Joëlle Goüy de Bellocq Ph.D.

Position full-time researcher
Direction molecular epidemiology

+420 560 590 613

Research interests

  • host-parasit interaction,
  • parasite genomics in the European house mouse hybrid zone,
  • emerging infectious diseases: arenaviruses, hantaviruses, Bartonella,
  • immunogenetics, major histocompatibility complex (MHC), immunoecology.

Finished projects

Viromics of the European house mouse hybrid zone: a model to understand how viruses cross host species barriers (2022–2024)
Comparative parasite hybridisation genomics controlling for host divergence (2018–2020)
Hybrid zones: natural laboratories for the study of pathogen emergence (2016–2018)
Quantifying viral gene capture, and the host’s response, during passage across a species barrier: Murine cytomegalovirus in a house mouse hybrid zone (2014–2016)
Biogeography and evolutionary history of two RNA viruses in Africa (2011–2013)

Education

  • 1999: undergraduate study – University of Montpellier II France, Biology of Organisms and Populations, option Parasitology. Diploma thesis: Phylogeny of Trichostrongylina Nematodes.
  • 2000-2003: Ph.D. study – University of Perpignan, France. PhD thesis: Insularity and Parasitism: impacts in immune response investment and MHC genetic diversity in the woodmouse.
  • 2003: course Animal experimentation – University of René Descartes, Paris V, France. Level I of animal experimentation (French equivalence of Home office licence for Animal experimentation).

International experience

  • 2004-2005: Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Ramon Science Center, Israel. Thesis: Investment in immune defences and flea parasite pressure in desert rodents, (collaborators B.Krasnov, B.Pinshow) – Post-Doc.
  • 2006: Centre de Biologie et de Gestion des Populations (CBGP), France. Project: Development of phylogeographic markers, (collaborator J.Michaux) – short term contract.
  • Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Department of population biology Studenec, Czech Republic. Project: MHC diversity in the hybrid zone of Mus musculus, (collaborators J.Bryja and J.Piálek) – visitor Post-Doc.
  • 2006-2007: Research Institute of Wildlife Ecology of the University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria. Projetc: Immune genes and endoparasites in brown hares, (collaborators F.Suchentrunk and H.Schaschl) – Post-Doc.
  • 2007-2014: University of Antwerp, Belgium, Department of Biology. Project: Evolutionary ecology of arenavirus-rodent interactions, (collaborator H.Leirs) – Post-Doc.

Actual Ph.D. students

  • Jana Těšíková: Diversity and evolutionary history of selected rodent-borne viruses (Masaryk University).
  • Jan Petružela: Secondary contacts of host and parasite, barriers and introgression (Masaryk University – co-supervision with S.J.E Baird).
  • Laura Cuypers: Mastomys natalensis hybrid zones as natural laboratories to investigate the limits of arenavirus spread (Antwerp University – co-supervision with H. Leirs and S.J.E. Baird).

Former Ph.D. students

  • Wasimuddin: Genetic variation of pathogens in the house mice hybrid zone (supervisor J.Bryja, consultants J.Piálek, J.G.Bellocq).
  • Sophie Gryseels. 2015. Evolutionary relationships between arenaviruses and their rodent hosts (Antwerp University – co-supervision with H. Leirs and S.J.E. Baird).

Publications

2025

Piálek J, Ďureje Ľ, Hiadlovská Z, Kreisinger J, Aghová T, Bryjová A, Čížková D, Goüy de Bellocq J, Hejlová H, Janotová K, Martincová I, Orth A, Piálková J, Pospíšilová I, Rousková L, Vošlajerová Bímová B, Pfeifle C, Tautz D, Bonhomme F, Forejt J, Macholán M, Klusáčková P (2025). Phenogenomic resources immortalized in a panel of wild-derived strains of five species of house mice. Scientific Reports, 15: 12060.

