EDUCATION:

• The University of Southern Mississippi, Gulf Coast Research Laboratory, 2001, Ph.D. Biological Sciences (emphasis in Parasitology/Molecular Systematics).
• Texas A&M University, 1996, M.S. Wildlife & Fisheries Sciences (emphasis in Deep-Sea Parasitology).
• The University of Texas - Dallas, 1990, B.S. Biology (emphasis in Molecular Biology & Biochemistry), Cum Laude Honors.
• The University of Texas - Austin, Marine Science Institute, 1989, Summer School  Student & Undergraduate Research Assistant in Invertebrate Zoology.
• Berkner High School, 1985, Honor Graduate & Ranked 29 out of 776 in class.

COURSES I TEACH HERE AT GORDON COLLEGE:

• BIO 151 & BIO 151L: Aminal Biology; lecture + lab team taught with Dr. Dorothy Boorse [Spring semesters]
• NSM 216: Introduction to Geology; lecture only & team taught with Prof. Stan Reczek [Spring semester of even-numbered years]
• NSM/BIO 222: Environmental Science; lecture only [Fall semesters]
• BIO 230 & BIO 230L: Introduction to Marine Science; lecture + lab [Fall semester of odd-numbered years]
• NSM/BIO 235: Exobiology - proposed; lecture only [Fall semester of even-numbered years]
• NSM/BIO 237: Paleontology - proposed; lecture only [Spring semester of even-numbered years]
• BIO 260: Introduction to Research in Biology; lecture only & team taught with Dr. Greg Keller [Fall semesters]
• BIO 331: Marine Biology Institute (MBI) [Summer of even-numbered years]
• BIO 415 & BIO 415L: Parasitology; lecture + lab [Spring semester of odd-numbered years]
• BIO 471 & BIO 472: Undergraduate Research [Fall & Spring semesters]
• BIO 491: Senior Biology Seminar; lecture only & team taught with Dr. Craig Story, Dr. Dorothy Boorse or Dr. Ming Zheng [Fall or Spring semesters]

                                                                 
RESEARCH INTERESTS:

My primary interest is Deep-Sea Parasitology. Specifically, the taxonomy, morphological and molecular systematics, evolutionary biology, phylogenetics, ecology, and zoogeography of helminths infecting a wide variety of deepwater organisms in general, and parasitizing fish in particular. I also have interests in the parasites of freshwater and terrestrial organisms.

Specific research projects address:

• Helminths parasitizing deep-sea fish from the Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean Sea, and North Atlantic Oceans.
• Parasitic helminths found in deep-sea chemosynthetic environments (e.g., hydrothermal vents, cold seeps, OMZs, whale & kelp falls, etc.) from the Juan de Fuca Spreading Ridge and off Chile.
• Parasites infecting deep-sea pelagic & benthic fish from the Monterey Bay Canyon & the San Diego Trough.
• Parasites infecting coastal birds along the Texas Gulf Coast and nearby areas.
• Parasites of vertebrates from eastern Massachusetts.
• Morphological/molecular systematics and life-cycle study of the Diplostomidae and Bolbophoridae (Trematoda: Digenea), families of digenetic trematodes parasitizing pond-raised catfish.
• Faunal studies of the Gorgoderidae (Trematoda: Digenea), a family of flukes found in elasmobranchs, freshwater and marine teleosts, amphibians, and turtles.

Future research projects of interest include:

• Co-scientist with NOAA, Ecosystems Surveys Branch at Woods Hole, MA - participation in cruises involving collection, identification and census of various deepwater & coastal marine inverts & vertebrates from Cape Hatteras, NC to the Gulf of Maine.
• Collaboration with Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute & NASA's Astrobiology Institute (~Exobiology) focusing on parasitic life and its existence in extreme (i.e. extraterrestrial, deep sea) environments.
• The systematics of parasites infecting organisms inhabiting hydrothermal vent communities, and the use of deepwater submersibles in exploration of the chemosynthetic life there in collaboration with the Ridge 2000 Group.
• Since the majority of my work has dealt with parasites of fish inhabiting the upper and lower continental slope, I would like to explore the parasites that exist in the deeper abyssal and even hadal (trench) depths.                

