I will be teaching a Marine Parasitology & Disease Course at Shoals Marine Lab this summer. Please pass along!

MARINE PARASITOLOGY AND DISEASE

COURSE DATES
June 11, 2018 to June 18, 2018

PREREQUISITES
One semester of college-level biology or equivalent.

COURSE DESCRIPTION
This course will focus on one of the most diverse and fascinating groups of marine organisms—parasites. The course will explore marine parasites and pathogens at multiple levels, including: (1) the evolutionary perspective with an emphasis on co-evolutionary relationships; (2) parasitic diseases and life cycles (from simple to complex); (3) taxonomic and phylogenetic understanding of parasite and host groups (with a focus on metazoan parasites and hosts); (4) ecological implications of parasitism in marine systems—at the population, community, and ecosystem levels; and (5) the effects of human-induced global change on parasitism in marine communities.
Students enrolled in Marine Parasitology and Disease will:

• Understand science as a way of knowing (i.e. test ideas using evidence gathered from the natural world).
• Learn fundamental facts, concepts, and theories in marine parasitology and disease.
• Understand evolutionary and ecological importance of parasites/pathogens in marine systems.
• Learn preparation and microscopy skills for parasite observations and identifications.
• Explore host and parasite diversity in the local marine environment.

FACULTY
Dr. April Blakeslee: Assistant Professor, Biology Department, East Carolina University

Dr. April Blakeslee is a marine ecologist and conservation biologist, focusing on invasion biology, parasite ecology, evolutionary ecology, and biogeography. As an Assistant Professor in the Biology Department at East Carolina University (Greenville, NC), she has developed a diverse research program involving undergraduate and graduate students. Specific to parasites, Dr. Blakeslee explores global distribution patterns and biogeography, population genetics and population ecology in native and non-native populations, community ecology and host-parasite interactions of native and non-native organisms (including host behavior, physiology, and genetics), and parasites as conservation tools. She has been performing research at SML on marine parasitology and disease for the past 15 years.

For more information please go to: https://www.shoalsmarinelaboratory.org/course/marine-parasitology-and-disease

The Blakeslee Lab on Appledore in 2017. Dr. Blakeslee is center. Image from Shoals Marine Lab (https://www.shoalsmarinelaboratory.org/course/marine-parasitology-and-disease)