The Nematology research unit has more than 80 years of experience in nematological research.
Currently we focus on taxonomy, phylogeny, morphology, and biology of nematodes from natural and agricultural ecosystems, including free-living, plant-parasitic, virus-vector, facultatively parasitic, and entomopathogenic nematodes.
Focusing from the backbone of nematode phylogeny to species delineation, we integrate a tradition of light-microscopy and ultrastructural morphology with molecular approaches.
Current topics under investigation in our research unit include:
-Diversity and succession of nematodes in compost processes
-Optimizing nematode taxonomy: combining morphology and DNA-based species delimitation, (digital) morphological vouchers, and ecology of type populations
-Biology, cryptic biodiversity, and evolution of facultatively parasitic nematodes (e.g. Halicephalobus spp.)
-Diversity of plant-parasitic and entomopathogenic nematodes in developing countries
-The origin and evolution of plant-parasitism
-Spermatogenesis of nematodes