Education:
2001: Bachelor degree: Introductory Biology Programme, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of South Bohemia. Thesis: Analýza rodu Bombina v Předšumaví. [Analysis of the genus Bombina in region Předšumaví, 20 pp., in Czech with English summary].
2003: Master degree: Zoology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of South Bohemia. Thesis: Ecological aspects of hybridisation between fire-bellied toads Bombina bombina and Bombina variegata., 27 pp.
2003-present: Student of PhD programme in Parasitology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of South Bohemia.
PhD thesis topic: Host specificity, genetic variability and genealogy of populations of model parasite species.
Most parasitic species are restricted to narrow host spectrum. This host specificity is considered one of the key features in respect to both evolutionary processes and epidemiology. However, the broad-host- range parasites may often constitute assemblages of morphologically identical but genetically isolated lineages with strict host specificity. The study analyzes the intraspecific structure, genetic variability and genealogy in the populations of several parasite species (tapeworm Ligula intestinalis and lice Hoplopleura acanthopus and Polyplax serrata) and investigates the effect of host specificity and/or geographic distance on genetic differences. The analyses are based on molecular data, particularly sequences of selected genes (e.g., ITS2, COI), microsatellites and multilocus analyses. Data are processed by classical phylogenetic methods (cladistic analysis) and methods combining approaches of phylogenetics and population genetics (haplotype networks, coalescence analysis).
Professional experience:
2003-present: Research assistant, Institute of Parasitology, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic.
2005-present: Research assistant, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of South Bohemia.
Research fellowship:
2006 (April-June): University of Glasgow, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine. Research theme: Microsatellite characterization in Ligula intestinalis (Cestoda: Pseudophyllidea).
Conferences:
Štefka, J. 2002. Ekologické aspekty hybridizace kuněk Bombina bombina a B. variegata. [Ecological aspects of hybridisation between fire-bellied toads Bombina bombina and Bombina variegata, in Czech], Abstract from the conference Zoologické dny, 2002, Brno, Czech Republic.
Horák, A., Štefka, J. 2005. Inter- and intraspecific genetic variability of diphyllobothriid tapeworms, Proceedings of the 13th helminthological days held at Ředkovec (Czech Republic) May 9 – 13, 2005, Helminthologia, 42(3): 171-186.
Štefka, J., Škeříková A., Hypša V. 2005. ITS-2 and phylogenetic studies. Vth International Workshop on Cestode Systematics and Phylogeny, České Budějovice, Czech Republic.
Štefka, J., Hypša, V., Fričová, J., Stanko, M. 2006. Host-parasite associations, geography and population subdivision in Polyplax serrata (Anoplura: Polyplacidae) and wood mice of genus Apodemus. 3rd International Congress on Phthiraptera, Oct. 16 - 20, 2006, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Štefka, J., Hypša, V., Scholz, T. 2007. Genetic structure of Ligula sp. (Cestoda: Pseudophyllidea): true population history vs. rDNA paralogues. 15th helminthological days held at Ředkovec (Czech Republic) May 14 – 18, 2007
Invited lecture:
Štefka, J., Bouzid W., Hypša, V., Scholz, T. Ribosomal DNA spacers: Eligible tool to resolve low-level phylogenetics in helminths? Tenth International Helminthological Symposium, Sept. 9-14, 2007, Stará Lesná, Slovakia.
Publications:
Logan, F.J., Horák, A., Štefka, J., Aydogdu, A., Scholz, T. (2004) Phylogeny of diphyllobothriid tapeworms (Cestoda: Pseudophyllidea) based on sequences of the ITS-2 rDNA. Parasitol. Res., 94: 10-15.
Štefka, J., Gilleard, J.S., Grillo, V., Hypša, V. (2007) Isolation and characterization of microsatellite loci in the tapeworm Ligula intestinalis (Cestoda: Pseudophyllidea). Mol. Ecol. Notes., 7: 794-796.
Štefka, J., Hypša, V. (in press) Host specificity and genealogy of the louse Polyplax serrata on field mice, Apodemus species: A case of parasite duplication or colonisation? Int. J. Parasitol., doi:10.1016/j.ijpara.2007.09.011