JOURNAL PUBLICATIONS:

• Curran, S. S., C. K. Blend, and R. M. Overstreet. 2009. Nagmia rodmani n. sp., Nagmia cisloi n. sp., and Probolitrema richiardii (López, 1888) (Gorgoderidae: Anaporrhutinae) from elasmobranchs in the Gulf of California, Mexico. Comparative Parasitology 76: [in press for issue #1 this January] .

• Dronen, N. O., and C. K. Blend. 2008. Patagifer lamothei n. sp. (Digenea: Echinostomatidae: Nephrostominae) from the white ibis Eudocimus albus (Threskiornithidae) from Texas, USA. In A Tribute to the Work of Mexican Parasitologist, Professor Rafael Lamothe-Argumedo. Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico.  Revista Mexicana de Biodiversidad (Supplement) 79:23S-32S.

• Blend, C. K., and N. O. Dronen. 2008. Selfcoelum lamothei n. sp. (Digenea: Cyclocoelidae: Cyclocoelinae) from the air sacs of the long-billed curlew, Numenius americanus (Scolopacidae), from the Galveston, Texas area, USA. In A Tribute to the Work of Mexican Parasitologist, Professor Rafael Lamothe-Argumedo.  Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico.  Revista Mexicana de Biodiversidad (Supplement) 79:41S-48S.
• Raychard, K., C. K. Blend, and N. O. Dronen. 2008.  New species of Prodistomum Linton, 1910 (Digenea: Lepocreadiidae) from the longtail bass, Hemanthias leptus (Ginsburg, 1952) in the Bay of Campeche, Gulf of Mexico. Journal of Parasitology 94:905-908.
• Dronen, N. O., and C. K. Blend. 2008. Observations on the Parorchis acanthus complex (Philophthalmidae: Parorchiinae) with the description of three new species of Parorchis Nicoll, 1907 and the replacement of the preoccupied junior homonym Paratrema Dronen & Badley, 1979 with Stenomesotrema nomen novum. Zootaxa 1843:1-23.
• Blend, C. K., N. O. Dronen, and H. W. Armstrong. 2007. Macrourimegatrema gadoma n. sp. (Digenea: Opecoelidae) from the doublethread grenadier Gadomus arcuatus (Goode & Bean) (Macrouridae) in the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean Sea. Systematic Parasitology 67:93-99 .
• Dronen, N. O., C. K. Blend, S. L. Gardner, and F. Agustín-Jiménez. 2007. Stictodora cablei n. sp. (Digenea: Heterophyidae) from the royal tern, Sterna maxima (Laridae: Sterninae) from Puerto Rico and the Brazos County area of the Texas Gulf coast, U.S.A., with a list of other endohelminths recovered in Texas. Zootaxa 1432:35-56 .

• Dronen, N. O., and C. K. Blend. 2007. Ophthalmophagus bucephali n. sp. (Digenea: Cyclocoelidae) from the American goldeneye, Bucephala clangula americana (Anatidae), from the central flyway of North America, and checklist of goldeneye parasites. Comparative Parasitology 74:48-74.

• Abdou, N. E., N. O. Dronen, and C. K. Blend. 2006. Karyakartia egyptensis n. sp. (Digenea: Lepocreadiidae) from the Jarbua terapon, Terapon jarbua (Forsskål) (Perciformes: Terapontidae), from the Red Sea and emendation of Karyakartia . The Journal of Parasitology 92:73-76.

• Dronen, N. O., and C. K. Blend. 2005. A new genus and species of cyclocoelid from the black-necked stilt, Himantopus mexicanus (Recurvirostridae), from Galveston, Texas. The Journal of Parasitology 91:108-110.

• Dronen, N. O., and C. K. Blend. 2005. Clestobothrium gibsoni n. sp. (Cestoda: Bothriocephalidae) from the bullseye grenadier Bathygadus macrops Goode & Bean (Macrouridae) in the Gulf of Mexico. Systematic Parasitology 60:59-63.

• Dronen, N. O., C. K. Blend, and A. J. Davis. 2005. Caiguiria himantopae n. sp. (Digenea: Heterophyidae) and other endohelminths from the black-necked stilt, Himantopus mexicanus (Recurvirostridae), from the Galveston area of the Texas Gulf coast, U.S.A. Comparative Parasitology 72:22-27.

