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Maria Puig Ribas

Qualifications 

Degree in Veterinary Science 

MSc Wild Animal Health 

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Position 

Former PhD Candidate

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Contact details

Twitter: @mp_ribas

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Research Overview

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I am a PhD candidate supervised by Dr. David Newell, Dr. Catherine Nock, Dr. Laura Grogan and Prof. Hamish McCallum. I am investigating the mechanisms underlying resistance and tolerance to amphibian chytridiomycosis by comparing the responses of experimentally challenged Fleay’s barred frogs (Mixophyes fleayi) from different populations and different life stages. This work will hopefully have broader implications for the management of free-living amphibian populations affected by chytridiomycosis globally.

Background

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I completed my Degree in Veterinary Science at the Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona (UAB, Spain) in 2015. During my studies, I became intern student at the Wildlife Diseases Research Group (UAB), where I developed my undergraduate thesis focused on the epidemiology of Toxoplasma gondii in freshwater ecosystems in Spain.

Soon after, I became Guest Researcher in the group, developing field and laboratory work and producing several conference communications and publications. Specifically, I collaborated in epidemiological studies on Toxoplasma gondii in wild animals and in projects focused on infectious diseases at the livestock-wildlife interface, mainly Pestivirus and Infectious Keratoconjunctivitis in the Pyrenean chamois.

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I have also worked in several national and international institutions including wildlife rescue centers (Spain and USA), zoological collections (Spain, USA and UK) and wildlife research groups (Spain and UK), gaining experience in research, laboratory and clinical skills.

 

On 2017-2018 I undertook the MSc in Wild Animal Health, taught by the Royal Veterinary College and the Zoological Society of London, and I earned a Distinction. My Master thesis was focused on the study of potentially zoonotic paramyxoviruses in a captive colony of African fruit bats in Ghana with the aim of improving our knowledge on some epidemiological features of these viruses.

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Career Goals

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As a veterinarian with passion for wildlife, my main research interests are the ecology and epidemiology of infectious diseases in wild animals and its application into conservation. Ultimately my career goal is to contribute to the sustainability of wild animal populations and ecosystems through critical research and help in raising public awareness.

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Research Keywords

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Wildlife disease, conservation biology, epidemiology, ecology, Toxoplasma gondii, Paramyxovirus, fruit bats, chytridiomycosis, frogs

 

Publications

 

2020

  • Brannelly L. A., McCallum H. I., Grogan L. F., Briggs C. J., Ribas M. P., Hollanders M., Sasso T., Familiar López M., Newell D. A. & Kilpatrick A. M. (early view) Mechanisms underlying host persistence following amphibian disease emergence determine appropriate management strategies. Ecology Letters (link​) (IF 8.699). 

2019

  • Aguilar XF, López-Olvera JR, Ribas MP, Begovoeva M, Velarde R, Cardells J, Cabezón O. Mycoplasma conjunctivae in insect vectors and anatomic locations related to transmission and persistence. 2019. Veterinary Microbiology, 228:7-11 (link).

2018

  • Barros M, Cabezón O, Dubey JP, Almería S, Ribas MP, Escobar LE, Ramos B, Medina-Vogel G. Toxoplasma gondii in wild mustelids and cats across an urban-rural gradient. 2018. PLoS ONE, 13(6):e0199085 (link).

  • Ribas MP, Almería S, Fernández-Aguilar X, De Pedro G, Lizarraga P, Alarcia-Alejos O, Molina-López R, Obón E, Gholipour H, Temiño C, Dubey JP, Cabezón O. Tracking Toxoplasma gondii in freshwater ecosystems: interaction with the invasive American mink (Neovison vison) in Spain. 2018. Parasitology Research, https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-018-5916-5 (link).

2017

  • Gholipour H, Busquets N, Fernández-Aguilar X, Sánchez A, Ribas MP, De Pedro G, Alarcia-Alejos O, Temiño C, Cabezón O. Influenza-A Virus surveillance in the invasive American mink (Neovison vison) from fresh-water ecosystems, Nothern Spain. 2017. Zoonoses and Public Health, doi:10.1111/ zph.12316 (link).

2016

  • Cabezón O, Cerdà-Cuéllar M, Morera V, García-Bocanegra I, González-Solis J, Napp S, Ribas MP, Blanch-Lázaro B, Fernández-Aguilar X, Antilles N, López-Soria S, Lorca-Oró C, Dubey JP, Almería S. 2016. Toxoplasma gondii infection in Seagull chicks is related to the consumption of freshwater food sources. 2016. PLoS ONE, 11(3):e0150249 (link).

