abl. Prof. Dr. Adrian Streit
Departmental Research Group Parasitic Nematode Group
Main Focus
The nematode genus Strongyloides consists of parasites that live as parthenogenetic females in the small intestines of their vertebrate hosts. In addition to producing parasitic offspring, the different species of Strongyloides can also form single free-living generations with males and females in between parasitic generations. This complex life cycle gives these worms an ecologically and mechanistically most interesting "choice" between a parasitic life style associated with clonal reproduction and a free-living existence with sexual reproduction. The presence of a free-living generation offers a unique opportunity for the experimental manipulation of a true parasite. We combine molecular and genetic approaches to study and compare various aspects of the reproductive biology of different species of Strongyloides and related genera.
The human parasite Strongyloides stercoralis is the causing agent of strongyloidiasis, one of the neglected tropical diseases. In collaboration with clinical parasitologists we study the taxonomy, host range and zoonotic potential of this parasite.
In international collaborations with various colleagues we also participate in studies of the reproductive and population biology of other parasitic nematodes. One example are filarial nematodes of the genus Onchocerca, which contains O. volvulus, the causing agent human onchocerciasis, also known as river blindness.
Curriculum Vitae
Last Name: Streit
First Name: Adrian
Date of Birth: April 30th 1966
Place of Birth: Berne, Switzerland
Education:
University of Berne (Switzerland): Lizentiat in Biology (1990)
University of Berne (Switzerland): Dr. Phil. Nat. (1994)
Professional Experience
1989 - 1990 Diploma (Masters) student in Biology with Prof. Dr. Daniel Schümperli, Institute of Zoology, University of Berne, Berne, Switzerland.
1990 - 1994 PhD student in Biology with Prof. Dr. Daniel Schümperli, Institute of Zoology, University of Berne, Berne, Switzerland.
1994 -1 997 Postdoctoral fellow with Prof. Dr. William B. Wood, Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of Colorado at Boulder, Boulder, U.S.A.
1997 - 1999 Postdoctoral fellow with Prof. Dr. Monica Steinmann-Zwicky, Zoological Institute, University of Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland.
1999 - 2003 Assistant (research and teaching) with Prof. Dr. Fritz Müller, Department Biology, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland.
2003 - 2008 Non-permanent project group leader (PI position), MPI for Developmental Biology, Department for Evolutionary Biology, Tübingen, Germany.
2008 - Tenured project group leader (PI position), MPI for Developmental Biology, Department of Evolutionary Biology, Tübingen, Germany.
2005 - 2012 Teaching mandate (Lehrauftrag) at the University of Tübingen.
2012 - 2020 Privatdozent (private lecturer) for Biology at the University of Tübingen
2020 - "Außerplanmäßiger Professor" at the University of Tübingen.