• Murray, R. A., N. O. Dronen, and C. K. Blend. 2004. Endohelminths from five rare species of turtles (Bataguridae) from southeast Asia confiscated by international authorities in Hong Kong, People's Republic of China. Zootaxa 786:1-12.

• Blend, C. K., N. O. Dronen, and H. W. Armstrong. 2004. Macrourimegatrema brayi n. gen., n. sp. (Digenea: Opecoelidae) from four species of deep-sea macrourid fishes from the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean Sea, with a list of endohelminths reported from species of Bathygadus and Gadomus (Macrouridae). Zootaxa 566:1-18.

• Murray, R. A., N. O. Dronen, and C. K. Blend. 2004. Endohelminths from the black marsh turtle, Siebenrockiella crassicollis, confiscated by international authorities in Hong Kong, People's Republic of China. Comparative Parasitology 71:255-257.

• Dronen, N. O., C. K. Blend, and A. J. Davis. 2004. Emendation of the subfamilies Caiguiriinae and Pygidiopsinae (Digenea) with a redescription of Caiguiria anterouteria (Digenea: Heterophyidae) and reassignment of Pygidiopsis crassus  to Caiguiria. Zootaxa 417:1-12.
• Dronen, N. O., and C. K. Blend. 2003. Clestobothrium neglectum (Lönnberg, 1893) n. comb. (Cestoda: Bothriocephalidae) from the tadpole fish Raniceps raninus (L.) (Gadidae) from Sweden. Systematic Parasitology 56:189-194.
• Curran, S. S., C. K. Blend, and R. M. Overstreet. 2003. Anaporrhutum euzeti sp. n. (Gorgoderidae: Anaporrhutinae) from rays in the Gulf of California, Mexico. In Taxonomy, Ecology, and Evolution of Metazoan Parasites. Livre hommage à Louis Euzet. Volume I. C. Combes, and J. Jourdane (eds.). Presses Universitaires de Perpignan, Perpignan, France, p. 225-234.
• Dronen, N. O., C. K. Blend, and C. K. Anderson. 2003. Endohelminths from the brown pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis, and the American white pelican, Pelecanus erythrorhynchus, from Galveston Bay, Texas, U.S.A., and checklist of pelican parasites. Comparative Parasitology 70:140-154.
• Blend, C. K., and N. O. Dronen. 2003. Bothriocephalus gadellus n. sp. (Cestoda: Bothriocephalidae) from the beardless codling Gadella imberbis (Vaillant) (Moridae) from the southwestern Gulf of Mexico, with a review of species of Bothriocephalus reported from gadiform fishes. Systematic Parasitology 54:33-42.
• Overstreet, R. M., S. S. Curran, L. M. Pote, D. T. King, C. K. Blend, and W. D. Grater. 2002. Bolbophorus damnificus n. sp. (Digenea:Bolbophoridae) from the channel catfish Ictalurus punctatus and American white pelican Pelecanus erythrorhynchus in the USA based on life-cycle and molecular data. Systematic Parasitology 52:81-96.
• Blend, C. K., N. O. Dronen, and H. W. Armstrong.  2000.  Six new species of Lepidapedon Stafford, 1904 (Digenea:Lepocreadiidae) from deep-sea macrourid fishes from the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean Sea, with revised keys to the species of the genus. Systematic Parasitology 45:29-51.
• Rubec, L. A., C. K. Blend, and N. O. Dronen.  1995.   Syncoelicotyloides zaniophori n. sp. (Monogenea:Microcotylidae) from the gills of Coryphaenoides zaniophorus (Macrouridae) from the Gulf of Mexico. The Journal of Parasitology 81:957-960.
• Dronen, N. O., C. K. Blend, and J. D. McEachran.  1994.   Echinobreviceca coelorhynchae n. gen., n. sp. (Echinobrevicecinae n. subf.), a fellodistomid from Coelorhynchus coelorhynchus (Macrouridae) from the Gulf of Mexico. The Journal of Parasitology 80:309-311.
• Blend, C. K., N. O. Dronen, and J. D. McEachran.  1993.   Buticulotrema stenauchenus n. gen., n. sp. (Digenea:Opecoelidae) from Malacocephalus occidentalis and Nezumia aequalis (Macrouridae) from the Gulf of Mexico. The Journal of Parasitology 79:674-676.

