Biomphalaria glabrata © Adam Cieplinski
Unravelling the biology of schistosomiasis to support efforts to control transmission in endemic countries.
Schistosomiasis is one of the most prevalent neglected tropical diseases, primarily affecting impoverished populations in Sub-Saharan Africa. It is responsible for an estimated 264 million cases and 300,000 deaths annually.
The disease is caused by infection with schistosomes, parasitic blood flukes transmitted by freshwater snails. It is a chronic and debilitating disease of significant public health importance.
By collaborating with the World Health Organisation and the Global Schistosomiasis Alliance, we contribute specialist expertise to global policy, supporting guidelines, surveillance strategies and elimination efforts through scientific advisory roles and applied research.
We are a global centre for research on schistosomiasis, combining biological, ecological and applied approaches to support disease control and elimination.
The Schistosomiasis Research Group conducts research in multiple areas.
Understanding schistosomes and snail hosts: Our research focuses on the biology, diversity and life cycles of schistosome parasites and their freshwater snail hosts. Laboratory and field studies explore parasite development, host specificity and parasite–snail interactions that underpin transmission.
Spatial and temporal diversity and host–parasite interactions: Through long-term field collections and molecular analyses, we investigate how schistosomes and snails vary across landscapes and through time. This work reveals population structure, hybridisation and changing transmission patterns in response to environmental and control pressures.
Xenomonitoring, diagnostics, and transmission monitoring: We develop and apply molecular tools to detect schistosomes in snail and human hosts. These approaches support surveillance, transmission mapping and the development of advanced disease-control interventions.
Collections and resources: Our scientists curate internationally important collections, including the Schistosomiasis Collection (SCAN) and the Schistosomiasis Snail Resource (SSR). SCAN is a global genetic and genomic archive of schistosomes and snails, and SSR provides live life-cycle material for research and training.
Capacity building and partnerships: A core part of the team’s mission is to work in partnership with research teams and control programmes in endemic countries across South America, Africa and Asia. Training, shared research, and in-country support strengthen local capacity to advance schistosomiasis surveillance, control and elimination.
Dr Bonnie Webster, Principal Researcher
Dr Aidan Emery, Principal Researcher
Dr Adam Cieplinski, Postdoctoral Research Associate
Dr Tom Pennance, Postdoctoral Research Associate
Lucy Smith, PhD student at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine
Nina Finley, PhD student at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine
Dr David Rollinson, Director of the Global Schistosomiasis Alliance.
A UK biomedical resource providing live schistosome life-cycle stages and their intermediate snail hosts to advance schistosomiasis research.
Building a global repository of schistosomiasis-related specimens and data as a resource for research.
Investigating drug resistance in the persistence of urogenital schistosomiasis on the island of Pemba in Zanzibar.
