The following themes will be explored through lectures, tutorials and practicals during the course: Evolution of Parasites Molecular and Cellular Mechanisms Drug Discovery Parasites and the Immune System Immuno-diagnostics of Parasitic Infections Bioinformatics of parasite genomes Epidemiology Veterinary and Wildlife Parasitology Vector borne Diseases The course will explore the diversity of parasitic life-styles, answering questions such as: What does it take to be a parasite? What are the costs and benefits of parasitism? What host defences have developed? What mechanisms have evolved to find vectors and hosts efficiently? What is the advantage of having multiple hosts? What specific characteristics must an anti-parasitic drug have? What are the chances of developing vaccines against parasitic diseases? What will the future of parasitology look like?
