Double-headed, differential interference contrast microscope, with dedicated camera assembly for parasitological research and training of HQP.

点击翻译按钮获取中文摘要

Parasites are ubiquitous, present in and/or on all vertebrate species, and are important components of global biodiversity. Macro-parasites, including arthropods, roundworms, and flatworms, can have significant impacts on their hosts, ranging from death, weight loss, behavioral changes, and increased susceptibility to predation etc.. The global diversity of parasites is immense yet much of it remains undescribed. In wildlife in particular, new parasite genera, species, and strains are routinely discovered. Climate change is resulting in range expansions and emergence of parasites in new hosts and locations, and emphasizes the critical importance of maintaining highly trained personnel in the area of parasite systematics; people who are capable of identifying new genera, species, strains, and interpreting these findings within a broader biodiversity and evolutionary context. Isolation and visualization of a parasite microscopically is the 'front-line' for parasite identification and well-trained individuals may recognize unusual characteristics indicating further morphological and molecular characterization is required. These skills are being lost as increasing effort is directed towards molecular diagnostics. The fields of classical and molecular parasitology are complementary: morphological expertise allows recognition of new parasites or unusual features and identification and description of developmental stages,while molecular tools allow us to delve deeper into questions such as population biology. The equipment applied for here, a differential interference contrast microscope with a teaching head, drawing tube, and dedicated camera system, will support several training and research programs on the biodiversity of parasites in domestic and wild animals from the tropics to the Arctic and in urban, managed and natural environments. It will contribute to the NSERC CREATE Host-Parasite Interactions training program at the University of Calgary and facilitate the training and research of numerous graduate students, technicians, and undergraduates, the next generation of scientists, in parasite detection, identification, systematics and taxonomy.