Nematodes (roundworms) are the most abundant multicellular animals on earth, colonizing virtually every terrestrial, marine and freshwater habitat. While the nematode laboratory model C. elegans is the focus of intense, technically sophisticated research, much less is known about other nematodes, despite their biological importance. Of particular significance are parasitic nematodes, which comprise more than half of the estimated 28,000 nematode species; these parasites have important effects on the biology of their plant and animal hosts, threatening agricultural crops, and causing debilitating human diseases that affect over a billion people worldwide. By promoting interactions and collaborations between C. elegans researchers and investigators of parasitic nematodes, this project will increase awareness among C. elegans scientists of the issues and problems that parasitic nematode researchers face, and will pave the way for application of the powerful molecular and cell techniques developed in C. elegans research to investigations of parasitic nematodes. The planned symposium at the International C. elegans Meeting (Los Angeles June 26-30th, 2013) will provide an exceptional opportunity to reach the majority of C. elegans researchers. Six internationally recognized experts on plant, animal and human parasitic nematodes will speak on the life history and unique biology of parasitic species and on the outstanding issues in their field. In addition to formal education of the C. elegans community, this session will provide time for researchers in the two communities to interact more informally as well. The symposium aims to stimulate C. elegans researchers to think about problems facing the study and control of parasitic nematodes and to apply their expertise toward solving these problems. This session will be particularly valuable for undergraduate and graduate students and post-docs by exposing them to new possible career paths. Funds will also be provided for under-represented minority graduate students to attend the session.
Nematodes (roundworms) are the most abundant multicellular animal on the planet, with over 20,000 species in the Nemata phylum and an estimated 500,000 yet to be discovered (Hugot et al., 2001). Nematodes live in virtually every region of the planet including hot springs and artic sea ice. While some nematodes are free living, many are parasitic, living in or on countless species throughout the plant and animal kingdoms. Nematodes range in size from 250 um (abundant in soil samples) to 9 meters (residing in the sperm whale placenta). Nematode life span ranges from days to decades. Nematodes affect their plant and animal hosts in numerous ways, and several nematodes cause debilitating human diseases, affecting over a billion people worldwide, particularly in developing nations. A year ago the World Health Organization, USAID, the Gates Foundation, and many other organizations and businesses issued the London Declaration (Amazigo et al., 2012), announcing a combined effort to eliminate or eradicate ten so-called Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) by 2020. The NTDs affect 1.9 billion people, and four of these diseases are caused by nematodes (Guinea worm, river blindness, lymphatic filariasis, and soil-transmitted helminthic diseases). Currently, only a few investigators address problems of parasitic nematodes using C. elegans. We would like to encourage and facilitate more C. elegans researchers to do so. In this workshop, experts studying parasitic nematodes and their control will talk about the problems faced by their field and indicate areas where the C. elegans community may help. The workshop will provide information about parasitic nematodes and efforts to combat them as well as ample opportunity for discussions. We hope these initial interactions will ultimately facilitate and lead to scientific collaborations between the research communities.
