Mihai Marinov EN

PhD Mihai Marinov (specialist in ornithology, ecology, zoonosys in which are involved birds and mammals, ecology, mammalogy) has graduated in 2002 Faculty of Biology, Biology profile, Ecology Specialization. In 2012 he defended his PhD thesis entitled “The ornithofauna of Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve and its implication in the transmission of West Nile virus” at the University of Bucharest, after which obtained a PhD in Biology. He is working in the Danube Delta National Institute since 2003, initially in the Department of Biodiversity (Irnithology and Hunting and Game species teams) and from 2016 leads the Centre for the study of transborder and emergent diseases and zoonosys. His main research interests are ecology of birds, zoonosys involving birds and mammals in the Danube Delta, wildlife resources and implementation of the Natura 2000 Network in Romania. From the perspective of the Department he leads, since 2005 until now, he investigates the ecology of West Nile virus in co-operation with institutions from Romania, France, Austria, Spain, Italy, Czech Republic, Great Britain and Hungary (projects such as EDEN – FP6, EDENext – FP7, ROVETNILE – Biotech). From the perspective of West Nile virus research, in addition to investigations of reservoir and vector species, he deals with making forecasting models of infections with the studied virus. Together with collaborators he identified the bird species most involved in the transmission of West Nile virus, respectively, identifying for the first time in Europe the presence of West Nile virus in a species of Ixodidae. Currently, together with partner institutions in Romania he is working on modelling  the epidemiology of West Nile virus by monitoring using drones (project WNV-PSUR – PN II), respectively, he trains PhD students from Romania and Serbia in techniques for harvesting biological material and ecology of pathogens in wet areas (AMSAR project – Swiss finance SCOPE). Besides the study of West Nile virus are conducted or targeted studies, research and projects on the African swine fever, distemper, hepatitis E, Avian Influenza, trichinosis, Tick borne encephalitis, hemorrhagic fever Crimean-Congo, haemorrhagic fever Dengue, hemorrhagic fever Chikungunya etc.