Parasitology and Tropical Medicine

Image of a collection of samples collected in the Ivory Coast
© Sophie SchneitlerField laboratory studies, Cote d'Ivoire. © IMMH

For many years, the IMMH has had two main areas of focus within the framework of existing cooperation’s, especially in Côte d'Ivoire and Indonesia. Research into parasitic diseases with improved diagnostics, for example using MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry, and the implementation of improved diagnostics in tropical/subtropical regions, especially for Strongyloides stercoralis. In addition, research into interactions between neglected tropical diseases and non-communicable diseases is constantly coming to the foreground, with the aid and evaluation of new diagnostics such as the Fibroscan.

 

 
Portrait shot of Prof. Dr. Dr. Sören Becker
© IMMH© IMMH

Univ.-Prof. Dr. med. Dr. phil. Sören Becker

Tel.: +49 (0) 6841 16-23900
Fax: +49 (0) 6841 16-23985
E-Mail: mikrobiologie@uks.eu

 

 
Protrait shot of Dr. Sophie Schneitler
© Sophie Schneitler© IMMH

Dr. med. Sophie Schneitler

Tel.: +49 (0) 6841 16-23900
Fax: +49 (0) 6841 16-23985
E-Mail: sophie.schneitler@uks.eu

 

 
Portrait shot of Issa Sy
© IMMH

M.Sc. Issa Sy

Tel.: +49 (0) 6841 16-47922
Fax: +49 (0) 6841 16-23985
E.Mail: issa.sy@uks.eu

 

 

Current Projects

  • Improvement of laboratory diagnostics of strongyloidiasis and other neglected tropical diseases of the gastrointestinal tract in reference laboratories on five Indonesian islands (as part of a hospital partnership project)
  • Impact of high-grade liver damage and Schistosoma infections on the incidence and clinical severity of malaria in West Africa
  • Use of a new and innovative diagnostic tool (MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry) for the identification of helminths of medical and veterinary importance
  • Analysis of the thermal imaging camera technology as a screening method for extrapulmonary tuberculosis in Uganda and Bangladesh

Selected publications by members of the research group covering this topic:

Antiparasitic stewardship: a call to action

Sören L. Becker, Sophie Schneitler (2024)

Future Microbiol. 19:5-8.

DOI: 10.2217/fmb-2023-0218

 

Combination of MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry and machine learning for rapid antimicrobial resistance screening: the case of Campylobacter spp

Maureen Feucherolles, Morgane Nennig, Sören L. Becker, Delphine Martiny, Serge Losch, Christian Penny, Henry-Michel Cauchie, Catherine Ragimbeau (2022)

Front Microbiol 12:804484

DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.804484

Awareness and perceptions of medical students and doctors regarding Tropical Medicine education and training in Europe: An international, online-based survey

Sophie Schneitler, Jonas Seebacher, Francisca Bartilotti Matos, Irem Aktar, Philippa Lantwin, Alexandra Archodoulakis, Charlotte Adamczick, Sören L. Becker, Rosemary James (2022)

Travel Med Infect Dis. 48:102323

DOI: 10.1016/j.tmaid.2022.102323

Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry for differential identification of adult Schistosoma worms

Jurena Christiane Ebersbach, Marcello Otake Sato, Matheus Pereira de Araújo, Megumi Sato, Sören L. Becker, Issa Sy (2023)

Parasit Vectors. 19;16(1):20

DOI: 10.1186/s13071-022-05604-0

Recent Advances and Potential Future Applications of MALDI-TOF Mass Spectrometry for Identification of Helminths

Issa Sy, Lucie Conrad, Sören L. Becker (2022)

Diagnostics (Basel). 12(12):3035

DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics12123035

Identification of adult Fasciola spp. using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry

Issa Sy, Lena Margardt, Emmanuel O Ngbede, Mohammed I. Adah, Saheed T. Yusuf , Jennifer Keiser, Jacqueline Rehner, Jürg Utzinger, Sven Poppert, Sören L Becker (2020)

Microorganisms 9:82

DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms9010082

Funding sources

  • UdS
  • The National Fund for Science, Technology and Innovation (FONSTI - Ivory Coast)
  • German Alliance for Global Health Research (GLOHRA)
Logos of the sponsors of the research focus Parasitology and Tropical Medicine: Saarland University (UdS), Fund for Science, Technology and Innovation (FONTSI), German Alliance for Global Health Research (GLOHRA)
© IMMH