Mgr. Alena Fornuskova Ph.D.

Position research assistant
Direction host parasite co-evolution

+420 605 464 704

Research interests

  • host-parasite co-evolution,
  • understanding and predicting the global spread of emergent infectious diseases,
  • study of hybrid zones
  • invasive species

Finished projects

Research activity for young people (2017–2017)

Education

  • 2009-2013: PhD study – dissertation in double supervision: Variability of innate immunity genes in wild rodent populations, title of the thesis: Genes of innate immunity and their significance in the evolutionary ecology of free-living rodents.

Institutions:

Université Montpellier 2, Sciences et Techniques, Place Eugène Bataillon, 34095 Montpellier, France, a successful application for a grant of the French government, 2010-2013 (supervisors: Dr Jean-François Cosson and Dr Nathalie Charbonnel)

CBGP, Campus International de Baillarguet, 34988 Montferrier-sur-Lez, France

Masaryk University, Faculty of Science, Department of Botany and Zoology, Kotlářská 2, 611 37 Brno, CZ (supervisor: Dr Josef Bryja)

Institute of Vertebrate Biology (IVB), Research Facility Studenec; AS CR, Studenec 122, 675 02 Koněšín (supervisor: Dr Josef Bryja)

  • 2007-2009: Master study – Population genetic structure of two cryptic species of the genus Pipistrellus in Central Europe.

Institutions:

Université de Rennes 1, EFCE, 2, rue du Thabor, 35065 Rennes, France, a successful application for a grant of the French government, 2008-2009, 11 months (supervisor: Dr Eric Petit)

Masaryk University, Faculty of Science, Department of Botany and Zoology, Kotlářská 2, 611 37 Brno,CZ (supervisor: Dr. Josef Bryja)

Employment

  • 2017 – Research assistant, Holobiont Evolutionary Interactions Group
  • 2017 – Head of Centre for Public Relations (publicity of the Institute, communication with media, preparation and spreading of press releases and materials for IVB management, preparation and sending of grant office news, educational activities for schools and the public).
  • 2016-2017: part-time employment – Post-doctoral fellow, involvement in projects: Hybrid zones: natural laboratories for the study of pathogen and Phylogeography, selection and mutation rate at the genomic level: Inference from mtDNA sequences of the house mouse.
  • 2015-2016: part-time employment – Post-doctoral fellow, involvement in several projects (study of senescence of birds, study of spread of emergence of infectious diseases of rodents), project coordinator (project BIOM, EHP-CZ02-OV-1-029-01-2014), Institute of Vertebrate Biology CAS, Research Facility Studenec.
  • 12/2014-10/2015: maternity leave.
  • 2014: Postdoctoral fellow – NextGenProject (OPEC: CZ.1.07/2.3./20.0303) – IVB CAS, Research Facility Studenec.
  • 2011-2013: project manager  – project Provaz (OPEC: CZ.1.07/2.4.00/17.0138) – IVB CAS, Research Facility Studenec.

Participation in projects

Monitoring of Greater white-toothed shrew (Crocidura russula) dispersion in Karlovy Vary region and its potential impact on the community of resident shrew species, Project of regional collaboration of Czech Academy of Sciences R200932301 (2023-2025).

Organization of workshops, seminars, student conferences, and administration of projects Connecting education and new approaches in zoological and ecological research and BIOM.

Organization of NGS conference in Nové hrady 2014.

Publications

2024

Babyesiza WS, Katakweba A, Fornůsková A, Ssuunaf J, Akoth S, Mpagi J, Goüy de Bellocq J, Bryja J, Votýpka J (2024). Trypanosome diversity in small mammals in Uganda and the spread of Trypanosoma lewisi to native species. Parasitology Research, 123: 54.
Goüy de Bellocq J, Baird SJE, Fornůsková A (2024). Use of zoo mice in study of lymphocytic choriomeningitis mammarenavirus, Germany.. Emerging Infectious Diseases, 30: 205.
Macholán M, Baird SJE, Fornůsková A, Ďureje Ľ, Burgstaller JP, Goüy de Bellocq J, Heitlinger E, Klusáčková P, Koshev Y, Piálek J (2024). A reappraisal of mitochondrial DNA introgression in the Mus musculus musculus/Mus musculus domesticus hybrid zone suggests ancient North-European associations between mice and humans. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 202: zlae110.

2023

Fornůsková A, Vošlajerová B (2023). Bělozubka tmavá (Crocidura russula) – 90. druh savce v České republice. Živa, -: 294-2961210 .
Goüy de Bellocq J, Fornůsková A, Ďureje Ľ, Bartáková V, Daniszová K, Dianat M, Janča M, Šabata P, Šeneklová N, Stodůlka T, Vošlajerová Bímová B, Macholán M (2023). First record of the greater white-toothed shrew, Crocidura russula, in the Czech Republic. Journal of Vertebrate Biology, 72: 23047.

2021

Fornůsková A, Hiadlovská Z, Macholán M, Piálek J, Goüy de Bellocq J (2021). New perspective on the geographic distribution and evolution of lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus, Central Europe. Emerging Infectious Diseases, 27: 2638-2647.

2014

Fornůsková A, Bryja J, Vinkler M, Macholán M, Piálek J (2014). Contrasting patterns of polymorphism and selection in bacterial-sensing toll-like receptor 4 in two house mouse subspecies. Ecology and Evolution, 4: 2931-2944.
Fornůsková A, Petit E, Bartonička T, Kaňuch P, Butet A, Řehák Z, Bryja J (2014). Strong matrilineal structure in common pipistrelle bats (Pipistrellus pipistrellus) is associated with variability in echolocation calls. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 113: 1115-1125.

2013

Fornůsková A, Vinkler M, Pages M, Galan M, Jousselin E, Cerqueira F, Morand S, Charbonnel N, Bryja J, Cosson J (2013). Contrasted evolutionary histories of two Toll-like receptors (Tlr4 and Tlr7) in wild rodents (MURINAE). BMC Evolutionary Biology, 13: 194.

2010

Hulva P, Fornůsková A, Chudárková A, Evin A, Allegrini B, Benda P, Bryja J (2010). Mechanisms of radiation in a bat group from the genus Pipistrellus inferred by phylogeography, demography and population genetics. Molecular Ecology, 19: 5417-5431.
Kaňuch P, Fornůsková A, Bartonička T, Bryja J, Řehák Z (2010). Do two cryptic pipistrelle bat species differ in their autumn and winter roosting strategies within the range of sympatry?. Folia zoologica, 59: 102-107.

2009

Bryja J, Kaňuch P, Fornůsková A, Bartonička T, Řehák Z (2009). Low population genetic structuring of two cryptic bat species suggests their migratory behaviour in continental Europe. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 96: 103-114.