats in Haut-Uélé. 2023-2025 Keiichi Kimura (Master student, Nagoya University). Oral vs skin defence system. Supervised by Dr. Nobuyuki Kawai 2023~ Khalid Mazid (PhD student, Kyoto University). Hygiene in non-human primates revisited. Co-supervision with Dr. Andrew MacIntosh 2022~ Sanjana Kadam (PhD student, Kyoto University). The impact of negative emotions on chimpanzee cognition. Co-supervision with Dr. Ikuma Adachi 2022-2025 Sagarika Phalke (PhD student, The University of Hong Kong). Cognitive bias in Asian elephants. Supervised by Dr. Hannah Mumby 2022 Chan Chung Hei (FYP student, The University of Hong Kong). Farmers’ interest in novel wild boar deterrence methods. Co-supervision with Dr. Yifu Wang 2021 Virendra Mathur (PhD student, University of Toronto) Testing adaptive crop-deterrent methods with langurs in an Himalayan human modified landscape. Co-supervision with Dr. Himani Nautiyal (Howard University) -- part of the Himalayan Langur Project 2019-2021 Saein Lee (PhD candidate, Ewha Womans University) Responses to novel food in captive Hamadryas baboons: The role of sensory cues. Everland Monkey Valley, South Korea. Co-supervision with Dr. Yena Kim (Leiden University)
TRANS-CONTINENTAL RESEARCH & PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
2025 (2 w) Questionnaires and biological sampling on disgust and immunity, Disgusting Food Museum, Malmö, Sweden 2025 (6 w) Questionnaires, experiments and observations on the behavioral immune system of a BaYaka community, Likouala, north Congo 2025 (1 w) Behavioral experiments with captive wild boars on conditioned food aversion, HongShan Forest Zoo, Nanjing, China 2024 (1 mo) Questionnaire and eye-tracking experiment on bat perception with local populations, Oruaba, Haut-Uélé province, northeast DRCongo 2023-2024 (8 mo)Cognitive and eye-tracking experiments with chimpanzees and humans to test whether visuals of bats and rats elicit specific cognitive & physiological responses, EHUB & Nagoya University, Japan 2022 (2 mo)Survey on the damage of agricultural crops, ornamental plants or lawn by wild pigs in Hong Kong. Provision of service to the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department of the government of Hong Kong 2021 (3 mo) Saliva sample collection and surveys in Japanese otter cafes, Nagoya, Tokyo, Japan 2020-2021 (12 mo) Semi-structured interviews with stakeholders/project leaders of primate community-based conservation in DRCongo, Cameroon, Japan (online and face-to-face) 2019-2021 (18 mo) Sensory cues simulating disease or predation risk via touch-screen experiments and eye-tracking in chimpanzees, Primate Research Institute, Inuyama, Japan 2018 (5 mo) Hand-to-mouth contacts as a predictor of parasite infection in wild bonobos? Wamba, DRCongo 2016 (3 mo) Infection-risk avoidance in semi-free ranging bonobos, Lola ya Bonobo Sanctuary, Kinshasa, DRCongo 2016 (1 mo) Conspecific feces avoidance in captive Asian elephants, Seoul Zoo, South Korea (experiments conducted by Dr. Yena Kim, National Institute of Ecology, South Korea) 2015 (4 mo) Avoidance of biological contaminants through sensory cues in non-human primates, CIRMF, Gabon 2013-2021 (7 mo) Coproscopic diagnostics for parasites of non-human primates, Parasite Lab, Primate Research Institute, Inuyama, Japan 2012-2014 (14 mo) Hygiene, sociality and parasitism in Japanese macaques, Kojima Macaque Project, Kojima, Japan 2012 (2 mo) Individual-specificity in chimpanzees, gorillas and orangutans, Hellabrunn Zoo, Munich; Freie Universität, Berlin, Germany 2012 (2 mo) Laterality of gestural communication & facial expressions in threatened olive baboons, CNRS Station of Primatology, Rousset sur Arc, France 2010 (2 mo) Feeding of rescued chimpanzees and post-reintroduction monitoring, Conkouati-Douli Reserve, Republic of the Congo
FELLOWSHIPS, GRANTS & AWARDS
2025-2027 Marie Sklodowska-Curie, Postdoctoral Fellowship (220,910 EUR) 2025 Institute for Advanced Study in Toulouse, Conference Organization Grant (18,000 EUR) 2024-2025 National Geographic Society Meridian Grant (Co-I; PI: Dr. Paul Webala; 150,000 USD) 2024 Institute for Advanced Study in Toulouse, Multidisciplinary Research Grant (30,000 EUR) 2024 Ecological Society of America, Registration Grant (530 USD) 2024 Institute for Advanced Study in Toulouse, Conference Organization Grant (20,000 EUR) 2023-2026 Institute for Advanced Study in Toulouse, Research Fellowship (137,000 EUR) 2023 Marie Sklodowska-Curie, Postdoctoral Fellowship (Seal of Excellence) 2023 Canon Foundation in Europe, Research Fellowship (13,400 EUR) 2022 The University of Hong Kong, Travel Grant (16,500 HKD) 2021-2022 INLAKS India Foundation, Small Grant (Co-I; PI: PhD student Virendra Mathur; 203,200 INR) 2021-2022 Japan-ASEAN Science, Technology and Innovation Platform, Research Grant (Co-I; PI: