Address:	Königsweg 67 Building 13 14163 Berlin
Director:	Univ.-Prof. Dr. Georg von Samson-Himmelstjerna
Phone:	+49 30 838 62310
Mail:	parasitologie@vetmed.fu-berlin.de
Webpage:	http://www.vetmed.fu-berlin.de­/einrichtungen­/institute­/we13­/index.html

About

The Institute of Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine focuses on the field of Parasitology in veterinary education and research. The institute also teaches and performs research on tropical veterinary medicine and offers a full range of classical as well as advanced molecular diagnostics assays to the veterinary sector. This includes research studies with parasite isolates that are established at the institute, such as ruminant gastro-intestinal nematodes with varying degrees of drug resistance and several tick colonies. The laboratories are fully equipped to perform numerous classic-parasitological, molecular, serological and cell-biological methods. Specific focus areas include:

• The epidemiology, diagnosis and therapy/ prevention of parasitic diseases from ruminants, dogs, cats and horses 
• Research on the mechanism of antiparasitic drug action and resistance
• Several aspects of vector-borne diseases

Teaching profile

The basics of veterinary parasitology are presented to veterinary students during their fifth semester through a lecture series of 3 hours per week. During these lectures, the most important representatives from the major branches of Parasitology (Helminths, Arthropods and Protozoa) are introduced. This includes descriptions of their morphology, biology, epidemiology, pathogenesis and clinical presentation. The principles of diagnostics and the fundamental principles of therapeutics and control are also discussed. The material presented in the lectures is further illustrated during an obligatory practical course which takes place in the sixth semester (2 hours per week) and several elective courses. Examples of elective courses which are offered by the institute include parasitological diseases of pets, tropical parasitology and the impact of climate change on the distribution, adaptation and pathogenesis of parasites

Research profile

Find current research project in the PubDB.

Services

The institute offers a full range of classic-parasitological diagnostic assays for the detection of protozoal and helminth pathogens, as well as the morphological identification of parasitic arthropods. Several serological and molecular diagnostic assays are also available. Analysis of the efficacy of antiparasitic drugs can be performed as well, for instance by the use of specifically developed in-vitro assays.