Anders Alfjorden 
​PhD student
anders.alfjorden{at}ebc.uu.se

I have long worked as a research engineer at the National Veterinary Institute (Sweden) with aquatic organisms, both vertebrates (fish) and invertebrates (bivalves). Focus have been infection biology, pathology and diagnostics of parasitic diseases.  In 2017, I finished my bachelor at the University of Gothenburg investigating protozoan organisms in oysters and later in 2018 my master thesis was presented at Uppsala University investigating the infection biology of the diplomonad parasite, Spironucleus salmonicida and its host, the Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar).

My PhD will revolve around the eukaryotic parasite diversity of invertebrate hosts, focusing on the two most important bivalves in Swedish aquaculture, the flat European oyster (Ostrea edulis) and the blue mussel (Mytilus edulis). Different Ascetosporean parasites are known to have a devastating impact on different hosts. However, the current knowledge on the parasitic life cycles, infection biology and the biodiversity within the Ascetosporeans are still unknown to large extent. By investigating the host and the environment where these bivalves lives, we hope to learn more regarding different biological patterns to better understand the organismal biology but also to help the aquaculture and the keepers of our wildlife.  For the benefit and protection of all the important filtering animals that play such an important part of the Swedish aquatic fauna.