Adler Dillman – Dillman Lab

Science Lecture Series 2025

Dr. Dillman is giving the May 2025 CNAS Science Lecture Series Seminar on parasitic nematodes. He will introduce the audience to the wonderful world of nematodes and share research about their amazing ability to influence host immunity. Nematodes have a profound effect on humans causing direct infections and also infecting agricultural crops and livestock. The Dillman Lab studies host-parasite interactions and in the lecture Dr. Dillman will discuss some of the projects that are ongoing in the lab.

The lecture takes place on Saturday, May 3rd, 2025 at 2pm in the Student Success Center, room 229. The lecture will be made available on Youtube.

Dillman Lab Featured in CNAS Blog

Dr. Dillman was recently featured in a CNAS blogpost. The article talks about how Dr. Dillman became interested in science and eventually nematodes. It highlights his undergraduate advisor, Byron Adams as well as his uncle Drew Dillman. Both of whom were especially influential in his love of science and the development of his early career. Dr. Dillman shares about his experience as a professor at UCR and his admiration for the students he teaches here.

Podcast on Indestructible Nematodes

Dr. Dillman recently had the pleasure of being interviewed for the podcast Constant Wonder. This podcast explores the delight found in science, art, history, and nature, and the first episode of season eight examines nematodes as indestructible creatures found all over the world, even in the most inhospitable of environments.

Dr. Dillman was interviewed with his undergraduate advisor and mentor, Dr. Byron Adams, and the two shared their love of nematodes and the research they do. They discuss everything from how they came into this field of research, to finding nematodes in Antarctica, to the idea that society may be too clean and we may need nematodes to help us fight certain diseases. The hosts also interviewed Dr. Michael Werner, a primary researcher at the University of Utah who recently discovered nematodes living in the Great Salt Lake.

It’s a great episode, and if you’d like to listen to it, you can find it here.

Dog Parasite Discovered in California

After being recruited by local veterinarians to help find the source of a parasitic infection in southern California, we identified two species of snails, Galba cubensis and G. humilis in the Colorado River in California. We also identified that some of those snails were indeed carrying Heterobilharzia americana, the fluke that causes canine schistosomiasis. Our finding is the first report of the presence of this flatworm parasite in Southern California.

Podcast on Brain Worms

Dr. Dillman was a guest on a podcast for the very first time. It was an episode of Something Offbeat and the podcast episode dropped today. The episode was based on a recent article detailing a case of Ophidascaris robertsi infection in a human brain.
Anisakis. The tip of a surgical forceps holding parasitic fish worms.

Professor & Chair of Nematology

Dr. Dillman was promoted to full Professor and asked to serve as chair of the Department of Nematology. He is excited to work with his fellow nematologists in serving the students at UCR and continuing the long tradition of research excellence established by this department.

Chancellor’s Award for Excellence

Parasitologist Adler Dillman and cell biologist Manuela Martins-Green are this year’s recipients of UC Riverside’s Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Research and Creative Achievement. The award is presented every spring to faculty members with a distinguished record of fostering undergraduate research or creative activity.

Outstanding Investigator Award

Dr. Dillman has been awarded an Outstanding Investigator Award (R35) from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). This represents the first five-year award granted to the Dillman lab and will allow the lab increased flexibility in pursuing health-related research. The $1.8 million was awarded in support of the overall research program of the lab rather than a specific project. With the support the lab will move forward in studying host-parasite interactions and how nematode venom influences host biology.

Tiffany & Dennis Graduate!

Dennis Chang and Tiffany Baiocchi walked and were hooded at UCR’s graduation this summer. They are the first graduate students trained in the Dillman Lab to earn a Ph.D. Dennis will defend his thesis later this year. Tiffany will begin her postdoctoral research in the Hong lab at Cal State Northridge later this summer. Congratulations!