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Armando J. Cruz-Laufer

@ajcruzlaufer.bsky.social

49 followers 65 following 16 posts

Parasitologist (postdoc) at Hasselt University and ULB, Belgium. African parasite biodiversity, mangrove forests, and EcoHealth https://armando-cruzlaufer.weebly.com/ https://linktr.ee/aj_cruzlaufer

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Armando J. Cruz-Laufer @ajcruzlaufer.bsky.social · 6d

A collaboration of Hasselt University, Chelsea Wood @uwsafs.bsky.social, Farid Dahdouh-Guebas @ulbruxelles.bsky.social, Maarten Vanhove (UHasselt + @naturalsciences-be.bsky.social), Olexiy Kyrychenko (Radboud University), Dakeishla Díaz-Morales @depauluniversity.bsky.social

Armando J. Cruz-Laufer @ajcruzlaufer.bsky.social · 6d

🌍 More mangroves = less malaria 🦟
Greener mangroves = (slightly) more malaria?🌿
Conservation & mosquito control must go together.
Read our new preprint 🔗 ecoevorxiv.org/repository/v... #Malaria #Mangroves #Biodiversity

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Armando J. Cruz-Laufer @ajcruzlaufer.bsky.social · 26d

Day 5 of the 3rd expedition to the Saloum exploring the disease landscape of #mangrove forests affecting humans and fishes, funded by @fwovlaanderen.bsky.social in collaboration with Oumar Sadio from @ird-fr.bsky.social. Many fishes and mosquitoes were caught, which we will study further in the lab.

Armando J. Cruz-Laufer @ajcruzlaufer.bsky.social · Jun 27

Would be better to have parasitic ones 😄

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Armando J. Cruz-Laufer @ajcruzlaufer.bsky.social · May 15

Presented results on parasite communities in mangrove forests yesterday at the Ichthyoparasitological Symposium in Germany, a collaboration of Hasselt University, ULB, @ird-fr.bsky.social and @uwsafs.bsky.social
Thanks to the organisers! @danielg1978.bsky.social @berndsures.bsky.social

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Reposted by Armando J. Cruz-Laufer

Daniel Grabner @danielg1978.bsky.social · May 14

Discussing talks over a beer at the Ichthyoparasitology meeting organized by @berndsures.bsky.social group at @unidue.bsky.social!

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Armando J. Cruz-Laufer @ajcruzlaufer.bsky.social · Apr 28

Thanks @vschpc.bsky.social for the amazing resources that have enabled us to study the evolution of stress responses genes of flatworms parasites

VSC | Vlaams Supercomputer Centrum @vschpc.bsky.social · Apr 28

🔬 New on the VSC Research Showcase!
Parasites adapt too! 🧬
Our latest study reveals how stress response genes in parasites evolve alongside their fish hosts' ecological diversity.
Powered by #HPC at VSC! 🚀
👉 www.vscentrum.be/post/adaptiv...
#ParasiteEvolution #Genomics #ResearchShowcase

Armando J. Cruz-Laufer @ajcruzlaufer.bsky.social · Apr 23

www.nieuwsblad.be/cnt/dmf20250...

Schattig, prachtig of angstaanjagend? Biologen van UHasselt willen jouw mening kennen over parasieten

Hoe denkt u over de stinkende lijklelie of de tongetende luis? Walgelijk, schattig of angstaanjagend? Biologen van UHasselt willen uw mening kennen over parasieten om hen zo beter te beschermen. “Ze zien er misschien niet allemaal even mooi uit als een panda, maar ze zijn wel heel belangrijk voor de biodiversiteit.”

www.nieuwsblad.be

Armando J. Cruz-Laufer @ajcruzlaufer.bsky.social · Apr 23

www.hln.be/binnenland/u...

UHasselt houdt schoonheidswedstrijd voor parasieten: “Onschuldig of angstaanjagend?”

Biologen van het Centrum voor Milieukunde van UHasselt hebben een schoonheidswedstrijd voor parasieten gestart. Het brede publiek kan via een online-enquête tien geselecteerde parasietsoorten beoordel...

www.hln.be

Armando J. Cruz-Laufer @ajcruzlaufer.bsky.social · Apr 23

Our parasite perception survey was also covered by the media @vrtnws.be

www.vrt.be/vrtnws/nl/20...

UHasselt houdt schoonheidswedstrijd voor parasieten: "Afgrijselijk of fascinerend?" | VRT NWS: nieuws

Het Centrum voor Milieukunde van de UHasselt lanceert een online schoonheidswedstrijd voor parasieten. Het publiek mag 10 soorten beoordelen op eigenschappen zoals mooi of lelijk, onschuldig of angsta...

www.vrt.be

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Armando J. Cruz-Laufer @ajcruzlaufer.bsky.social · Apr 23

(5/5) BONUS: at the end of the survey, you also get to decide on the names of 4 new parasite species we recently discovered.

Armando J. Cruz-Laufer @ajcruzlaufer.bsky.social · Apr 23

(4/5) Because these perceptions may directly influence how (or if) parasites are included in conservation priorities, even though they play critical roles in ecosystem functioning and biodiversity.

Armando J. Cruz-Laufer @ajcruzlaufer.bsky.social · Apr 23

(3/5) which investigates how the public perceives wildlife parasites. The project, currently featured in the news, aims to better understand the cultural and emotional responses people have toward parasites. Why?

Armando J. Cruz-Laufer @ajcruzlaufer.bsky.social · Apr 23

(2/5) Parasites are among the most diverse and ecologically significant life forms on Earth, yet they are largely absent from public conservation discourse. Tiziana Gobbin and I are contributing to the global WASP-P survey (World Archives of Species Perception – Parasites), ...

Armando J. Cruz-Laufer @ajcruzlaufer.bsky.social · Apr 23

(1/5)🦠 Are parasites worth conserving? UHasselt researchers want to hear your opinion! 🧬

👉 Take part in the global conversation: 📊 Fill out the parasite perception survey here: uhasselt.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_...

WASP-P

Are parasites icky or interesting? 🪱 The WASP-P survey (World Archives of Species Perception - Parasites) wants to know what YOU think! Help researchers at Hasselt University to understand public per...

uhasselt.qualtrics.com

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Armando J. Cruz-Laufer @ajcruzlaufer.bsky.social · Jan 13

🚨How does an adaptive radiation of host species affect the stress responses of their parasites? Find out in our paper rdcu.be/d52Q0 in @BMCBiology. Many thanks go to all collaborators involved in this study based in 6 countries to obtain this whole-genome dataset of 11 monogenean species

Adaptive evolution of stress response genes in parasites aligns with host niche diversity

rdcu.be

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Reposted by Armando J. Cruz-Laufer

Parasite - The Journal @parasitejournal.bsky.social · Dec 14

Four new species of Cichlidogyrus (Platyhelminthes, Monopisthocotyla, Dactylogyridae) from Lake Victoria haplochromine cichlid fishes, with the redescription of C. bifurcatus and C. longipenis
doi.org/10.1051/para...

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Armando J. Cruz-Laufer @ajcruzlaufer.bsky.social · Dec 13

My first time at #BES2024. I presented our study on malaria prevalence in proximity to mangrove forests. Thanks @britishecolsoc.bsky.social for the organisation of the event and Chelsea Wood, Farid Dahdouh-Guebas, Maarten Vanhove, and Olexiy Kyrychenko for working on this study with me