The Lamberton Lab

Rivka Lim

PhD Student

I am a first year PhD student on the Wellcome Trust PhD programme – Hosts, Pathogens and Global Health. My project is a collaboration between the Lamberton Lab at Glasgow University, the Webster Lab at The Royal Veterinary Collage and the Pedersen Lab at University of Edinburgh. I will be using laboratory experiments, population genetics and molecular epidemiology to understand factors driving persistent hotspots of schistosomiasis infection, which do not respond as expected to control strategies. Prior to this PhD I did a Masters by Research in Biomedical Science where I investigated a strategy for predicting prevalence of schistosomiasis in preschool age children in Africa. I also worked on paediatric schistosomiasis as a research assistant, where we looked at the effects of schistosomiasis on child development and impact on stunting. 

When I get some spare time, I like to walk in the woods and jump in the freezing cold sea!

Email: rivka.lim@ed.ac.uk

Twitter: @RivkaMLim

Publications

Mutapi,F., Pfavayi, L., Osakunor, D., Lim, RM., Kasambala, M., Mutemeri, A., Rusakaniko, S., Chibanda, D., Mduluza, T. (2021) Assessing early child development and the impact of stunting and schistosome infections in rural Zimbabwean children using the Griffiths Scales of Child Development. Plos NTD. Doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0009660

Rusakaniko, S., Sibanda, EN., Mduluza,T., Tagwireyi, P., Dhlamini, Z., Ndhlovu, CE., Chadiwana, P., Chiwabutsa, S., Lim, RM., Scott, F., Mutapi, F., Sibanda, LM. (2021) SARS-CoV-2 Serological testing in frontline health workers in Zimbabwe. Plos NTD. Doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0009254 

Lim, R.M., Woolhouse, M.E.J., Mduluza, T., Chase-Topping, M., Osakunor, D.N.M, Chitsulo, L., Mutapi, F. (2020) Investigating a strategy for quantifying schistosome infection levels in preschool-aged children using prevalence data from school-aged children. Plos NTD. Doi 10.1371/journal.pntd.0008650 

Mutapi, F., Tagwirwyi, P., Lim, RM., Mangwanda, B., Fourier, C., Mduluza, T. Positive impact of preventative chemotherapy during a national helminth control program: Perception and KAP. Plos NTD. doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0008494

Mutapi, F., Jones, C., Kuebel, J., Phiri, I., Manangazira, P., Tagwirei, P., Osakunor, D.N.M., Lim, R.M., Mduluza, T. (2019) Six rounds of annual praziquantel treatment during a national helminth control program significantly reduced schistosome infection and morbidity levels in a cohort of schoolchildren in Zimbabwe. Plos NTD. doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0008388 

Lawton, S.P., Lim, R.M., Dukes, J.P., Cook, R.T., Walker, A.J., Kirk, R.S. (2014) Identification of a major causative agent of human cercarial dermatitis, Trichobilharzia franki (Müller and Kimmig 1994), in southern England and its evolutionary relationships with other European populations. Parasit Vectors, 7, 277. doi: 10.1186/1756-3305-7-277 

Lawton, S. P., Lim, R. M., Dukes, J. P., Kett, S. M., Cook, R. T.,Walker, A. J., Kirk, R. S. Unravelling the riddle of Radix: DNA bar-coding for species identification and molecular phylogeography of freshwater snail intermediate hosts of zoonotic digeneans in the UK Infect Genet Evol, 35:63-74. doi.org/10.1016/j.meegid.2015.07.021