On January 19, 2023, 2-3 PM UTC, we are honoured to have Dr. Michael Dillon (University of PLymouth) on our ONWARD Webinar Series. Michael will lecture on On the trail of a frog killer: tracking amphibian chytridiomycosis by using lateral-flow technology.

The waterborne fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) is responsible for the biggest documented loss of nature from a single disease. It causes chytridiomycosis, a catastrophic disease of amphibians responsible for pushing over 501 species of amphibian towards extinction. Rapid identification of the disease and biosecurity are essential to prevent further spread, but current laboratory-based tests are laborious, costly and ill-suited to field testing in resource limited settings. Here, we describe the generation of a point-of-care diagnostic device specific to Bd and the related salamander pathogen Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans (Bsal).

Speaker

Dr. Michael Dillon

On the trail of a frog killer – tracking amphibian chytridiomycosis by using lateral-flow technology

Michael is a Lecturer in Infection & Immunity at Peninsula Medical School. He teaches infectious disease pathogenesis and immunology across a range of medical programmes, including BMBS Undergraduate Medicine, Physician’s Associates, and the MSc Global Health programme. He has a research background, having previously developed multiple in vitro diagnostic test kits for early detection of human and veterinary pathogens in resource poor settings.

About Open Network on Water-Related Diseases (ONWARD):

ONWARD (Open Network for Water-Related Diseases) is dedicated to developing a network of scientists and stakeholders sharing a common interest in better understanding of environmental controls on outbreaks of water-related diseases; the role of societal engagement in countering it; and in forecasting, early warning and risk mapping of water-associated diseases through the use of remote sensing, field observations and mathematical modelling. Our vision is to enable cost-effective, regularly updated, geo-referenced early warning for areas vulnerable to water-associated diseases, which in turn will enable preventive measures to be deployed in a timely manner to minimise the probability of epidemics. It is an open network committed to promote better dialogue and collaboration among experts from all relevant disciplines and with stakeholders, including the general public. Through the project, we intend to bring together experts from fields related to water associated diseases such as microbiologists, remote-sensing scientists, medical practitioners, and social scientists. A series of webinars are being organised as part of the activities of ONWARD.

If you are interested in joining ONWARD, please write to onward.gcrf@gmail.com with “ONWARD Membership” in the subject line.

We will continue with the ONWARD Webinars during the next months. Expect some very exciting afternoons, or mornings or evenings, depending on where you are… If you need any additional information please send an email to Jose Luiz Moutinho.