BCHC News – Page 2 – Barrett Centre for Helminth Control

BCHC strengthens collaborations with University of Cambridge

This month we welcomed Klara Stark a PhD student from the Department of Veterinary, University of Cambridge. Her PhD focuses on the question ‘How does the Schistosoma mansoni egg alter the intestinal microbial makeup of its host?’ with an overall aim of new antibiotic discovery. While at Aberystwyth University she tested the antibacterial effect of Schistosoma mansoni egg excretory-secretory products using a…

Dundee Drug Discovery Unit visit

In January, members of the BCHC travelled to Dundee University and met with the team at the Drug Discovery Unit for a one-day symposium. With the aim of driving the development of new anthelmintic treatments and future collaborations, the in person meeting allowed for open discussions between chemists and data-analysts from Dundee and Cardiff Universities…

Aberystwyth Welcomes OneZoo CDT

Members of BCHC here at Aberystwyth University are proud to be a part of the OneZoo CDT. This OneZoo CDT provides a transdisciplinary approach that aims to empower the next generation of scientists to understand and control zoonotic threats around the world. Research scientists from Aberystwyth University, Cardiff University, Queen’s University Belfast, and the London…

BCHC welcomes a new member

In August 2022, the BCHC welcomed a new member – Dr Gabriel Rinaldi. Dr Rinaldi joins us from The Wellcome Sanger Institute. He was awarded the highly esteemed Future Leaders Fellowship by the UK Research and Innovation body. Over the next 4 years, his research will be based on improving our understanding of blood fluke…

BCHC Students Graduate

Last month, after long delays due to COVID-19 restrictions BCHC were pleased to welcome back several PhD and MRes students to celebrate their graduations. PhD graduates supervised by Prof Karl Hoffmann: Dr Ben Hulme: The focus of his research project was “Schistosoma mansoni α-N-acetylgalactosaminidase (SmNAGAL) regulates coordinated parasite movement and egg production” Dr Alessandra Crusco:…

BCHC members presented at British Society for Parasitology 60th Anniversary spring meeting

The University of York hosted the British Society for Parasitology spring meeting this March. This year we were able to meet in person and remotely to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the event. Keynote speakers included Amy Buck (University of Edinburgh) and Susan Wyllie (University of Dundee). Several BCHC members were involved in presentations and…

Aberystwyth University BCHC members attend virtual conference with RUTS University in Thailand

On 25th May, a virtual networking conference between Aberystwyth University and Rajamangala University of Technology Srivijaya (RUTS) took place to help establish joint future projects with a focus on veterinary research areas. The conference allowed staff and students from each university to share their veterinary expertise and provide a comprehensive insight to the facilities they utilise…

BCHC celebrates Viva success!

The BCHC is delighted to announce that at the end of February, Ben Hulme, a PhD student with Prof. Karl Hoffmann successfully defended his thesis entitled ‘Functional genomics characterisation of a α-N-acetylgalactosaminidase (α-NAGAL) in the parasitic blood fluke Schistosoma mansoni’. Ben was examined by Dr Russ Morphew (Aberystwyth University) and Professor Grace Mulcahy (University College Dublin) with…

BCHC talks chemistry with local Brownies

In mid-February, Dr Jo Forde-Thomas delivered a virtual outreach session to 1st Llanilar Brownies group. Dr Forde-Thomas talked the girls through the basic properties of acids and bases before they all got stuck in with some hands-on learning, testing the pH of whatever household substances they could find in the kitchen. The girls had great…

Research from helminth EV workshop published as Special Issue of IJP

The study of helminth extracellular vesicles (EVs) and the roles these membranous structures play in the complex processes of migration and maturation in infected hosts has become an area of growing research in recent years. In support of this growing field the BCHC was privileged to support a two-day workshop held in association with the Parasitic…

BCHC News (page 2)