Image courtesy of Adrian Streit
Nematode Biology
Strongyloides
Strongyloides spp. are gastrointestinal parasites of humans and other animals, estimated to infect ~150 million people globally as well as causing substantial loss to livestock practices. Two species, S. ratti and S. venezuelensis are natural parasites of rodents and offer ideal laboratory models to study nematode parasitism.
Research
We want to understand how parasitic nematodes infect their host at a molecular and genetic level. Our research investigates the protein-coding genes and the small RNAs that have a role in nematode parasitism. We use the parasitic nematode Strongyloides ratti, a gastrointestinal of rodents, as a model to understand nematode parasitism.
We have also started working with freeliving Caenorhabditis nematodes including C. inopinata, a recently discovered sibling species of C. elegans, to better understand the diversity of small RNA pathways in nematodes.
CONTACT
Vicky Hunt
Department of Biology & Biochemistry
University of Bath
Bath BA2 7AY
UK
Tel: +44 1225 383703
Email: bs1vlh@bath.ac.uk
Twitter: @nematodegirl