Offering the students a new perspective in the study of parasitology, by means of an ecological, evolutionary and comparative approach.
The intimate and intricate nature of the association between hosts and parasites, has traditionally been studied by giving emphasis on its pathogenicity for non-human and human animal hosts. in contrast, this course offers the student the opportunity to deepen topics such as adaptive strategies of parasitic life-style, the impact of parasitism on the community structure or else the role of a parasite in the trophic energy transfer in the community.
Emphasis will be given to the host as key element in the parasite environment and, as such, its important role as a selective pressure.