FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Department of Biology to Host Regional Parasitology Conference
Media contact:
Gwen O’Brien
Director of Media Relations
Saint Mary's College
Notre Dame, IN 46556
(574) 284-4579
June 20, 2011 (Notre Dame, Ind.)—This week the Saint Mary’s College Department of Biology will host biologists from throughout the Midwest to discuss their research on parasites such as amoebas, worms, ticks, fleas and more as part of the 63rd Annual Midwestern Conference of Parasitologists (AMCOP 63). The event, which is closed to the public but open to reporters, will take place from Thursday-Saturday, June 23-25 in Science Hall.
AMCOP is a regional affiliate of the American Association of Parasitologists, a national organization of parasitologists with approximately 900 members. The AMCOP Symposium will be held at 1:30 p.m. Friday, June 24. The topic is “Genomic and Genetic Approaches to Studying Parasitic Diseases."
Two invited speakers at the symposium will discuss their research on the application of molecular techniques to combat these deadly and debilitating diseases. Michael Ferdig, Ph.D., associate professor in the Department of Biology at the University of Notre Dame, will explore drug resistance and virulence of malaria parasites in his talk, "Genomic and Genetic Approaches to Studying Malaria". Mary Ann McDowell, Ph.D., associate professor in the Department of Biology at the University of Notre Dame, will discuss genomics approaches to studying vector transmitted diseases in her talk "Omics of the Unholy Trinity".
Saint Mary’s biology professor Thomas Platt, program officer for the meeting, explained that research in parasitology is important because parasites affect more than three-fourths of all people, as well as crops, livestock and pets.
“Malaria and leishmania are two seemingly intractable diseases affecting millions of people in tropical areas of the world,” explained Platt. “Molecular approaches offer the best strategy to understanding their biology, developing treatments to mitigate their effects, and reduce their spread.” Saint Mary’s last hosted AMCOP in 1993.
For more information, contact Platt at (574) 284-4669 or tplatt@saintmarys.edu, or visit www.amcop.org.
About Saint Mary’s College: Saint Mary’s College, Notre Dame, Ind., is a four-year, Catholic, women’s institution offering five bachelor’s degrees and more than 30 major areas of study. Saint Mary’s College has six nationally accredited academic programs: social work, art, music, teacher education, chemistry and nursing. Saint Mary's College ranks among the top 100 “Best National Liberal Arts Colleges” in the U.S. News & World Report 2011 College Guide. Founded in 1844, Saint Mary’s is a pioneer in the education of women, and is sponsored by the Sisters of the Holy Cross.