Dr. Naima Starkloff
I am an Assistant Professor in the Evolutionary & Population Biology (EPB) Department of the Institute of Biodiversity & Ecosystem Dynamics (University of Amsterdam).
My research aims to unearth the factors that determine the diversity of and interactions within biological communities, with a special interest in host-parasite interactions and human-environmental interfaces. My primary system looks at seasonality and spatial variation in transmission risk of a neglected tropical disease, schistosomiasis (caused by Schistosoma haemotobium) in Tanzania. I am also interested in anthropogenic and other drivers of biodiversity variation across space and time.
members of the SNAIL lab
Part-time Postdoc, University of Amsterdam
I am interested in how the environment can shape host–parasite interactions. I study this at the mechanistic level and at different ecological scales. Currently, I work on the effects of environmental nutrient levels on the dwarf pond snail (Galba truncatula) and its liver fluke parasite (Fasciola hepatica).
Postdoc, University of Amsterdam
I am interested in disease-ecology and ecological modeling, and specialize in using field data to parameterize theoretical models, and understanding interspecific disease transmission between wildlife, livestock and humans. I specialize in tropical diseases, by identifying the environmental spread of pathogens through watering holes by collecting eDNA. Here at the SNAIL lab, I focus on developing and parameterizing models to understand the effects of climate change and land-use on Schistosomiasis outbreaks.
Paula Perán Ramos
PhD Student, University of Amsterdam
My research centers on the environmental factors that influence host–parasite dynamics. Specifically, I am investigating how dormancy behaviors in the snail Bulinus nasutus influence its survival and capacity to transmit Schistosoma haematobium. By combining field data from Tanzania with controlled lab manipulations and mathematical modeling, I study how snail responses scale up to broader population and disease trends.
Stella Vasileiadou
Masters thesis student, University of Amsterdam
I’m a master’s student exploring my niche in biodiversity conservation, climate change, and ecosystem protection. Passionate about the ocean, I aim to contribute to preserving natural habitats and understanding environmental challenges.
Alice Douglas
Masters thesis student, Vrije University, Amsterdam
I’m interested in exploring host–parasite interactions. Currently, I’m working on my master’s thesis, which focuses on Biomphalaria and Bulinus snail species in a tropical ecosystem. My research involves developing an eDNA protocol to study transmission hotspots of a neglected tropical disease and to investigate the distribution of these snails on a mercury-polluted gradient.
Moses Paul Mahalila
Masters thesis student, National Institute of Medical Research, Mwanza, Tanzania
the SNAIL lab 