Research Projects

Research projects

• Harnessing the Win-Win potential: Enhancing sustainability and disease control in aquaculture by using black soldier fly larvae fed on agricultural waste. Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport of the Czech Republic, program Inter-Excellence, subprogram Inter-Action. (LUAIZ24009, 2024-2027, PI: S. Nayak)
• Food or foe: Interaction of myxozoans with red blood cells. Czech Science Foundation and Austrian Science Fund. (24-13238L, PI: P. Sojková. 2024-2027).
• Unveiling the impact of human activities on the distribution of parasites in aquatic ecosystems using metagenomic analysis. Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport of the Czech Republic, program Inter-Excellence, subprogram Inter-Action. (LUAUS24281, 2024-2027, PI: I. Fiala)
• Biodiversity Shifts in Myxozoan and Microsporidian Parasites: The Role of Human Activity and Sewage Treatment Plant in Živný Stream. Grant Agency of the University of South Bohemia. (PI: M. Bürgerová) 
• Living jewels under the water surface of Šumava. Interreg Bavorsko – Česko BYCZ01-020. https://www.fishjewels.cz/​  (Inst. of Parasitology Co-PI: I.Fiala)
• Myxozoan cystatins and fish host cathepsins: Revealing potential crosstalk during infection. Czech Science Foundation (21-16565S, PI: P. Sojková. 2021-2023).
• Complex characterisation of myxozoan mitochondria: Genome, proteome and ultrastructure approach. Czech Science Foundation. (21-29370S, PI: I. Fiala, 2021-2023)
• Unravelling the role of antibody responses in the interaction of myxozoan parasites with teleost hosts. Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport of the Czech Republic, program Inter-Excellence, subprogram Inter-Action (LTAUSA19108; PI: T. Korytar, 2019-2022).
• Comparative genomics and evolutionary history of cnidarian parasites (CNIDPar). European Commission Horizon 2020, within ASSEMBLE PLUS, EU.1.4.1.2. - Integrating and opening existing national and regional research infrastructures of European interest (project reference 730984, PI: A.S. Holzer, 2019).
• AQUAPARA-OMICS: Aquatic parasitism meets biomics - addressing key biological questions using novel datasets and modern analytical tools. Czech Science Foundation (19-28399X, PI: T. Scholz, 2019-2023).
• Life cycles of myxozoan fish parasites and their stage-specific gene expression. Czech Academy of Sciences & Hungarian Academy of Sciences (MTA 19-07, PI: A.S. Holzer, 2019-2020).
• Do antibodies matter in myxozoan infections? On specific immunity and antigenic disguises in a fish-cnidarian host-parasite model. Czech Science Foundation (19-25589Y, PI; T. Korytar, 2019-2021).
• Disentangling the Notch signalling pathway in Myxozoa. Czech Science Foundation (19-25536Y, PI; A. Lövy, 2020-2022).
• Inhibitors of cysteine proteases crucial for myxozoan pathogenicity and their interaction with the fish host. Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport of the Czech Republic, program Inter-Excellence, subprogram Inter-Action (LTAUSA17201; PI: P. Sojková, 2017-2021)
• Marine Myxozoa and their link to meiofauna: Communities, biodiversity and life cycles. Swedish Research Council (2016-00541; PI: I. Meyer-Wachsmuth, 2016-2019).
• ParaFishControl - Advanced tools and research strategies for parasite control in European farmed fish.  European Commission RIA - Research and Innovation Action, H2020 SFS-2014-2 Sustainable Food Security (project reference 634429, Coordinator: A. Sitja-Bobadilla, 2015-2020). Webpage: http://www.parafishcontrol.eu/ 
• Transmission strategy and parasitic load of C. longicollis hosts in relation to Mediterranean aquaculture. CAS proramme of support of postodoctoral fellowships (MSM200961706; P.I. A. born-Torrijos; 2017-2019).
• Turn the tide on limited myxozoan phylogeny: using high throughput sequencing to discover new Myxozoa species from the Southwest Atlantic Ocean. Czech Academy of Sciences/Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas (CONICET) (Bilateral mobility project, PI: A.S. Holzer, 2017-2018).
• Testing parasiticidal and immunomodulatory substances to combat myxozoan infections in aquaculture using novel in vitro and in vivo models. Technology Agency of the Czech Republic (TG02010016; PI: A.S. Holzer, 2016-2018).
• Large scale fish and water environment screening to assess the biodiversity of the Myxozoa: A metagenomic approach. Czech Science Foundation (16-20744S; PI: I. Fiala, 2016-2018).
• ECIP - European Centre for Ichthyoparasitology. Center of Excellence, Czech Science Foundation (505/12/G112; Coordinator: M. Gelnar, Masaryk University, Brno, 2012-2018).
• MODBIOLIN - Use of model organisms to resolve crucial biological problems on the path to innovations.  European Commission, FP7-REGPOT-2012-2013-1 (project reference 316304, Coordinator: F. Sehnal, 2013-2015).
• Novel Approaches for comparative study of myxozoan life cycle stages -  Identifying genes as well as cellular components of biological relevance for parasite proliferation. CAS Program for international collaboration (M200961205, PI: A.S. Holzer, 2012-2014). 

Commercial contracts

• Development of functional diets against amoebae and myxozoans. Contractor: Skretting Aquaculture Reasearch Centre R & D, 2019-2021.
• In vitro trials contributing to the development of in-feed treatments against AGD. Contractor: Skretting Aquaculture Reasearch Centre R & D, 2016-2018.
• Testing in-feed ingredients with potential amoebicidal effect to Paramoeba spp. Contractor:  Skretting Aquaculture Reasearch Centre R & D, 2014-2015.
• Identification of agents of gill disease in Northern European Atlantic salmon and experimental trials using selected antiparasitic substances. Contractor:  Skretting Aquaculture Reasearch Centre R & D, 2013. 

Open positions

We are continuously looking for students of all levels. Interested? Please contact the head of the laboratory of Dr. Ivan Fiala (fiala@paru.cas.cz).