Dr. Worata Klinsawat; 4,895 USD) 2019-2021 Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, Postdoctoral Fellowship (11,088 000 JPY) 2017-2019 Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, Doctoral Fellowship (7,800 000 JPY) 2017 Oral Presentation Award (2nd). The 8th International Symposium on Primatology and Wildlife Science, Japan Monkey Centre, Inuyama, Japan 2017 The Royal Society, Travel Grant (900 GBP) 2015-2018 Leading Graduate Program in Primatology and Wildlife Science (Ad-libitum Funding on Request) 2015-2017 Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology of Japan, Doctoral Fellowship (3,480 000 JPY) 2015 Best Poster Presentation Award. The 4th International Symposium on Primatology and Wildlife Science, Kyoto University, Japan 2015 Best Poster Presentation Award. The 3rd International Symposium on Primatology and Wildlife Science, Kyoto University, Japan 2014 Best Poster Presentation Award. The 1st International Symposium on Primatology and Wildlife Science, International Institute for Advanced Studies, Kizugawa, Japan 2014 University of Strasbourg, “Unistra” Scholarship (750 EUR) 2014 Region of Alsace, “Boussole” Scholarship (1,000 EUR) 2014 Montbell, Japan, Sponsorship (Outdoor Gear worth 134,200 JPY) 2013 Kyoto University Primate Research Institute, Cooperative Research Grant (65,000 JPY) 2012-2013 Foundation Rennes 1, “Cesure+” Scholarship (2,500 EUR) 2010-2011 European Union, Erasmus Mundus Scholarship (3,700 EUR)
TALKS
Invited Plenaries & Keynotes
120. Sarabian C (2025) On the origin of disgust: Insights from 10 years of research. Primate Society of Great Britain Winter Meeting,Cardiff, United Kingdom 119. Sarabian C (2024) Conservation cognitive ? Exploiter le dégoût en gestion faunique. Journée Faune, Gembloux, Belgium 118. Sarabian C (2020) Yuck! Behavioral immunity and potential conservation applications. The Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour (ASAB) Virtual Conference (theme: "How do pathogens and parasites affect behaviour?"), London, United Kingdom 117. Sarabian C (2019) Avoidance of biological contaminants in social primates. The Cognition, Behavior, Evolution & Network Conference (theme: "The costs and benefits of sociality"), Amsterdam, the Netherlands 116. Sarabian C (2019) Avoidance of biological contaminants in non-human primates. The 26th Annual PNIRS and GEBIN Scientific Meeting (member-sponsored symposium: "Disease avoidance: our first line of defense against pathogenic threats"), Berlin, Germany 115. Sarabian C (2017) A primate's sense of cleanliness: perspectives from Papionini and Hominini. Royal Society Theo Murphy International Scientific Meeting ("Evolution of parasite and pathogen avoidance behaviours"), Buckinghamshire, United Kingdom
Conferences
114. Hardouin J,Sarabian C, Podgórski T (2025) Danger in the air: Behavioral responses of fallow deer and wild boar to olfactory cues of infection and predation. Disgust across borders: Multidisciplinary perspectives on a core emotion, Toulouse, France (Poster) 113. Sarabian C (2025) Disgust beyond humans: Insights from our closest primate relatives and future directions. Disgust across borders: Multidisciplinary perspectives on a core emotion, Toulouse, France 112. Mazid K, Sarabian C, MacIntosh AJJ (2025) Parasite avoidance and hygiene among Koshima macaques revisited. The 20th International Symposium on Primatology and Wildlife Science, Kyoto, Japan (Poster) 111. Hardouin J, Sarabian C, Podgórski T (2025) Is danger in the air? Behavioral responses of wild boar and deer to olfactory cues of infection and predation. The 52nd Conference of the Czech and Slovak Ethological Society, Prague, Czech Republic (Poster) 110. Sarabian C (2025) Disgust across borders: The IAST effect. Friends of IAST, Toulouse, France 109. Sarabian C (2025) Dissecting disgust and fear: Opposite effects on chimpanzee cognitive processes. Swansea-CBI-IAST Workshop, Toulouse, France 108. Kadam S, Sarabian C, Adachi I (2024) Attention bias towards visual cues in chimpanzees. 36ème Colloque de la Société Francophone de Primatologie, Toulouse, France (Poster) 107. Sarabian C, MacIntosh AJJ (2024) From neurobiology to conservation: Harnessing disgust for wildlife management. The 19th Annual Meeting of the Ecological Society of America, Long Beach, United States -- part of the symposium: Ecology of disgust (invited) 106. Sarabian C, Adachi I, Hirata T, Kadam S, Kimura K, Laudisoit A, Kawai N (2024) Bats & rats: Frightening, disgusting or nothing? Human and chimpanzee responses to visuals of natural disease reservoirs. Annual Conference of the European Human Behaviour and Evolution Association, Montpellier, France 105. Sarabian C, Adachi I, Hirata T, Kadam S, Kimura K, Laudisoit A, Kawai N(2023) Bats & rats: Frightening, disgusting or nothing? Human and