SELECTED PRESENTATIONS FROM 2000 TO PRESENT:

• Blend, C. K. 2007. The science of exobiology:  The search for life in the universe and the theology of life elsewhere in the cosmos.  A presentation on exobiology for the Gordon College Faculty Forum Series - Gordon College, Wenham, Massachusetts, 28 March.

• Blend, C. K. 2006. Deep-sea helminth parasites: not your typical can of worms. A presentation for the WAZE Lunchtime Seminar Series - School of Veterinary Medicine, Tufts University, North Grafton, Massachusetts, 17 February.

• Barboza, S. L., and C. K. Blend. 2005. A review of the metazoan symbiotic fauna reported from deep-sea hydrothermal vents and cold seeps, with a parasitological study of fauna from vents along the Juan de Fuca spreading ridge and from a Chilean oxygen minimum zone (OMZ). A poster presented at the Southwestern Association of Parasitologists meeting at Lake Texoma, Oklahoma, April 22.

• Blend, C. K., R. M. Overstreet, and S. S. Curran. 2004. Is this a fluke or is something fishy? An example in the freshwater catfish industry when microscopes and molecules may not agree. A paper presented at the 38 th Annual Fall Symposium of the New England Society for Microscopy meeting at Gordon College, Wenham, Massachusetts, December 2.

• Blend, C. K. 2004. Parasitism in the deep. What could be going on and how you can find out. A presentation for the Texas A&M University Student Chapter of the Society for Conservation Biology - Department of Wildlife & Fisheries Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, 16 February.
• Blend, C. K., and N. O. Dronen. 2003. Helminth parasites of deep-sea fishes from the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean Sea. A paper presented at the Tenth Deep-Sea Biology Symposium meeting at Coos Bay, Oregon, August 28.
• Blend, C. K. 2003. A review of the metazoan symbiotic fauna found in hydrothermal vent and cold seep communities with a comparison of the helminth parasites reported from non-vent/seep fishes from the Gulf of Mexico. A poster presented at the Ridge 2000 Workshop - Biogeography and Biodiversity of Chemosynthetic Ecosystems: Planning for the Future, Southampton Oceanography Centre, United Kingdom, June 16-18.
• Dronen, N. O., N. E. Abdou, C. K. Blend, and E. A. Gray. 2003. Paracanthogalea egyptensis n. gen., n. sp. (Digenea: Lepocreadiidae) from the grunter Terapon jarbua (Perciformes: Terapontidae) from the Red Sea. A poster presented at the Southwestern Association of Parasitologists meeting at Lake Texoma, Oklahoma, April 25.
• Blend, C. K., R. M. Overstreet, and S. S. Curran. 2002. Life history information on Austrodiplostomum compactum, Bursacetabulus pelecanus, and Bursatintinnabulus macrobursus (Digenea: Diplostomidae) parasitizing birds and pond-raised catfish in Louisiana: A synergism of morphology and molecules. A paper presented at the Tenth International Congress of Parasitology (ICOPA X)/American Society of Parasitologists meeting at Vancouver, Canada, August 6.
• Blend, C. K. 2001. Life history information on some strigeoids parasitizing pond-raised catfish: A ynergism of morphology and molecules. Dissertation defense presentation - Department of Biological Sciences, The University of Southern Mississippi, Gulf Coast Research Laboratory, Ocean Springs, Mississippi, October 30.
• Blend, C. K. 2001. Glitter critters: Fishes of the deep. A presentation on deep-sea life for the public (Susan Merrifield-Coordinator) - William M. Colmer Visitor Center, Gulf Islands National Seashore, Ocean Springs, Mississippi, June 9.
• Blend, C. K. 2001. Creatures of the deep. A presentation on deep-sea biology for the public (Jennifer Hale-Coordinator) - Great Scott Membership Program, J.L. Scott Marine Education Center and Aquarium, Biloxi, Mississippi, May 26.
• Blend, C. K., S. S. Curran, and R. M. Overstreet. 2000. A tale of 2 tools. Morphology and molecules: Elucidating parasite life cycles. A paper presented at the 7th Biennial Fish Diagnosticians Workshop, LSU School of Veterinary Medicine, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, March 28.

Questions on this page?  Please email to chuck.blend@gordon.edu