Generales

Dr. Santiago Merino Rodríguez

Departamento de Ecología Evolutiva, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas. C/ José Gutiérrez Abascal 2, 28006 Madrid, Spain. E-mail: santiagom@mncn.csic.es

Conference name: Blood parasites and wildlife: The development of a discipline. 

A Brief summary of his research career

Born in Barcelona, Spain, in 1968, obtained his PhD in Biology at University of Alcalá (Madrid) in 1995. After a postdoctoral period at Université Pierre et Marie Curie (Paris, France), came back to Madrid to work at the National Museum of Natural Sciences ascribed to the Department of Evolutionary Ecology. Prof. Merino is still working at the Museum, an institute of the Higher Council for Scientific Research (CSIC) as Professor of Research. He was the Director of the Museum during eight years and treasurer of the International Union for Biological Sciences (IUBS) during ten years. Currently he is co-chair of the Working group on zoonotic diseases of the IUBS as well as a member of the Scientific Committee of the Spanish Society of Ornithology (SEO/ Birdlife). Author of more than 200 scientific publications his work is centered in the study of host-parasite interactions in wild animals, especially birds. He collaborates with researchers all over the world in studies covering species from Antarctic to Arctic including South America,  Africa and Europe.

Dr Jenny C. Dunn

Keele University, UK

A Brief summary of her research career

I obtaine my PhD in avian ecology from the University of Leeds in 2010, with a brief stint at Oxford University working on avian personality and parasite infection. I then left academia for a few years, moving to the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, where I worked as a Conservation Scientist for 6 years, focussing on developing management solutions for the conservation of the European Turtle Dove. Until this point, I had been focussed on avian ecology, working on haemoparasites as side projects. In 2016 I took up a lectureship at the University of Lincoln, where my lab worked on the ecology and diversity of parasite infection in avian systems. I moved to Keele University in summer 2024, where my lab works on a range of projects involving avian parasites and pathogens, and the impacts of humans on these systems.

Alžbeta Šujanová, PhD.

Department of Medical Zoology.
Institute of Zoology.
Slovak Academy of Sciences. Bratislava, Slovakia.
P. B. Šivickis Laboratory of Parasitology.
Nature Research Center.
Vilnius, Lithuania.

A Brief summary of her research career

Engaged in research on vector-borne diseases, particularly focusing on haemosporidia and their host-parasite associations. During doctoral studies at the Slovak Academy of Sciences in Bratislava, conducted analysis on local population structure and associations of haemosporidian and Borrelia parasites in birds. Currently pursuing postdoctoral research in Lithuania, investigating Haemoproteus parasites in Sylvia atricapilla, with emphasis on their precise detection and the impact of coinfections on the host.

Dr. Edward Charles Netherlands. 

Department of Zoology and Entomology, Free State University,
Bloemfontein, 9301, South Africa

A Brief summary of his research career

Dr Edward C. Netherlands is an accomplished parasitologist and herpetologist with extensive expertise in the study of blood parasites. Over 15 years, he has focused on understanding the diversity, life history, and interactions of these parasites with their hosts and vectors.

Dr Netherlands completed his bachelor’s degree in Zoology & Botany at North-West University (NWU) and earned his PhD in Biology from KU Leuven, Belgium (head institute), and NWU, South Africa (host institute). His doctoral research was recognised with the Research Excellence for Next Generation Researchers Award from the National Research Foundation (NRF) of South Africa. Following his PhD, he conducted a postdoctoral fellowship at NWU`s Unit for Environmental Sciences and Management, focusing on blood parasites of herpetofauna.

Currently, Dr Netherlands serves as a Senior Lecturer and researcher at the University of the Free State, South Africa. He teaches and conducts research on the diversity, evolution, and ecological implications of blood parasites in herpetofauna. In 2023, he was selected as a finalist for the TW Kambule-NSTF Award in the Emerging Researchers category by the National Science and Technology Forum (NSTF).

In addition to his research, Dr Netherlands is committed to mentoring the next generation of scientists, having supervised several postgraduate and undergraduate students who have pursued successful careers in academia and industry.

Dr Netherlands`; research has significantly contributed to our understanding of blood parasite biology and its effects on reptile and amphibian hosts, establishing him as a respected figure in the field.

Dr. Alexandra Cordunea. 

Department of Animal Breeding and Animal Production, University of
Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine of Cluj-Napoca, Romania.
Department of Parasitology and Parasitic Diseases, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine, Cluj-Napoca, Romania.

Conference name: Blood-borne pathogens associated with bats.

A Brief summary of her research career

She is currently an Assoc. Prof. at the University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine in Cluj-Napoca and teaches at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine. Alexandra has been working on vectors and vector-borne pathogens associated with bats adding valuable knowledge on the epidemiology and transmission dynamics of vector-borne pathogens (e.g. Babesia, Bartonella, Polychromophillus (bat malaria)) associated with bat populations through practical fieldwork, sample collection, and molecular biology analyses. She is also involved in various projects including WIMANET as Grant Award Coordinator.

Dr. Rodolfo Dirzo.

Departments of Biology and Earth Systems Science, Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability.

Conference name: Selective defaunation and consequences for wildlife and human health.

A Brief summary of her research career

With an undergraduate degree n Biology (University of Morels, Mexico), Master`s and PhD in Ecology (University of Wales, UK), Dirzo has been a professor of ecology at Mexico`s National University. Currently, he is a professor in Environmental Science at Stanford University. His research examines anthropogenic impact on biodiversity, ecosystem functioning and human wellbeing. On these topics, together with students and collaborators, he has published extensively. He is also committed to education and science outreach beyond the university settings and to engagement with the local communities of his study sites.