Dr Tom Pennance

I am a Postdoctoral Researcher in the Schistosomiasis Research Group whose research integrates genomics, bioinformatics, and field epidemiology to understand both the parasites (Schistosoma spp.) and African freshwater snail vectors (Bulinus and Biomphalaria spp.). I am currently working on the RESIST project (funded by Merck KGaA and the Wellcome Trust), where I lead the genomic surveillance activities for Schistosoma haematobium under international, multidisciplinary research programmes to detect early signals of praziquantel resistance using historical (museum archived) and contemporary parasite collections.

I have previously held a Postdoctoral Fellow position (funded by NIH R01AI141862) in Michelle Steainauer's group at Western University of Health Sciences (Oregon, USA) where a combination of experimental, genomic and transcriptomic tools were used to investigate the diversity of African Biomphalaria spp. and their dynamics of infection with Schistosoma mansoni, primarily in regard to the allelic variation associated with resistance and susceptibility.

I obtained my Master of Science degree in Medical Parasitology at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (graduating 2014), which led to working for the Schistosomiasis Consortium for Operational Research and Evaluation (Natural History Museum and Royal Veterinary College) population genetics arm, following which I completed my PhD in African Bulinus diversity and S. haematobium transmission (Natural History Museum and Cardiff University).

I co-chair the GSA Snail Vectors working group, which convenes together researchers working on the snail intermediate host of schistosomiasis to facilitate communication, address barriers to research and identify potential solutions. Intermediate host snails are a crucial component of the schistosome life cycle, it is all too often overlooked that there is no schistosomiasis without these molluscan hosts. Despite this, we still know very little about the biology of the snail vector species, and their interactions with schistosomes, particularly those from endemic regions of Africa. I have developed an open access Schistosome Snail Vectors Pocket Guide, which provides a simple, quick visual reference to support rapid field differentiation of Bulinus and Biomphalaria from other morphologically similar freshwater snails across Africa and neighbouring regions.