Project properties
Title Helminths as members of the gut microbiome
Group Nematology, Laboratory of
Project type thesis
Credits 24-39
Supervisor(s) Stefan Geisen/Ruud Wilbers/Arjen Schots
Examiner(s) Staff members Nematology
Contact info Arjen.Schots@wur.nl
Begin date 2023/01/01
End date 2024/12/31
Description Parasitic worms (or helminths) are often seen as bad, but after a long history of co-evolution, parasites can modulate the immune system of their host for the better. The old friend’s hypothesis even states that we have become dependent on the exposure to worm parasites for our immune system to develop properly. As a result, worm-infected people are less likely to develop allergies or autoimmune diseases.

Many parasitic worms infect the gastrointestinal tract of their host, where they occupy the same niche as the gut microbiome. The gut microbiome is a complex ‘ecosystem’ where bacteria, fungi, protozoa and worms have intricate interactions with each other and the host. Most importantly, changes in microbiome composition can have a major impact on the health of the host. This is why our lab aims to study the effect of natural helminth infections on the gut microbiome. Within this project we examine gastrointestinal tracts and fecal samples for helminth infections, both microscopically and with molecular techniques such as PCR. In addition, we use high-throughput sequencing and techniques and bioinformatics to unravel the gut microbiome composition.

Overall, your work will help to better understand the relationship between helminths and other members of the gut microbiome, and their collective impact on health of their host.
Used skills
Requirements