chimpanzee responses to visuals of natural disease reservoirs. FRESH 4th Annual Conference, Paris, France 104. Sarabian C (2023) Aux origines du dégoût : Perception & évitement du risque infectieux chez les primates. RESHAPE working group annual meeting, Marseille, France 103. Laudisoit A, Sarabian C, Mande C, Kukumanga J, Rebaka F, Ndjoku B, Bbidjo V, Kpanyogo O, Badinga A, Londroma D, Adroba P, Seema S, Prist P(2023) The conservation value of fragments: Mbudha chimpanzees' perspective. The 31st International Congress for Conservation Biology, Kigali, Rwanda (Poster) 102. Laudisoit A, Diodio Sorue A, Mande C, Prist P, Kimpungi Diana D, Madamu Massini J, Gahani Minahilo R, Ndjoku B, Lutengya Esube R, Sarabian C (2023) The conservation value of fragments: An ape’s perspective. International Conference on Biodiversity in the Congo Basin, Kisangani, DRCongo 101. Sarabian C & Laudisoit A (2022) Cascading effects of forest fragmentation on species interaction webs: Hints from DRCongo. British Ecological Society Annual Meeting, Edinburgh, United Kingdom -- part of the co-organized symposium: Human-wildlife interactions in the Global South: A lens to navigate, assess and address ecological challenges 100. Krissirisawad W, Klinsawat W, Fujihara M, Gris V, Murayama M, Okamoto Y, Sarabian C, Sigaud M, Suzuki A, Chutipong W (2022) Monitoring online otter trade in Thailand suggests continuing high trade prevalence. The 15th IUCN/SSC OSG International Otter Congress, Sospel, France (Poster; Hybrid) 99. Suzuki A, Fujihara M, Klinsawat W, Chutipong W, Sarabian C, Sigaud M, Gris V, Murayama M (2022) Estimated geographic origin of small-clawed otters kept in Japan. The 15th IUCN/SSC OSG International Otter Congress, Sospel, France (Poster; Hybrid) 98. Sarabian C, Kim Y, Sharma N (2022) Contaminated food aversion in captive Asian elephants. The 18th International Elephant Conservation & Research Symposium, Virtual (Online) 97. Sarabian C & Laudisoit A (2021) Are fragmented.ing landscapes shaping a new landscape of peril? The 30th International Congress for Conservation Biology, Kigali, Rwanda (Online) -- part of the co-organized symposium: (Anthropo)Zoonotic Disease Risk to Primates in Fragmenting.ed Landscapes 96. Bonincontro T, Bonnin N, Bortolamiol S, Sarabian C, van Hamme G, Dumez R, Narat V (2021) Conservation communautaire en Afrique Centrale (RDC) : de la pratique de terrain aux cadres institutionnels. 33ème Colloque de la Société Francophone de Primatologie, Saint-Etienne, France (Hybrid) 95. Sigaud M, Kitade T, Sarabian C (2021) Japanese exotic animal cafés fueling the pet trade: implications for biodiversity, global health and animal welfare. The 14th Asian Society of Conservation Medicine/27th Japanese Society of Zoo and Wildlife Medicine 2021 Joint Conference, Sapporo, Japan (Hybrid) 94. Sarabian C, MacIntosh AJJ, Adachi I (2021) Exploring the effects of disgust-related images on cognition in chimpanzees. Animal Behavior Society Virtual Meeting (Online) 93. Sarabian C, MacIntosh AJJ, Adachi I (2021) Exploring the effects of disgust-related images on cognition in chimpanzees. CogSci 2021 Comparative Cognition - Animal Minds, Vienna, Austria (Online poster) 92. Sigaud M, Kitade T, Sarabian C (2021) On the menu: Japanese exotic animal cafés fueling the pet trade with implications for biodiversity, global health and animal welfare. The 30th International Society for Anthrozoology Conference, Buffalo, United States (Online) 91. Sarabian C, Belais R, MacIntosh AJJ (2021) Feeding decisions predict parasite infection in sanctuary-housed bonobos. The 15th International Symposium on Primatology and Wildlife Science, Kyoto, Japan (Online) 90. Xu S, Naito AM, Keuk K, Gris V, Maeda T, Kadam S, Sigaud M, Fitzgerald M, Sarabian C (2020) #PrimatesAreNotPets: Lessons learned from Conserv’Session. The 36th Annual Congress of the Primate Society of Japan, Tokyo, Japan (Online; in Japanese) 89. Sarabian C (2019) Comparative cognition for coexistence with wildlife. The 11th International Seminar on Biodiversity and Evolution: Coexistence with Wildlife, Kyoto, Japan 88. Sigaud M, Sarabian C (2019) Why animal cafés are bad news for wildlife? Welfare concerns and problematic origins of wildlife species displayed in Japanese animal cafés. The 11th International Seminar on Biodiversity and Evolution: Coexistence with Wildlife, Kyoto, Japan (Poster) 87. Sarabian C, Plotnik JM, Curtis V, Chapman C, MacIntosh AJJ (2019) Disgust as a tool to mitigate human-wildlife conflicts and enforce appropriate ecotourism practices? The 11th International Seminar on Biodiversity and Evolution: Coexistence with Wildlife, Kyoto, Japan (Poster) 86. Sigaud M, Sarabian C (2019) Why animal cafés are bad news for wildlife? Welfare concerns and problematic origins of wildlife species displayed in Japanese animal cafés. Symposium of Integrative Biology II: World Tour, Kyoto, Japan (Poster) 85. Narat V, Sarabian C, Bonnin N, Bortolamiol S, van Hamme V, Cibot-Chemin M, Guéry J.