A project led by Dr. Mehmet Öztürk of the Department of Parasitology at Ondokuz Mayıs University’s (OMU) Faculty of Veterinary Medicine has been selected for funding under the TÜBİTAK 1002-A Rapid Support Programme.

The project, titled “Complete Mitochondrial Genome Analysis and Phylogenetic Characterisation of Syngamus sp. Isolates from Different Bird Species,” involves Prof. Dr. Cenk Soner Bölükbaş, Prof. Dr. Ali Tümay Gürler, and Prof. Dr. Şinasi Umur from the Department of Parasitology as researchers.

The study aims to clarify the morphological and genetic uncertainties surrounding Syngamus nematodes, which cause respiratory infections commonly known as gapeworm disease in domestic and wild birds.

Syngamus sp. specimens isolated from four different wild bird species in the Samsun region, Corvus cornix, Phylloscopus trochilus, Turdus philomelos, and Buteo sp., will be comprehensively characterised using next-generation sequencing technologies.

The complete mitochondrial genomes of eight isolates will be determined through next-generation sequencing, followed by maximum-likelihood and Bayesian phylogenetic analyses. This analytical approach is expected to contribute significantly to resolving outstanding taxonomic questions within the genus Syngamus.

As only one reference mitogenome is currently available for this parasite group, the project is expected to address an important gap in the scientific literature. Its findings will expand knowledge of parasitic diseases and provide essential data for developing improved diagnostic and control strategies for avian infections.