Detecting, diagnosing and disrupting schistosomiasis.

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Schistosomes released by freshwater snails cause human schistosomiasis. Sensitive diagnostics for detecting schistosome/snail environmental signatures are not currently available but would transform our ability to direct interventions in resource-poor areas. Our team of parasitologists, engineers and CASEtechnologists bring complementary skills to co-develop a much-needed method for detecting schistosomes/snails and controlling schistosomiasis.Our OneZoo PhD student and supervisory team will co-create a research programme focussing on the development of low-cost molecular approaches to detect schistosomiasis, including environmental detection of the intermediate snail host, improvement of existing clinical diagnostics and strategic deployment of WASH initiatives to disrupt disease transmission. Developing a sensitive and rapid diagnostic for detecting schistosome/snail environmental signatures represents a pressing, but unmet, medical need for schistosomiasis control.