-P., Ibnou N, Kone I (2019) Qu'est-ce que la conservation communautaire des primates ? Un nouveau groupe de travail à la SFDP. 32ème Colloque de la Société Francophone de Primatologie, Branféré, France 84. Sarabian C, Curtis V, Chapman C, MacIntosh AJJ (2019) Primate conservation through disgust and public health: Introducing a new framework. The 2nd African Primatological Society Conference, Entebbe, Uganda 83. Sarabian C, Curtis V, Chapman C, MacIntosh AJJ (2019) Disgust as a tool to mitigate human-primate conflicts and enforce appropriate ecotourism practices? The 2nd African Primatological Society Conference, Entebbe, Uganda (Poster) 82. Sarabian C, Plotnik JM, Curtis V, Chapman C, MacIntosh AJJ (2019) Disgust as a tool to mitigate human-wildlife conflicts and enforce appropriate ecotourism practices? The 29th International Congress for Conservation Biology (ICCB), Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (Poster) 81. Sarabian C, Plotnik JM, Curtis V, Chapman C, MacIntosh AJJ (2019) Conservation through disgust and public health: Introducing a new framework. The 29th International Congress for Conservation Biology (ICCB), Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 80. Sarabian C, MacIntosh AJJ (2019) Conservation through disgust and public health: Introducing a new framework. The 11th International Symposium on Primatology and Wildlife Science, Kyoto, Japan (Poster) 79. Sarabian C, MacIntosh AJJ (2019) Conservation through disgust and public health: Introducing a new framework. Symposium of Integrative Biology: Biodiversity in Asia, Kyoto, Japan (Poster) 78. Sarabian C, MacIntosh AJJ (2018) Do primates yuck? Pathogen and parasite avoidance behaviors in Papionini and Hominini. The 10th International Symposium on Primatology and Wildlife Science, Kyoto, Japan (Poster) 77. Sarabian C, Belais R, MacIntosh AJJ (2018) Feeding decisions under contamination risk in bonobos. The 27th International Primatological Society Congress, Nairobi, Kenya 76. Sarabian C, MacIntosh AJJ (2018) Do primates yuck? Pathogen and parasite avoidance behaviors in Papionini and Hominini. The 27th International Primatological Society Congress, Nairobi, Kenya (Poster) 75. Sarabian C, MacIntosh AJJ (2017) Contamination-risk sensitivity in Papionini and Hominini. The 8th International Symposium on Primatology and Wildlife Science, Japan Monkey Centre, Inuyama, Japan 74. Sarabian C, MacIntosh AJJ (2017) Pathogen and parasite avoidance behaviors: perspectives from Papionini and Hominini. The 35th International Ethological Conference ("Behaviour 2017"), Estoril, Portugal (Poster) 73. Sarabian C, MacIntosh AJJ (2017) Avoiding infection: perspectives from Papionini and Hominini. The 33rd Annual Conference of the Japanese Primatological Society, Fukushima, Japan 72. Sarabian C, MacIntosh AJJ (2017) Pathogen and parasite avoidance behaviors: perspectives from Papionini and Hominini. The 7th International Symposium on Primatology and Wildlife Science, Kyoto, Japan 71. Sarabian C, MacIntosh AJJ (2017) A primate's sense of cleanliness: perspectives from Papionini and Hominini. Kyoto University Primate Research Institute 50th Anniversary Conference, Inuyama, Japan (Poster) 70. Sarabian C, MacIntosh AJJ (2016) A primate's sense of cleanliness: perspectives from Papionini and Hominini. The 6th International Symposium on Primatology and Wildlife Science and the 5th CCT-Bio International Workshop on Tropical Biodiversity and Conservation, Kyoto, Japan 69. Sarabian C, MacIntosh AJJ (2016) A primate's sense of cleanliness: perspectives from Papionini and Hominini. The 26th Congress of the International Primatological Society, Chicago, United States 68. MacIntosh AJJ, Sarabian C, Duboscq J, Romano V, Kaneko A, Okamoto M, Suzumura T (2016) Parasites as a selective force in primate social systems evolution: perspectives from an empirical model. The 26th Congress of the International Primatological Society, Chicago, United States 67. MacIntosh AJJ, Sarabian C, Duboscq J, Romano V, Kaneko A, Okamoto M, Suzumura T (2016) Helminth parasites as potential regulators of Japanese macaque population dynamics. The 26th Congress of the International Primatological Society, Chicago, United States (Poster) 66. Sarabian C, MacIntosh AJJ (2016) Revulsion in chimpanzees: health maintenance through avoidance of biological contaminants. Chimpanzees in Context, 'Understanding Chimpanzees' Symposium Series, Lincoln Park Zoo, Chicago, United States (ePoster) 65. Sarabian C, MacIntosh AJJ (2016) Testing disgust in non-human primates. The 31st International Congress of Psychology, Yokohama, Japan (Poster) 64. Sarabian C, Poirotte