Visiting scientists /

Dr Raul Bettencourt

Dr Najeeb Parvez

Post-Docs

Dr Bettencourt is a Research Scientist working at the University of the Azores (IMAR), Portugal. He has a long standing interest for innate immunity and how primordial defense mechanisms evolved among taxa. He obtained his PhD degree from Stokcholm University (Sweden) working on insect immunity. His post-doctoral research, first at the University of Massachusetts and later at the University of the Azores, focused on cellular and molecular immunity in invertebrates, particularly the role and evolution of transcription-regulation factors (such as NF-kB). He joined MADL in 2005 for a 6-month stay as a Fulbright fellow working with Allam on cellular and molecular immunity in bivalves, including gene expression in response to pathogen challenge and the involvement of the tumor suppressor gene p53 homologue in apoptosis during inflammatory reactions in marine bivalves. This interaction led to the development of 2 collaborative projects with Allam funded by the Luso-American Development Foundation (FLAD). In this framework, exchange programs between MADL and the University of the Azores are currently underway, including another scheduled stay for Dr Bettencourt at MADL in 2008.

Dr Parvez received his Ph.D. from the Department of Applied Aquaculture, Barakatullah University, India in July 2007. His thesis research as a research scholar with Dr. T. A. Qureshi, investigated the bacterial pathogens associated with certain fish diseases by various biochemical and serological techniques. Najeeb is now a visiting scientist in the Marine Disease Animal Laboratory doing work with Dr. Allam on host-pathogen interactions at pallial interfaces in bivalve mollusks. More information about our current research can be found here.