I am based at the Atlantic Technological University in Galway, Ireland. Here I lecture on courses in aquatic biology and ecology and I pursue my research interests in ecological parasitology.
My current research involves studying a wide range of hosts, from birds to shrimp. We also work on a diverse suite of parasites, from microscopic single celled protozoa to isopod parasites the size of a finger nail. We are interested in how parasites affect their hosts, including the host’s ability to defend themselves against parasite infections. We also examine the strategies used by parasites to continuously adapt towards successfully infecting their host and getting transmitted between hosts.
In pursuing these research interests, we have searched for parasites in intertidal snails, crabs, shrimp, tadpoles, frogs, fish, birds and mammals, as well as searching their organs and faeces.
Through my ongoing research, my postdoctoral work at Ryerson University in Toronto, and my PhD studies at the University of Otago in New Zealand, I have described new parasites species and discovered some of the peculiar ways they affect their host and manage to complete their life cycles.
I am fascinated by host-parasite interactions in general and enjoy learning more about them every day.
For more on my research check out my research website here.
