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Robert Poulin

Tel +64 3 479 7983
Email robert.poulin@otago.ac.nz

Teaching

Research interests

Ant affected by a parasite 186
Parasitic incursion on an ant.

Professor Poulin's research interests extend across parasitism, ecology, evolution and marine ecosystems:

  • Evolutionary ecology of parasites
  • Effect of parasites on communities and ecosystems
  • Manipulation of host phenotype by parasites

Learn more about this research:
Evolutionary and Ecological Parasitology research group website

Robert is also a member of the Coastal People: Southern Skies collaboration that connects communities with world-leading, cross-discipline research to rebuild coastal ecosystems.
Coastal People: Southern Skies

Postgraduate projects

Thaumamermis zealandica in its amphipod host 186
Thaumamermis zealandica in its amphipod host.

  • Parasitism of molluscs and community structure in marine intertidal ecosystems
  • Impact of parasitism on coastal crustacean species
  • Evolution of abbreviated life cycles in parasitic trematodes
  • Manipulation of invertebrate behaviour by parasites, including the physiological mechanisms involved
  • Molecular genetics of helminth parasite

Publications

Presswell, B., Salloum, P. M., Bennett, J., Buschang, K. E., & Poulin, R. (2025). Size, spines, and primes: the drivers of collar spine numbers among echinostome trematodes. Parasitology. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1017/s0031182025000046 Journal - Research Article

Poulin, R. (2025). Breadth versus depth of knowledge: The need for new model trematode species. Journal of Helminthology, 99, e7. doi: 10.1017/s0022149x24000956 Journal - Research Other

Dubrulle, J., Poulin, R., Salloum, P., & Geoghegan, J. L. (2024, September). Spatial variation in the microbiome of the sandhopper Bellochestia quoyana endemic to New Zealand. Poster session presented at the Queenstown Research Week (QRW) Pathogen Genomics Meeting, Queenstown, New Zealand. Conference Contribution - Poster Presentation (not in published proceedings)

Li, C.-H., & Poulin, R. (2024). Alteration of host gene and protein expression by manipulative parasites. Trends in Parasitology. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1016/j.pt.2024.11.014 Journal - Research Other

Doherty, J.-F., Liu, B., Hanelt, B., Dowle, E. J., Gemmell, N. J., Poulin, R., … Matthews, B. J. (2024). Exploring the sensory landscape of hairworm-infected crickets. Proceedings of the Australian and New Zealand Societies for Parasitology and the 7th International Conference on Anaerobic Protists: Parasites in the Pacific. (pp. 75). Retrieved from https://www.parasite.org.au/aspconference/ Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract

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