C, Charpentier M, MacIntosh AJJ (2016) Testing infection-risk avoidance in primates. The 5th International Symposium on Primatology and Wildlife Science, Inuyama, Japan 63. Sarabian C, Qaempanah M, Kazemi S, Vahabzadeh H (2015) Kavikonj Nature School: A promising program for conservation education in Iran. Student Conference on Conservation Science, Cambridge, United Kingdom (Poster) 62. Sarabian C (2015) Roots & Shoots Iran: From a simple letter to the Mashhad School of Nature. Student Conference on Conservation Science, Brisbane, Australia 61. Sarabian C (2015) The education value of zoos: report on the PWS Zoo/Museum course. The 4th International Symposium on Primatology and Wildlife Science, Kyoto, Japan 60. Sarabian C, MacIntosh AJJ (2015) Hygiene correlates with low parasite infection in Japanese macaques. The 4th International Symposium on Primatology and Wildlife Science, Kyoto, Japan 59. Sarabian C (2015) The origins of hygiene: infection-risk avoidance in Papionini and Hominini. The 4th International Symposium on Primatology and Wildlife Science, Kyoto, Japan (Poster) 58. Sarabian C, MacIntosh AJJ (2015) Hygiene correlates with low parasite infection in Japanese macaques. The 31st Congress of the Primate Society of Japan, Kyoto, Japan 57. Romano V, Duboscq J, Sarabian C, Thomas E, Sueur C, MacIntosh AJJ (2015) Modeling infection transmission in primate networks to predict centrality-based risk. The 35th Sunbelt Social Network Conference, Brighton, United Kingdom 56. Sarabian C, MacIntosh AJJ (2015) On the origin of hygiene: Disgust, health and primate evolution. The 3rd International Symposium on Primatology and Wildlife Science, Kyoto, Japan (Poster) 55. Romano V, Duboscq J, Sarabian C, Thomas E, Sueur C, MacIntosh AJJ (2015) Modeling infection transmission in primate networks to predict centrality-based risk. Annual Doctoral School Days, Strasbourg, France 54. Sarabian C, Qaempanah M, Borhanynezhad Z, Kazemi S, Vahabzadeh H (2014) Roots & Shoots Iran: A promising program for environmental Education in the Middle-East. Student Conference on Conservation Science, Bangalore, India (Poster) 53. Sarabian C, MacIntosh AJJ (2014) Hygienic tendencies limit parasite infection in Japanese macaques. The 2nd International Symposium on Primatology and Wildlife Science, Primate Research Institute, Inuyama, Japan (Poster) 52. Sarabian C, MacIntosh AJJ (2014) In the dirt: hygienic behaviors and revulsion as parasite avoidance adaptations in Japanese macaques. The 25th Congress of the International Primatological Society, Hanoi, Vietnam (Poster) 51. Sarabian C, MacIntosh AJJ (2014) On the origin of hygiene: From Japanese macaques to African great apes. The 1st International Symposium on Primatology and Wildlife Science, International Institute for Advanced Studies, Kizugawa, Japan (Poster) 50. MacIntosh AJJ, Sarabian C, Thomas E, Suzumura T, Kaneko A, Takeshita S, Mouri K, Itoh M, Shimizu K, Okamoto M (2013) A field-experimental approach to primate-parasite interactions: Filling in the knowledge-gaps. The 29th Congress of the Primate Society of Japan, Okayama, Japan
Invited Lectures/Seminars
49. Behavioural immunity in animals and the origins of disgust in primates. University of Exeter, UK 04/02/2026 48. Behavioural immunity in animals and the origins of disgust in primates. University of Bristol, UK 21/01/2026 47. Behavioural immunity in animals and the origins of disgust. Webinar Behavior x Parasitism. Guadeloupe, France (Online) 29/10/2025 46. Un dégoût animal ? Perspectives éthologiques sur les réactions de rejet. Observatoire de Recherche sur la Condition Animale (Online) 04/03/2025 45. Risk perception: Evolution at the service of wildlife management and conservation? Czech University of Life Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic 26/02/2025 44. Risk perception: Evolution at the service of wildlife management and conservation.The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, China 11/02/2025 43. The evolution of disease avoidance: From cognition to conservation. Centre de Biologie Intégrative, Toulouse, France 17/12/2024 42. Disease risk perception, disgust and their applications. Institut des Sciences de l'Evolution de Montpellier, France 15/03/2024 41. Disease risk perception and its applications. Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden (Online) 18/12/2023 40. Risk perception: How to trigger protective phenotypes in animals and how to use them. International Wildlife Rehabilitation Council Coffee & Tea, USA (Online) 22/06/2023 39. Risk perception and potential applications in wildlife management and conservation. Behaviour and Evolution Research Group, Stirling University, United Kingdom (Online) 03/05/2023 38. L'écologie cognitive du risque et ses applications. UPR CHROME, Université de Nîmes, France (Online) 02/12/2022 37. Exploring disgust in nonhuman animals. Human Evolution Guest Lecture, Leiden University, the Netherlands (Online) 24/11/2022 36. Dégoût : origines et potentielles applications. Centre d'Ecologie et des Sciences de la Conservation, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris, France (Online) 07/11/2022 35. L'écologie cognitive du risque et ses applications. Musée de l'Homme, Paris, France (Online) 19/10/2022 34. On the origin of disgust: Primate responses to pathogen threats. The University of Hong Kong's Ecology & Biodiversity Seminar, Hong Kong SAR (Online) 27/05/2022 33. Disgust across borders: How to dissect pathogen avoidance in animals and how to use it? "Foundations Of Human Knowledge" undergraduate course, taught by Dr. Hannah Mumby, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR (Online) 29/03/2022 32. On the parasite avoidance-disgust continuum: where do non-human primates fit and what can we do with it? Science & Chill Seminar, EcoHealth Alliance, New York, United States (Online) 27/01/2022 31. Simulated parasite threats and potential conservation applications. Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Konstanz, Germany (Online) 26/02/2021 30. From cognition & behavior to infection: primate responses to parasitic threat. European Federation of Primatology/German Primatological Society Seminar Series, Utrecht, the Netherlands (Online) 17/02/2021 29. Community-based conservation. Dr. Andrew MacIntosh's "Conservation Biology" undergraduate class, Kyoto University, Japan (Online) 15/09/2020 28. Engouement pour les "pet cafés" au Japon : une menace pour la biodiversité, la santé, et le bien-être animal ? Séminaire doctoral de la Maison Franco-Japonaise, Tokyo, Japan (Online) 21/07/2020 27. Disgust in animals. Dr. Kelly Finn's "Exotic Sensory Systems" undergraduate class, Dartmouth College, Hanover, United States (Online) 13/05/2020 26. Exploring the origins of disgust: Evolution of parasite avoidance behaviors in primates. Robert Koch Institute, Berlin, Germany 21/12/2018 25. Exploring the origins of disgust: Evolution of parasite avoidance behaviors in primates. Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany 18/12/2018 24. Exploring the origins of disgust: Evolution of parasite avoidance behaviors in primates. German Primate Center (DPZ), Göttingen, Germany 16/12/2018 23. Les origine du dégoût: Évolution des comportements d'évitement chez les primates. Institut d'Ethnologie de Strasbourg, University of Strasbourg, France 14/12/2018 22. Exploring the origins of disgust: Evolution of parasite avoidance behaviors in primates. Dr. Cédric Sueur's "Ethology & Ecophysiology" undergraduate class, University of Strasbourg, France 13/12/2018 21. Exploring the origins of disgust: Evolution of parasite avoidance behaviors in primates. Musée de l'Homme, Paris, France 11/12/2018 20. A primate's sense of cleanliness: Perspectives from Papionini and Hominini. Institute of Cognitive & Evolutionary Anthropology, University of Oxford, United Kingdom 15/06/2017 19. Conservation strategies: public outreach and education. Dr. Andrew MacIntosh's "Conservation Biology" undergraduate class, Kyoto University, Japan 14/09/2017 18. A primate's sense of cleanliness: Perspectives from Papionini and Hominini. University of California Davis, United States 30/08/2016 17. Évitement des risques infectieux chez les primates non-humains. University of Kinshasa, DRCongo 24/06/2016 16. Évitement des risques infectieux chez les primates. Lola ya Bonobo Sanctuary, Kinshasa, DRCongo 01/07/2016 15. Testing infection-risk avoidance in primates. National Institute of Ecology, Seocheon, South Korea 22/03/2016 14. Aux origines de l'hygiène. Centre International de Recherches Médicales de Franceville, Gabon 29/09/2015 13. Hygiene origins. Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary, Uganda 30/08/2015 12. In the dirt: Hygienic tendencies limit parasite infection in Japanese macaques. Station de Primatologie CNRS, Rousset sur Arc, France 18/03/2015
Outreach
11. Des macaques japonais aux chimpanzés : L'aversion comme bouclier de santé chez les primates. Science Infuse, Médiathèque de Pau, France 14/12/2024 10. Le monde fascinant des primates et comment le préserver. Ambassadeurs de la Biodiversité, Maison des Ceriseaux, Souppes-sur-Loing, France (Online) 20/12/2020 9. Recherches sur les primates, dégoût et conservation. Exploring by the Seat of Your Pants/Canadian Geographic, Toronto, Canada (Online) 28/05/2020 8. Primate research. Exploring by the Seat of Your Pants, Toronto, Canada (Online) 14/05/2020 7. Disgust in non-human primates. JSPS Science Dialogue Program, Gifu Kamo High School, Gifu, Japan (Lecture to 10th graders) 30/01/2020 6. Testes that you can't afford (when you are a monogamous bird). Inuyama Nerds #5 (theme: "Year in review - describe your favorite science story of 2019") Primate Research Institute, Inuyama, Japan 18/12/2019 5. In the dirt: Do other primates yuck? Nerd Nite Kansai #5, UrBANGUILD, Kyoto, Japan 06/04/2019 4. How do primates avoid diseases? Biodiversity Foundation, Seoul, South Korea 19/03/2016 3. Education as a key to Conservation. Biodiversity Foundation, Seoul, South Korea 19/03/2016 2. How to become a behavioral scatologist? Kalinzu Forest Education Center, Uganda 24/08/2015 1. L'hygiène chez les macaques de Koshima. Pierre Hilly Primary School, Ranville, France 20/03/2015
