Institute of Genetics

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  Staff & Students

Professor Jerzy Behnke

Overview Research Publications Opportunities
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Professor (Institute Affiliate)

Room: B114 (Biology Building)

Address: The School of Biology, Biology Building, The University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham, NG7 2RD, UK

Tel: +44 (0)115 951 3208 (int 13208)
Fax: 0115 951 3251
Email: Jerzy.Behnke@nottingham.ac.uk

Research Overview: Parasitology

Current research themes centre on the factors that cause variation in parasite infections and how these impinge on regulation and control of parasitic infections.

  • We are studying how parasite infections vary in wild rodents in semi-isolated eco-systems, such as the fragmented forest patches in NE Poland and the montane wadis in St. Katherine’s protectorate in the Sinai, Egypt. A particular interest is the relative importance of extrinsic (e.g. location, season, year) and intrinsic (e.g. host age, sex, physiology, social status) factors to generation of variation in parasite burdens.
  • These include genetic factors and in a model system we are mapping the genes involved.
  • In W.Africa we are analysing the resistance of West African Dwarf goats to parasitic infection.
  • Another project is investigating novel sources of anti-worm drugs (anthelmintics) from natural plant products such as fruits.
  • A fifth theme centres around the biology and immunology of human hookworm infections, in both naturally infected human communities and in laboratory systems.
  • This includes the design and analysis of trials evaluating anthelmintic efficacy in human populations, with a special interest in assessing the extent of resistance to chemotherapy in human GI nematodes.

Education, appointments and honours

BSc. In Zoology, University of Southampton 1967-1970, PhD in Parasitology, University of London, Bedford College 1970-1974, Lecturer in Zoology at the University of Nottingham, September 1976-August 1987, Senior Lecturer in Zoology at the University of Nottingham September 1987- August, 1994, Reader in Experimental Parasitology at the University of Nottingham, September 1994, December 2000, Professor of Experimental Parasitology at the University of Nottingham, January 2001 - to present

Selected Publications

  • BARNARD C.J., COLLINS S.A., DAISLEY J.N. & BEHNKE J.M., 2009. . Immunodepression reduces learning performance in male laboratory mice (mus musculus). Physiology & Behaviour, 96, 362-369.
  • BEHNKE, J M, EIRA, C, ROGAN, M, GILBERT, F S, TORRES, J, MIQUEL, J and LEWIS, J W, 2009. Helminth species richness in wild wood mice, Apodemus sylvaticus, is enhanced by the presence of the intestinal nematode Heligmosomoides polygyrus. Parasitology, 136(7), 793-804.
  • BEHNKE, J M, MENGE, D M and NOYES, H, 2009. Heligmosomoides bakeri: a model for exploring the biology and genetics of resistance to chronic gastrointestinal nematode infections. Parasitology, 136(12), 1565-80.
  • BEHNKE, JERZY and HARRIS, PHILIP, 2009. Heligmosomoides bakeri or Heligmosomoides polygyrus?. The American journal of tropical medicine and hygiene, 80(4), 684-5; author reply 685.
  • CURNO, O., BEHNKE, J. M., MCELLIGOTT, A. G., READER, T. AND BARNARD, C. J., 2009. Mothers produce less aggressive sons with accelerated immune responses when there is a threat of disease during pregnancy. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 276, 1047-1054.
  • D'ELIA, RICCARDO, BEHNKE, JERZY M, BRADLEY, JANETTE E and ELSE, KATHRYN J, 2009. Regulatory T cells: a role in the control of helminth-driven intestinal pathology and worm survival. Journal of immunology (Baltimore, Md. : 1950), 182(4), 2340-8.
  • JACKSON, JOSEPH A, FRIBERG, IDA M, BOLCH, LUKE, LOWE, ANN, RALLI, CATRIONA, HARRIS, PHILIP D, BEHNKE, JERZY M and BRADLEY, JANETTE E, 2009. Immunomodulatory parasites and toll-like receptor-mediated tumour necrosis factor alpha responsiveness in wild mammals. BMC Biology, 7, 16.
  • KOTZE, ANDREW C, LOWE, ANN, O'GRADY, JOHN, KOPP, STEVEN R and BEHNKE, JERZY M, 2009. Dose-response assay templates for in vitro assessment of resistance to benzimidazole and nicotinic acetylcholine receptor agonist drugs in human hookworms. The American journal of tropical medicine and hygiene, 81(1), 163-70.
  • LEWIS R., BEHNKE J.M., STAFFORD P. & HOLLAND C.V., 2009. Dose-dependent impact of larval Ascaris suum on host body weight in the mouse model. Journal of Helminthology, 83, 1-5.
  • PLEASS, RICHARD J and BEHNKE, JERZY M, 2009. B-cells get the T-cells but antibodies get the worms. Trends in parasitology, 25(10), 443-6.

Group Members

Trevor Jones Technician +44 (0)115 951 5151
internal (UP) 13241		 B72
Anne Lowe Research Technician +44 (0)115 951 3243
internal (UP) 13243		 B133
Wenceslaus Luoga Postgraduate Student +44(0)115 9515151
internal (UP) 12274		 B42
Sam Gorney Postgraduate Student
Michal Chrustek Postgraduate Student
Fadlul Mansur Postgraduate Student +44(0)115 9515151
internal (UP) 12274		 B42
Haydn Griffith-Jones Postgraduate Student
internal (UP) 12274		 B42