Head of the Lab of Embryology of the National Scientific Center of Marine Biology (Russian Academy of Sciences), Dr. Vladimir Yushin already had an enduring research cooperation with the Nematology Unit of Ghent University.

The story of his visits to Ghent University goes back to 1998 when he first received an invitation from world-renowned Prof. August Coomans to work in the field of nematode ultrastructure. Following visits (1999-2001) led to a series of five publications written together with Prof. Coomans. The close collaboration with Ghent University ultimately resulted in a total of 15 papers and one book chapter.  

Dr. Yushin: “This year I was in Ghent only for a short time, but we did an unexpected amount of work in the field of transmission electron microscopy (TEM) with Prof. Wim Bert and Mrs. Myriam Claeys. We have studied the unusual structure of the ovary in the marine nematode Diplolaimella meyli from the family Monhysteridae (order Monhysterida)”. Additionally, Prof. Yushin and the UGent team successfully launched a new project on nematode male gametes, made progress on the joint paper based on the TEM observations initiated at Ghent University during his previous visit in 2019, and talked about and prepared a new international nematology project.

As Dr. Yushin states: ‘Over many years, our cooperation has become very intense and requires continuation and support. Thus, my new visit has become the next link in the chain of visits, which we plan to extend in the future.’