Email cillialichen@hotmail.com
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Global Parasitologist Coalition
Personal website
Evolutionary and Ecological Parasitology Research Group
About me
I grew up in China and completed my BSc degree in agriculture at the Northwest A&F University. Then I went to Winnipeg, Canada, for my MSc at the University of Manitoba and started my journey with parasites. I used stable isotope analysis to fill gaps in our knowledge of parasite lifecycles and transmission. One summer, I found a Leucochloridium-infected snail during my field collection, and I became fascinated by the host manipulation phenomenon. That led me to work on host manipulation for my PhD at the University of Calgary, where I studied the mechanisms underlying the zombie ant behaviour caused by the lancet liver fluke Dicrocoelium dendriticum. Now, as a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Otago, I’m excited to explore parasite diversity and host-parasite interactions in New Zealand’s unique marine ecosystems.
In addition to research, I’m also committed to science communication. As the founder of the Global Parasitologist Coalition, I lead international outreach efforts to make parasitology accessible, engaging, and joyful. Through comics, documentaries, global events like Parasite Biodiversity Day, or playful tools like the Parasite Personality Quiz that invite people to discover which parasite best matches their personality, I aim to connect science with society in creative and inclusive ways.
Research interests
- Molecular mechanisms of host manipulation
- Environmental influences on host-parasite interactions (e.g., light pollution, nanoplastics)
- Host-parasite biodiversity and distribution
- Novel transmission pathways via stable isotope analysis