For episode 44 of 17 Minutes of Science we are joined by Dr. Janis Weeks. Janis is a co-founder and chief global health officer at InVivo Biosystems in addition to being a Professor Emerita of Biology at the University of Oregon.

Dr. Weeks is an expert in anthelmintic research, with experience and expertise in technology development for drug screening platforms, including anthelmintic (anti-nematode worm) drugs for human and animal health; nematode neurobiology and genetics; synaptic physiology; neural circuits for behavior; insect neurobiology; tropical infectious and parasitic diseases.

Janis has taught neuroscience in Africa for 25 years, prompting her interest in neglected tropical diseases such as helminth infections. With funding from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, she began working on parasitic nematodes to complement work in C. elegans. Her current research focuses on new technologies to advance research into anthelmintic drugs for animals & humans.

Dr. Weeks joins us to talk about her recent paper which has been accepted pending minor revisions, Comparison of Electrophysiological and Motility Assays to Study Anthelmintic Effects in C. elegans.