ORGANIZATION OF CONFERENCES, SYMPOSIUMS & WORKSHOPS
7. Co-organizer with Dr. Catherine Molho (Toulouse School of Economics - IAST) and Dr. Arnaud Tognetti (CNRS, University of Montpellier) of the conference "Disgust across borders: Multidisciplinary perspectives on a core emotion", IAST, Toulouse, France 4-5/12/2025 6. Co-organizer with Dr. Guy Theraulaz and Dr. Aurore Avargues-Weber (CNRS, CRCA/CBI) of the joint workshopCRCA/CBI-IAST-Swansea University, Centre de Biologie Intégrative/IAST, Toulouse, France 25-26/06/2025 5. Co-organizer with Dr. Alice Baniel (IRD, University of Montpellier), Dr. Maud Mouginot (Boston University) and Dr. Hélène Chotard (Université Toulouse Jean Jaurès) of the conference "Enjeux Science-Société en Primatologie", The 36th Conference of the French-speaking Society of Primatology, Toulouse, France 15-18/10/2024 4. Co-organizer with Dr. Yifu Wang and Sagarika Phalke (The University of Hong Kong) of the symposium "Human-wildlife interactions in the Global South: A lens to navigate, assess and address ecological challenges", British Ecological Society Annual Meeting 2022, Edinburgh, United Kingdom 18-21/12/2022 3. Co-organizer with Dr. Anne Laudisoit (EcoHealth Alliance) of the symposium "(Anthropo)zoonotic disease risk to primates in fragmenting.ed landscapes", The 30th International Congress for Conservation Biology (ICCB), Kigali, Rwanda [virtual] 13-17/12/2021 2. Co-organizer with Dr. Cécile Garcia (CNRS, Musée de l'Homme) of the roundtableKyoto University Primate Research Institute-Musée de l'Homme, Musée de l'Homme, Paris, France 12/12/2018 1. Co-organizer with Dr. Rachel McMullan (The Open University) of the conference "Evolution of pathogen and parasite avoidance behaviours", Royal Society Theo Murphy International Scientific Meeting, Buckinghamshire, United Kingdom 12-13/06/2017
CONGRESS PARTICIPATION
IUCN World Conservation Congress, Hawaii, United States (2016) Meetings, interviews, and reports for Conservation Voices and Conserv'Session
SCIENCE COMMUNICATION
Scientific Committee Member
2024~ Exhibition "Hygiène & Propreté" for the reopening of the Musée d'Histoire Naturelle de Lille, France
Conservation Education Initiatives
2020 WildPic: a mobile camera application (based on disgust) that will make you keep an appropriate distance with wildlife. Conservation X Labs challenge (project instigator) 2015-2021 Conserv’Session: collective of students and postdocs organizingscreenings of conservation-/ environment-/animal welfare-related documentariesand/or discussion between the public and invited experts to reflect on these issues, Kyoto and Inuyama, Japan (co-founder and facilitator) 2014-2021 Conservation Voices for The PrimateCast: a podcast series dedicated to animal conservation, Inuyama, Japan (host and co-producer) 2013-2019 Roots & Shoots Iran: The Jane Goodall Instituteeducation and environmental awareness program (founder & overseas coordinator)
Popular Articles (as writer)
2023 Disease risk perception in animals and potential applications. Animal Ecology in Focus (EN, FR) 2018 A sense of disgust in bonobos? EurekAlert!, AAAS 2017 What grosses out a chimpanzee? EurekAlert!, AAAS 2017 In the dirt: do primates yuck? The Ethogram
Media Experience (as interviewee, reference or consultant)
2025 Book "The thinking animal: What other minds reveal about our own", Hachette UK, by Nichola Raihani 2024 Dans le dispensaire des fourmis. Epsiloon 2024 Why are women more disgusted than men? It may help them live longer. National Geographic 2023 Book "Beauty of the Beasts", Bloomsbury Publishing, by Jo Wimpenny 2023 Disgust: The Good and Evil. CBC Ideas 2023 How animals use emotional disgust as a way to stay healthy. Scientific Inquirer 2023 Children’s book "Les émotions des animaux", Editions Nathan, by Florence Pinaud & Amandine Thomas 2023 Window closing on animal cafes due to health and welfare risks? Asahi Shimbun 2023 Animals health services. Current Biology 2023 Facing extinction, but available for selfies in Japan's animal cafés. The New York Times 2023 A 'distinctly human' trait that might actually be universal. The Atlantic 2022 Children’s book "How do meerkats order pizza? Wild facts about animals and the scientists who study them" Simon & Schuster Publisher, by Brooke Barker 2022 The great adventure of taste ("La grande aventure du goût"). Le Monde de Jamy, France 3 2022 Animals disgusted too? ("Walgen dieren ook afkeer?"). Quest 2022 Odor and disgust in animals ("Walgen dieren ook van vieze geuren?"). De Standaard 2022 Interview on disgust with Alison George. New Scientist 2021 Sayonara, Cécile! (some reflections about studying the origins of disgust at KUPRI). The PrimateCast (#59) 2021Children’s book "Ik voel ik voel wat jij niet ziet", Luitingh-Sijthoff Publisher, by Lotte Stegeman 2021 The evolution of disgust and hygiene, and conservation. The Dissenter (#511), YouTube 2021 Ever feel your skin crawling? Maybe you can thank evolution. The New York Times 2021 Do not read this at lunch. The Atlantic 2021 Immune cells are more paranoid than we thought. The Atlantic 2021 The mere sight of illness may kick-start a canary's immune system. Science News 2021 The Entertainer. Who shat on the floor at my wedding? (Episode 8) 2020Giant pandas may roll in horse poop to feel warm. Science News 2020 That’s disgusting: how primates decide what not to eat. Research Outreach 2020 What makes gross things gross? Brains On!Science show for curious kids (and adults) 2019 Mama's last hug: Animal emotions and what they tell us about ourselves. NYT bestseller by Frans de Waal 2018 The origins of disgust. MindField, VSauce, YouTube 2018 Why humans feel disgust, and why other animals might too. SciShow, YouTube 2018 Fastidious apes turn up their noses at filthy food. Nature 2017 What disgusts chimpanzees? The same as us ("O que causa nojo aos chimpanzés? O mesmo que a nós"). Público 2017 Is disgust a universal emotion? The Wire 2015 Monkeys keep their food clean, sort of. Discover 2013 The macaques of Koshima ("Les macaques de l’île de Koshima"). Allô la Planète, Le Mouv’, Radio France
Media Experience beyond Science (as interviewer and filmmaker)
2019 Documentary making in Wakhan, Afghanistan regarding the lifestyle of farmers and pastoralists in the Langar village, Badakhshan (co-director with Emilie Bancel and Claire Gayraud) 2012-2013 Le Monde Académie: among the first promotion of aspiring journalists trained by Le Monde; >10 blog posts and articles regarding field work in Japan, 'green' lifestyles in Japan and social culture in Iran, Paris (but based in Japan with a trip in Iran)
TEACHING
2022 Guest lecturer (1 hour), Human evolution course, undergraduate level, Leiden University (taught by Dr. Juan Olvido Perea-García) 2022 Guest lecturer (2 hours), Foundations of Human Knowledge course, undergraduate level, The University of Hong Kong (taught by Dr. Hannah Mumby) 2020Guest lecturer (1 hour), Exotic Sensory Systems course, undergraduate level, Dartmouth College (taught by Dr. Kelly Finn) 2020 Interviewer (1 hour), CICASP Science communication workshop, mock job interviews with graduate students, Primate Research Institute (led by Dr. Susumu Tomiya) 2018Guest lecturer (1 hour), Ecophysiology & Ethology course, Master level, Université de Strasbourg (taught by Dr. Cédric Sueur) 2015, 2017, 2020 Teaching assistant (8 hours), Conservation Biology course, undergraduate level, Kyoto University (taught by Dr. Fred Bercovitch and Dr. Andrew MacIntosh)
Journals: Animal Behaviour, Animals, Behavioral Ecology & Sociobiology, Behaviour, Behavioural Processes, Biological Conservation, Biology, Biology Letters, Conservation Biology, Current Zoology, Diversity, EcoHealth, Ecology and Evolution, Environmental Science & Technology, Evolution and Human Behavior, Evolutionary Psychology, Frontiers in Conservation Science, Frontiers in Veterinary Science, Functional Ecology, International Journal of Parasitology, International Journal of Primatology, Journal of Experimental Biology, Methods in Ecology & Evolution, Nature Communications, Oikos, Parasitology, PeerJ, Philosophical Transactions of the Kansas Academy of Science, Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B, PLoS One, Primates, Proceedings of the Royal Society B, Royal Society Open Science
Grants: Agence Nationale de la Recherche (ANR)
CULTURAL & GEOGRAPHICAL EXPLORATIONS
Afghanistan, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, China, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Denmark, Finland, France, Gabon, Germany, India, Indonesia, Iran, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Madagascar, Malaysia, Mongolia, Nepal, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Qatar, Republic of the Congo, Russia, Singapore, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Tajikistan, Turkey, Uganda, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States, Vietnam
LANGUAGE ABILITIES French (native), English (fluent), R (fluent), Persian (moderate), German (moderate), Japanese (beginner-moderate), Lingala (beginner)