Renz-Corral-ca-1996

PD Dr. Alfons Renz

University of Tübingen
AG Parasitologie
Institute for Evolution & Ecology
Auf der Morgenstelle 28
D-72074 TÜBINGEN (Germany)
Tel. +49-7071-29-70100
Alfons.Renz@uni-tuebingen.de

 

Alfons Renz studied biology and parasitology at the Tübingen University. Since 1976, he is conducting field studies on the epidemiology, transmission and control of onchocerciasis in Cameroon. Together with colleagues from Liverpool and Cameroon, he established the bovine Onchocera ochengi filarial model in Ngaoundere, North-Cameroon.

His main interest is the biology of Onchocerca parasites and their Simulium vector flies. Milestones of his research in Cameroon were the definitions of a tolerable level of onchocerciasis in 1977 (ATP 100 and ABR 1000), the design of mathematical models for onchocerciasis (1986), the development of the bovine chemotherapy model (1993), successful vaccination of cattle by a live heterologeous antigen (L3 of O. volvulus, 2001), and the discovery of the antifilarial activity of Doxycycline by killing endosymbiotic Wohlbachia (1997).

Since 2008, his DFG-funded research also focuses on excretory/secretory products of O. ochengi and their action in the cross-talk with the bovine host.

The most important research topic however is, whether the ivermectin treatments, which he introduced in Cameroon in 1987 (the study was designed by him and later carried out by the Centre Pasteur de Yaoundé) shall be sufficient to finally eliminate the parasite reservoir in the human.

He teaches parasitology, medical entomology and epidemiology at the Tübingen university.

For his publications see: PUBLICATIONS