robin gasser
Fulbright Senior Scholar
“Parasites cause devastating diseases in humans and animals worldwide. The control of economically important parasites has relied heavily on the use of chemical compounds (anti-parasitic drugs). The excessive and uncontrolled use of such has led to serious drug resistance problems, so that many treatments are no longer effective. New and improved approaches are needed.”
Dr Robin Gasser, Professor in Parasitology and Associate Dean International in the Department of Veterinary Science of the University of Melbourne, is the winner of a Fulbright Senior Scholarship. Robin will go to institutions, including California Institute of Technology and the Genome Sequencing Center (Washington University School of Medicine) to research aspects of parasite genomics.
Robin’s research, Parasite genomics: toward new intervention strategies, will utilise advanced technologies and concepts to gain improved insights into the molecular biology of parasites and the interactions with their hosts.
“We will work toward developing novel intervention strategies for destructive parasites using cutting-edge advances in genomics and bioinformatics. The project will provide a unique technology platform and a skills base in parasite genomics and will generate significant fundamental research results, leading to applied and biotechnological outcomes, such as the development of drugs and vaccines.”
Worldwide, the current financial losses caused by parasites and neglected tropical diseases have a major impact on farm profitability and exacerbate the global food shortage. “Parasitic nematodes of humans, livestock and other animals cause diseases of major socio-economic proportion globally. In particular, parasitic roundworms and flatworms have a major, long-term impact on human health and cause substantial suffering, particularly in children.”
“The long-term prospects and opportunities of our research include the development of diagnostic tests and/or safe anti-parasitic compounds, based on a better understanding of parasite genomes, host-parasite relationships and the molecular biology of the parasites themselves. Hence, there are substantial gains to be made by improving our knowledge of such neglected pathogens, leading to such outcomes.”
Robin has been recognised for his research by receiving the Bancroft Mackerras Medal (2000) from the Australian Society for Parasitology. He has published more than 250 articles in international peer-reviewed scientific journals or chapters in books, presented at more than 180 conferences internationally and held 70 competitive grants from numerous bodies or agencies. Robin is a Diplomate of the European Veterinary Parasitology College and a Fellow of the Australian Society of Microbiology. He is on the editorial boards of a number of key international scientific journals and is presently an editor of the journals Parasitology and Molecular and Cellular Probes.