Departments

Mission

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• Identification of medically important snails and cercariae transmitted by them as well as the identification of other molluscan species.
• Studying the epidemiology of the host-parasite systems, mainly those concerning schistosomiasis and fascioliasis.
• Establishment of molluscs as bioindicators and model organisms.
• Providing consultations and guidelines for policy and decision makers regarding snail control.
• Providing biological materials of schistosomiasis and fascioliasis for research, education and training purposes.

Vision

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Molluscs are a crucial group of organisms from both medical and evolutionary perspectives. Understanding their biology enhances our ability to:

• Control various parasitic diseases, such as those transmitted by pulmonate snails.
• Establish molluscs as bioindicators and model organisms.
• Utilize them as a source for therapeutic products.
• Determine the fingerprint of Egyptian molluscs

Research Fields

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Research Fields

The research plan of fields Medical Malacology Department is within the frame of the control research program which is one of the scientific research strategies of Theodor Bilharz Research Institute. This plan was designed to study:

 

o    Identification of snails and trematode cercariae using morphological and molecular techniques.

o    Studies on host-parasite relationships and parasite and host phylogeography.

o    Detection and characterization of the transmission foci of schistosomiasis as well as fascioliasis in fresh water bodies.

o    The discovery of novel methods for snail control and protection of human infection.

o    Testing the efficacy of existing and newly discovered molluscicides under laboratory and controlled semi-field conditions at the Snail Research Station, El-Qanater El-Khayeria, Qalubia Governorate.

o    Studying the biology of molluscs for biomedical and evolutionary purposes.

o    Economic importance of Mollusca.

o    Mollusca as a source for bioactive components.

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Structure

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Structure

The Laboratory consists of seven equipped laboratories in addition to the Snail Research Station (SRS) at El-Qanater El-Khayria, Qalubia Governorate. SRS was established by Late Prof. Dr. Fouad Yousif (1986). It is a unique facility for snail studies under simulated natural conditions. It is composed of:

o    Eighteen parallel experimental ditches each of 30 m length, 1.5 m width and 0.5 m depth

o    Two laboratories and a store

o    Underground water pump for water supply (40 m depth)

The Laboratory contains the basic research instruments such as:        

o    Dissection and upright microscopes equipped with cameras.

o    Fluorescent microscope.

o    Spectrophotometers.

o    Deep freezers (-20 °C).

o    Sterilization oven.

o    ELISA reader.

o    Cooling centrifuge.

o    Snail dip nets.

o    Cercariometry apparatus.

o    Cooling room.

o    Thermo-scientific Biological Safety Cabinet.

o    pH, temperature, conductivity and total dissolved solids meter

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Techniques

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Techniques

·         Morphological and molecular identification of snails and larval stages of trematodes and nematodes.

·         Cercariometry for the identification of schistosomiasis transmission foci.

·         Screening new chemicals (natural or synthetic) for their molluscicidal and larvicidal activities and calculating their lethal concentrations.

·         Identification of the molluscs extracts and using it therapeutically.

·         Immunocytochemistry.

·         Field malacological surveys.

·         Maintenance of schistosomiasis and fascioliasis life cycles.

·         Dissection of snails for neurobiological and histological investigations.

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Services

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• Conducting training courses in the field of Schistosomiasis and Medical Malacology for trainees from Egypt, Middle East and African countries, supported by different national and international organizations.
• Providing consults to the Ministry of Health and Populations, Egypt regarding schistosomiasis control.
• Identification of snails using different techniques.
• Identification of cercariae released from snails.
• Screening of some marine animal and plant extracts against snails and free larval stages of schistosomiasis.
• Evaluation of schistosomiasis transmission in the River Nile at Greater Cairo related to human activities.
• Using snails as model for neurotoxicity of heavy metals.
• Testing the promising molluscicide  against schistosomiasis snails vectors in Egypt (laboratory, semi-field and field tests).

Training

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vv  Field survey of freshwater courses, Sampling of different snails.

 Application of various control methods under stimulated and field conditions

v  Maintenance of Schistosoma life cycle at laboratory

v  New trends in Medical Malacology

v  Snails as biomarkers for water pollution

Publications

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• Lorem Ipsum is simply dummy text of the printing and typesetting industry. Lorem Ipsum has been the industry's standard dummy text ever since the 1500s,
• Lorem Ipsum is simply dummy text of the printing and typesetting industry. Lorem Ipsum has been the industry's standard dummy text ever since the 1500s,
• Lorem Ipsum is simply dummy text of the printing and typesetting industry. Lorem Ipsum has been the industry's standard dummy text ever since the 1500s,
• Lorem Ipsum is simply dummy text of the printing and typesetting industry. Lorem Ipsum has been the industry's standard dummy text ever since the 1500s,
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Projects

Lorem Ipsum is simply dummy text of the printing and typesetting industry. Lorem Ipsum has been the industry's standard dummy text ever since the 1500s, when an unknown printer took a galley of type and scrambled it to make a type specimen book. It has survived not only five centuries, but also the leap into electronic typesetting, remaining essentially unchanged. It was popularised in the 1960s with

• Lorem Ipsum is simply dummy text of the printing and typesetting industry. Lorem Ipsum has been the industry's standard dummy text ever since the 1500s,
• Lorem Ipsum is simply dummy text of the printing and typesetting industry. Lorem Ipsum has been the industry's standard dummy text ever since the 1500s,
• Lorem Ipsum is simply dummy text of the printing and typesetting industry. Lorem Ipsum has been the industry's standard dummy text ever since the 1500s,
• Lorem Ipsum is simply dummy text of the printing and typesetting industry. Lorem Ipsum has been the industry's standard dummy text ever since the 1500s,
• Lorem Ipsum is simply dummy text of the printing and typesetting industry. Lorem Ipsum has been the industry's standard dummy text ever since the 1500s,