  • Almería S, Serrano-Pérez D, Darwich L, Domingo M, Mur-Novales R, Regidor-Cerrillo J, Cabezón O, Pérez- Maillo M, López-Heguera I, Fernández-Aguilar X, Puig Ribas M, Ortega-Mora LM, García-Ispierto I, Dubey JP, López-Gatius F. Fetal death in naive heifers inoculated with Neospora caninum isolate Nc-Spain7 at 110 days of pregnancy. 2016. Experimental Parasitology, 168:62-69 (link).  

  • Cano-Terriza D, Ribas MP, Jiménez-Ruíz S, Cabezón O, Almería S, Galán-Relaño A, Dubey JP, García-Bocanegra I. Risk factors of Toxoplasma gondii infection in hunting, pet and watchdogs from Southern Spain and Northern Africa. 2016. Parasitology International, 4:65(5 Pt A):363-366 (link).

 

Conference contributions

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  • Fernández-Aguilar X, Aragón V, Velarde R, Ribas MP, López-Olvera JR, Mentaberre G, Colom-Cadena A, Espunyes J, Cabezón, O. Pasteurellaceae occurrence in relation to bronchopneumonia in a Pyrenean chamois population. Proc. 13th EWDA Conference, Larissa, Greece, August 2018. Poster.

  • Fernández-Aguilar C, López-Olvera JR, Ribas MP, Begovoeva M, Velarde R, Cardells J, Cabezón O. Mycoplasma conjunctivae occurrence in vectors and anatomic locations related to transmission and persistence. Proc. 13th EWDA Conference, Larissa, Greece, August 2018. Poster.

  • Ribas MP, Busquets N, Fernández-Aguilar X, Sánchez A, Gholipour H, De Pedro G, Lizarraga P, Alarcia-Alejos O, Temiño C, Cabezón O. Influenza-A Virus surveillance in the invasive American mink (Neovison vison) from fresh-water ecosystems, Spain. Proc. 12th EWDA Conference, Berlin, Germany, August 2016. Poster.

  • Puig M, Cabezón O, De Pedro C, Termiño C, Alarcio-Alejos O, Gomez A, Palazón S, Podra M, Dubey JP, Almería S. Toxoplasma gondii in the exotic mustelid American mink (Neovison vison) in freshwater ecosystems in Spain. Proc. 3rd International Meeting on Apicomplexan Parasites, Edinburg, UK, July 2015. Poster.

  • Amlería S, Darwich L, Serrano B, Domingo M, Regidor-Cerrillo J, Cabezón O, Mur R, García-Prieto I, Fernández-Aguilar X, Puig M, Ortega-Mora LM, López Gatius F. Experimental infection of pregnant cattle with Neospora caninum Nc-Spain 7 strain at 110 days of gestation. Proc. 3rd International Meeting on Apicomplexan Parasites, Edinburg, UK, July 2015. Poster.

  • Cano-Terriza D, Guerra R, Puig-Ribas M, Cabezón O, Almería S, Camacho LN, Dubey JP, García-Bocanegra I. Prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii antibodies in captive zoo animals and sympatric peri-urban pest species at Cordoba zoo, Spain. Proc. International Conference on Diseases of zoo and wild animals, Barcelona, Spain, May 2015. Poster.

  • Blanch-Lázaro B, Cabezón O, Cerdà-Cuéllar M, Morera V, García-Bocanegra I, González-Solis J, Puig-Ribas M, Dubey JP, Almería S. Study of the relationship between T. gondii infection and feed source in sea gull chicks from the Mediterranean breeding áreas. Proc. 6th EWDA Student Chapter, France, March 2015. Poster.

  • Puig-Ribas M, Cabezón O, Blanch-Lazaro B, Alarcia-Alejos O, Gómez A, Palazón S, Podra M, Mañas S, Lavín S, Dubey JP, Almería S. Tracking Toxoplasma gondii in freshwater ecosystems: interaction of the parasite with the exotic mustelid American mink (Neovison vison) in Spain. Proc. 6th EWDA Student Chapter, France, March 2015. Poster and oral communication.

  • Almería S, Cabezón O, Blanch-Lazaro B, Puig-Ribas M, Alarcia-Alejos O, Gómez A, Palazón S, Podra M, Mañas S, Dubey JP, Lavín S. Tracking Toxoplasma gondii in freshwater ecosystems: interaction of the parasite with the exotic mustelid American mink (Neovison vison) in Spain. Proc. 13th International Congress of Parasitology, México, August 2014. Poster.

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