RNDr. Tomáš Macháček, Ph.D.

Research: immunobiology of helminthoses focused on host-parasite interactions in the skin, liver, lungs, and central nervous system; migration and pathogenicity of avian schistosomes, cercarial dermatitis; relations of helminthoses and other pathologies (autoimmunity, neurodegeneration, tumors).

Model species: mainly avian and human schistosomes (Trichobilharzia spp., Schistosoma mansoni); but also larvae of dog roundworms (Toxocara canis) and tapeworm metacestodes (Mesocestoides corti, Taenia crassiceps).

Methods: infection and dissection of hosts, tissue collections, histology, immunofluorescence, flow cytometry, ELISA, in vitro cultivations, isolation, and characterization of parasite antigens.

Other activities:

• Czech Society for Parasitology

Activities specified in §15g of Act No. 246/1992 Coll. on the protection of animals against cruelty, such as:

• Providing advice on the welfare of experimental animals and possibilities for replacing and reducing their use, as well as humane treatment.
• Monitoring the living conditions of experimental animals, the progress of experimental projects, and their impact on the animals used.
• Reviewing newly submitted experimental project proposals and overseeing the required records for ongoing experimental projects.