Roadmap for the development of control strategies for liver fluke

What are we trying to achieve and why? What is the problem we are trying to solve?

Improve description and annotation of the liver fluke genome and use it to enhance ability to address research challenges and improve control options.

What are the scientific and technological challenges (knowledge gaps needing to be addressed)?

Leverage advances in genomics and related technologies to better understand fluke biology and the genetic basis and mechanisms of important life history traits, defence against host immune responses, and adaptation to changing host, environmental and management conditions.

What approaches could/should be taken to address the research question?

• Deep sequencing and functional annotation of the Fasciola hepatica genome.
• Integration of genomics and allied -omics technologies into studies of fluke biology.

What else needs to be done before we can solve this need?

Parasite genome sequence and annotation will lead to incremental improvements in capacity and interpretation and
guide selection of experiments and markers.

Existing knowledge including successes and failures

First genome map of F. hepatica published; further annotation in progress. Comparative studies between genomes of F. hepatica and F.gigantica underway. Better descriptions of multiple gene families, their heterogeneity and implications for vaccine and diagnostic antigen preparation in progress. Incremental advances in genome resources
and functional interpretation, at species and population level underway.