Current Research

Nematomorphs, commonly known as horsehair worms, are a clade of solely parasitic animals and sister group to the nematodes. Although they are fairly well known to the public as the worms that force their cricket hosts into drowning themselves, these fascinating animals remain significantly understudied, with many aspects of their biology still unknown.

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In my current research, I aim to increase our knowledge of how Nematomorphs (focusing on Gordionus violaceus and Gordionus aquaticus) interact with both intermediate and final hosts. I am particularly interested in discovering and describing the adaptations of Nematomorphs to a parasitic lifestyle. For this, I am employing a diverse array of methodologies spanning disciplines such as bioinformatics, parasitology, molecular biology, behavioral studies, and evolutionary biology.

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Click on the images to learn more about each project (currently being updated).