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aktualisiert am 20.05.2010

 

Ecological Parasitology
Founded in 2003, the working group ‘Ecological Parasitology’ aims at intensifying the exchange of knowledge among research groups that consider ecological aspects when approaching questions of parasitology. The group is intended as an open network of parasitologists with an awareness of ecology, evolution, epidemiology and behavioural biology, also aiming at the inclusion of zoologists. Currently, the main interests are (1.) parasitological aspects of biodiversity and (2.) evolutionary parasitology. These two aspects are intimately connected since the evolution and the dispersal of species are the biological causes of biodiversity. The current focus accounts for a trend that will likely influence the relevance of parasites for questions of biodiversity: The anthropogenic influence on the environment and the accelerating globalisation will soon lead to a massive change in the ecological equilibriums worldwide, threatening biodiversity. Parasites as well as their hosts and vectors are key elements of all ecosystems and will therefore strongly be impacted by those global changes. Examples include the spread of originally only locally abundant parasites and pathogens, or their vectors, which will likely lead to a substantial risk worldwide. The exchange between researchers working on diverse ecological aspects of parasitology will help to document the current change in parasite and host communities and may enable its comparison with previous data. Thus the efficient use of taxonomic knowledge, information facilities and molecular systematic techniques will be important. Causes of change in parasite communities can be studied experimentally, driven by evolutionary questions such as the influence of parasites on the evolution of their hosts. Research into evolutionary mechanisms that are particularly relevant for the co-evolution of parasites and hosts will be of prime importance here to elucidate the principles that underlie e.g. the evolution of host specificity or potential divergence of host species resulting from the evolutionary impact of parasites. Parasites can thus be model systems to study principle questions of ecology, evolutionary biology and biodiversity.
If interested, please contact:

Ecology:
PD Dr. Bernd Sures

Zoologisches Institut I
Ökologie - Parasitologie
Universität Karlsruhe
Kornblumenstr. 13
76128 Karlsruhe
Tel. 0721 6082701
E-mail:dc11@rz.uni-karlsruhe.de

Evolution:
Dr. Joachim Kurtz

Max-Planck Institut für Limnologie
Abteilung Evolutionsökologie
August-Thienemann Str. 2
24306 Plön
Tel. 04522 763256
E-mail:kurtz@mpil-ploen.mpg.de

 

Drug Design & Development Seminar
The Drug Design & Development Seminar (DDDS) was founded at the Bernhard-Nocht-Institute, Hamburg in 1999 as a working group of the German Society for Parasitology (DGP). At that time, main initiators were Prof. Dr. Peter Köhler, Prof. Dr. Rolf Walter, and Prof. Dr. Heiner Schirmer. The DDDS facilitates the exchange of scientific information about antiparasitic chemotherapy between universities, industry, and other research organizations. Independent of a DGP membership, the DDDS is open for scientist and professionals from all over the world interested in the field of anti-parasitic research. Meetings are held on a yearly basis, whereby every second year the workgroup is integrated in the bi-annual meeting of the DGP. Main subjects are: Target identification and validation, the identification of target modulators like for example agonists and antagonists, and the synthesis and optimization of such molecules towards drug candidates and marketable drugs. Meetings: Hamburg (1999, 2005, 2008), Zürich (2001), Heidelberg (2003), Lübeck (2002), Würzburg (2004), Wien (2006), Tübingen (2007), Rauischholzhausen (2009), Düsseldorf (2010).
Contact: Prof. Dr. Paul M. Selzer


Intervet Innovation GmbH
Drug Discovery / BioChemInformatics
Zur Propstei
55270 Schwabenheim / Germany

Phone +49 (0)6130-948-206
Fax +49 (0)6130-948-517
Mobile +49 (0)1735730576
Email: Paul.Selzer@Intervet.com

 

Ichthyoparasitology
The working group Ichthyoparasitology was founded in 1978 within the Parasitological Society of the former GDR and was continued after the reunification in the DGP. Since 1985, yearly meetings were held at the marine biology station in Boiensdorf (Mecklenburg). Today, the working group is a network of biologists and veterinarians working in applied and basic research on various aspects of marine and freshwater fish parasites. The fields of interest of the participating colleagues are as diverse as the fish parasites themselves. They range from diagnosis, therapy and health care in fish farms over taxonomical, epidemiological and ecological studies to fish-parasite systems as (laboratory-)models to investigate questions of toxicology, physiology, immunology and evolutionary biology. Furthermore, people of the network study intermediate and definitive hosts of fish parasites, as well as transmission strategies of the infective parasite stages. The yearly meetings, usually at a weekend in June, with 15-25 participants and 12-16 talks, do not only serve for the presentation of recent findings, but (even more important) are a suitable forum for the exchange of experiences and discussions about new ideas, projects and current developments. Due to the great diversity of expertises among the participants and the informal character, these symposia are always good opportunities for students and newcomers in the field of fish parasites to meet people and to get in contact with specialists.

Contact: Prof. Dr. Lothar W. Reimer
Am Bahnhof Minden Stadt 4
32423 Minden
E-mail:LotharWReimer@web.de

Contact: Dr. Martin Kalbe
Max-Planck Institut für Limnologie
Abteilung Evolutionsökologie
August-Thienemann Str. 2
24306 Plön
E-mail:kalbe@mpil-ploen.mpg.de

Ecological Parasitology
Drug development
Ichthyoparasitology