UNM Newsroom / News / Biology professor receives funding to fight pervasive African parasite

Lake Victoria

Lake Victoria is the second largest freshwater lake in the world, by surface area, and plays a crucial role in every day life for those who live in the region.

Parasite Transmission

Parasite Transmission

Locals use the lake for many activities, including washing clothes, collecting drinking water, fishing and recreation, which leads to high rates of schistotomiasis.

Biodiversity Benefits

Biodiversity Benefits

Cattle also use the lake as a water source and can transmit a different parasite into the Biomphalaria snails, which can actually reduce the rate of s. mansoni in the snails. This aspect of biodiversity has a positive impact on the region.

Parasite Transmission

Parasite Transmission

Sand-harvesters working in Lake Victoria expose themsevles to water containing the s. mansoni parasite.

Eric S. Loker

Eric S. Loker, Distinguished Professor of Biology at UNM.

UNM/KEMRI Collaboration

UNM/KEMRI Collaboration

The UNM Biology Department has collaborated with the Kenya Medical Research Institute for more than two decades. The project continues to help train graduate and postdoctoral students from the U.S. and Kenya.

Biology professor receives funding to fight pervasive African parasite

Schistosomiasis impacts ~250 million people worldwide

By Aaron Hilf July 14, 2017

Categories: Front Page Faculty News College of Arts & Sciences Biology Research

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