Free-living nematode models of anthelmintic resistance and environmental impact
Supervisor
Prof James Cotton, School of Biodiversity, One Health and Veterinary Medicine, University of Glasgow
Dr Roy Neilson, Ecological Sciences Department, The James Hutton Institute
Dr Roz Laing, Ri Biodiversity Animal Health & Compmed, College of Medical, Veterinary & Life Sciences, University of Glasgow
Summary
Parasitic nematodes cause important diseases in people, livestock and wildlife. Nematode infections are treated by large-scale use of anthelmintic drugs, which has led to the emergence of widespread anthelmintic resistance (AR). An additional concern with widespread anthelmintic use is the environmental impact on soil invertebrates. Identifying the genetic basis of AR would empower methods to trace the spread of AR through nematode populations, guide treatment decisions and to design drugs that avoid existing resistance. The free-living laboratory nematode Caenorhabditis elegans has been very widely and successfully used to study AR, but for one key group of anthelmintics – the macrocyclic lactones – this approach has not identified resistance loci relevant in parasites. C. elegans is also not found in pasture nematode communities likely to be exposed to anthelmintic residues. In this project, we will aim to isolate free-living nematodes from Scottish pastures and establish them as tractable genetic models in the lab. We will then use these to identify novel AR loci, then develop molecular tools to study these loci in pasture nematode communities.
The project will both enhance our understanding of how nematodes evolve resistance to the drugs we use to control nematode infections, and to the environmental consequences of anthropogenic anthelmintic use.
The student will receive multidisciplinary training in molecular biology, population genetics and genomics, model organism biology and genetics, and soil ecology. Together with training in research skills and broader transferable skills, this will equip them to contribute to a diverse range of research topics relevant to both academic research and applicable outside academia