Aberystwyth scientists working on new drugs to tackle parasitic worms

Scientists at Aberystwyth University’s Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences (IBERS) are bringing together chemists, biologists and parasitologists from Welsh universities and companies based in Wales to build and lead a new consortium for parasite drug discovery and research within Wales.
The scientific term for parasitic worms is helminths and drugs capable of destroying or eliminating parasitic worms are known as anthelmintics.
Professor of Parasitology Peter Brophy from IBERS said, “Parasitic worms (helminth) have devastating impacts on human health, animal welfare and food production, with climate change spreading worm diseases to new regions.
“The control of parasitic worms of livestock is not sustainable in the absence of vaccines, increasing anthelmintic (drug) resistance and few alternative drugs.
“Parasitic helminths are a major threat to global food security and food borne human disease. Better diagnostics, vaccination strategies and new anthelmintic compounds are urgently needed.”
IBERS is strategically funded by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) and a free one-day workshop with a networking evening dinner, funded by the BBSRC & National Research Network (NRN), will be held in Aberystwyth on the 15th September 2014 to stimulate research in anthelmintic discovery within Wales.
The workshop will be held at the Medrus Conference Centre on Penglais Campus, Aberystwyth University. Financial assistance is available for graduate students and early career scientists to attend the workshop. A limited number of places remain – for registration please contact worms-registration@aber.ac.uk

Photo: Professor Peter Brophy and Dr Russ Morphew from IBERS with parasitic roundworms – common in the UK and worldwide.

IBERS, Aberystwyth University www.aber.ac.uk
The Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences (IBERS) is an internationally recognised research and teaching centre providing a unique base for research in response to global challenges such as food security, bioenergy and sustainability, and the impacts of climate change. IBERS scientists conduct basic, strategic and applied research from genes and molecules to organisms and the environment.
IBERS receives strategic research funding of £10.5 million from the BBSRC to support long term mission driven research, and is a member of the National Institutes of Bioscience. IBERS also benefits from financial support from the Welsh Government, DEFRA and the European Union.

Aberystwyth University www.aber.ac.uk
Established in 1872, Aberystwyth is a leading teaching and research university and was awarded a Queen’s Anniversary Prize for Higher and Further Education in 2009. It is 35th in the UK for ‘Research Quality’ (Sunday Times University Guide 2014) and won the award for Outstanding Contribution to Innovation and Technology at the Times Higher Education Awards 2013. The University is a community of 12,000 students and 2,300 staff and is about creating opportunities, research with excellence that makes an impact, teaching that inspires, engaging the world, working in partnership and investing in our future.