Dr Russell Stothard BSc, MSc, DIC, PhD

Biography

Employment history

2007-present     Researcher, Biomedical Parasitology, Natural History Museum

2003-2005         SCI Field Programme Co-ordinator, Imperial College London

                              see SCI (Schistosomiasis Control Initiative)

1997-2003         Wellcome Trust Biodiversity Fellow, Natural History Museum

1995-1997         Wellcome Trust PDRA, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine

Qualifications

1995 PhD/DIC   Biology (Parasitology), Imperial College London

1992 MSc           Biological Computation, York University

1991 BSc            Zoology & Microbiology (Comb Hons), Leeds University  

Professional Roles

Awards

Bicentenary Medal, Linnean Society of London, 2004. Award in recognition of outstanding taxonomic work performed by a researcher under the age of 40 for studies on Bulinus and transmission of urinary schistosomaisis on Zanzibar, Tanzania.

Grants

November 2008 – October 2012. Awarded £ 665K from the Wellcome Trust. A 4-year project grant entitled “(SIMI)-Control of intestinal schistosomiasis and molecular epidemiology of Schistosoma mansoni in Ugandan infants and preschool children” awarded to Principal Investigator Dr J.R. Stothard with Dr N.B. Kabatereine as co-investigator. This application has secured a 4-year PDRA & PGRA at the NHM, as well as, 3 full-time project staff in Uganda and allowances for field teams.

October 2006 – September 2010. Awarded 2.9 million Euros from EU Commission as an INCO-DEV-FP6-STREP 4-year project. “EU_CONTRAST: A multidisciplinary alliance to optimize schistosomiasis control and transmission surveillance in sub-Saharan Africa”.  The application was a joint effort between Dr J.R. Stothard, Dr. D. Rollinson, Prof. T.K. Kristensen (present executive committee) with 14 other partner institutes. The NHM, on a FEC model, was awarded Euro 548 K. This application secured a 4-year Post-Doctoral Research Associate at the NHM. For more details see CONTRAST website link

Fellowships

Fellow of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (RSTM&H), 

Honorary Scientific Secretary of RSTMH&H 2003 - present

Fellow of the Royal Geographic Society

Guest lectures

Visiting Professor (Adjunct), Univ. of Buenos Aires, 2008 – present

Editorial boards

Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene

Research

Interests

I address important questions concerning the evolution and epidemiology of selected neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) with primary focus upon schistosomiasis (Schistosoma and planorbid snails), fulfilling the remits specified in CONTRAST and SIMI research projects. Secondary interests include studies on the molecular evolution and epidemiology of soil-transmitted helminthiasis (STH) and liver flukes (Fasciola spp. and lymnaeid snails). With my research group, I take a multidisciplinary approach to develop, evaluate and apply new molecular tools. Major focus is in East Africa, where schistosome population structure and genetic turnover in both human and snails will be assessed to develop appropriate disease control interventions. My aim is to be at the forefront of evidence-based advocacy for setting appropriate guidelines for NTD control. Fieldwork is an essential aspect of my work and often undertaken in remote, rural areas of sub-Saharan Africa.

Research Staff

Dr Martha Betson  Martha Betson CV

Mr Jose Figueiredo Jose Figueiredo CV

Dr Bonnie Webster Bonnie Webster CV

Research Student Supervision

Ms Claire Standley

Publications

Publications

Totals: 85 in peer review journals

2008

• Kane RA, Stothard JR, Emery AM, Rollinson D. (2008) Molecular characterization of freshwater snails in the genus Bulinus: a role for barcodes? Parasites & Vectors 1: 15. 10.1186/1756-3305-1-15
• Knopp S, Mohammed KA, Simba Khamis I, Mgeni AF, Stothard JR, Rollinson D, Marti H, Utzinger J. (2008) Spatial distribution of soil-transmitted helminths, including Strongyloides stercoralis, among children in Zanzibar.  Geospatial Health 3: 47-56. Geospatial Health
• Knopp S, Rinaldi L, Khamis IS, Stothard JR, Rollinson D, Maurelli MP, Steinmann P, Marti H, Cringoli G, Utzinger J. (2008) Diagnosis of soil-transmitted helminths in the era of preventive chemotherapy: Effect of multiple stool sampling and use of different diagnostic techniques PLoS NTD 12: e331. 10.1371/journal.pntd.0000331
• Rudge JW, Stothard JR, Basáñez MG, Mgeni AF, Khamis IS, Khamis AN, Rollinson D. (2008) Micro-epidemiology of urinary schistosomiasis in northern Unguja (Zanzibar): local risk factors associated with distribution of infections among schoolchildren and relevance for control. Acta Tropica 105: 45-54. 10.1016/j.actatropica.2007.09.006
• Sousa-Figueiredo JC, Basáñez MG, Mgeni AF, Khamis IS, Rollinson D, Stothard JR. (2008) A parasitological survey, in rural Zanzibar, of pre-school children and their mothers for urinary schistosomiasis, soil-transmitted helminthiases and malaria, with observations on the prevalence of anaemia. Annals of Tropical Medicine and Parasitology 102: 679-692. 10.1179/136485908X337607
• Stothard JR, Imison E, French MD, Sousa-Figueiredo JC, Khamis IS, Rollinson D. (2008) Soil-transmitted helminthiasis among mothers and their preschool children on Unguja Island, Zanzibar with emphasis ascariasis. Parasitology 135: 1447-1455. 10.1017/S0031182008004836
• Stothard JR, Pleasant J, Oguttu D, Adriko M, Galimaka R, Ruggiana A, Kazibwe F, Kabatereine NB. (2008) Strongyloides stercoralis: a field-based survey of mothers and their preschool children using ELISA, Baermann and Koga plate methods reveals low endemicity in western Uganda. Journal of Helminthology 82: 263-269. 10.1017/S0022149X08971996
• Walker, S.M., Makundi, A.E., Namuba, F.V., Kassuku, A.A., Keyyu, J., Hoey, E.M., Prodohl, P., Stothard, J.R. & Trugett, A. (2008) The distribution of Fasciola hepatica and Fasciola gigantica within southern Tanzania-constraints associated with the intermediate host Parasitology 135: 495-503. 10.1017/S0031182007004076