2024

Babyesiza WS, Katakweba A, Fornůsková A, Ssuunaf J, Akoth S, Mpagi J, Goüy de Bellocq J, Bryja J, Votýpka J (2024). Trypanosome diversity in small mammals in Uganda and the spread of Trypanosoma lewisi to native species. Parasitology Research, 123: 54.
Goüy de Bellocq J, Baird SJE, Fornůsková A (2024). Use of zoo mice in study of lymphocytic choriomeningitis mammarenavirus, Germany.. Emerging Infectious Diseases, 30: 205.
Macholán M, Baird SJE, Fornůsková A, Ďureje Ľ, Burgstaller JP, Goüy de Bellocq J, Heitlinger E, Klusáčková P, Koshev Y, Piálek J (2024). A reappraisal of mitochondrial DNA introgression in the Mus musculus musculus/Mus musculus domesticus hybrid zone suggests ancient North-European associations between mice and humans. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 202: zlae110.

2023

Cuypers LN, Gryseels S, Van Houtte N, Baird SJE, Sabuni CA, Katakweba AS, van den Burg SRM, Bryja J, Leirs H, Goüy de Bellocq J (2023). Subspecific rodent taxa as the relevant host taxonomic level for mammarenavirus host specificity. Virology, 581: 116-127.
Dianat M, Voet I, Ortiz D, Goüy de Bellocq J, Cuypers LN, Kryštufek B, Bureš M, Čížková D, Bryjová A, Bryja J, Nicolas V, Konečný A (2023). Cryptic diversity of Crocidura shrews in the savannahs of Eastern and Southern Africa. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 180: 107708.
Goüy de Bellocq J, Fornůsková A, Ďureje Ľ, Bartáková V, Daniszová K, Dianat M, Janča M, Šabata P, Šeneklová N, Stodůlka T, Vošlajerová Bímová B, Macholán M (2023). First record of the greater white-toothed shrew, Crocidura russula, in the Czech Republic. Journal of Vertebrate Biology, 72: 23047.
Hánová A, Bryja J, Goüy de Bellocq J, Baird SJE, Cuypers L, Konečný A, Mikula O (2023). Historical demography and climatic niches of the Natal multimammate mouse (Mastomys natalensis) in the Zambezian region. Mammalian Biology, 103: 239-251.
Kuhn JH, Abe J, Adkins S, Alkhovsky S, Avšič-Županc T, Ayllón MA, Bahl J, Balkema-Buschmann A, Ballinger MJ, Kumar Baranwal V, Beer M, Bejerman N, Bergeron É, Biedenkopf N, Blair CD, Blasdell KR, Blouin AG, Bradfute S, Briese T, Brown PA, Buchholz UJ, Buchmeier MJ, Bukreyev A, Burt F, Büttner C, Calisher C, Cao M, Casas I, Chandran K, Charrel R, Kumar Chaturvedi K, Chooi KM, Crane A, Dal Bó E, Carlos de la Torre J, de Souza WM, de Swart RL, Debat H, Dheilly NM, Di Paola N, Di Serio F, Dietzgen RG, Digiaro M, Drexler JF, Duprex WP, Dürrwald R, Easton AJ, Elbeaino T, Ergünay K, Feng G, Firth AE, Fooks AR, Formenty PBH, Freitas-Astúa J, Gago-Zachert S, García ML, García-Sastre A, Garrison AR, Gaskin TR, Gong W, Gonzalez JPJ, Goüy de Bellocq J, Griffiths A, Groschup MH, Günther I, Günther S, Hammond J, Hasegawa Y, Hayashi K, Hepojoki J, Higgins CM, Hongō S, Horie M, Hughes HR, Hume AJ, Hyndman TH, Ikeda K, Jiāng D, Jonson GB, Junglen S, Klempa B, Klingström J, Kondō H, Koonin EV, Krupovic M, Kubota K, Kurath G, Laenen L, Lambert AJ, Lǐ J, Li JM, Liu R, Lukashevich IS, MacDiarmid RM, Maes P, Marklewitz M, Marshall SH, Marzano SYL, McCauley JW, Mirazimi A, Mühlberger E, Nabeshima T, Naidu R, Natsuaki T, Navarro B, Navarro JA, Neriya Y, Netesov SV, Neumann G, Nowotny N, Nunes MRT, Ochoa-Corona FM, Okada T, Palacios G, Pallás V, Papa A, Paraskevopoulou S, Parrish CR, Pauvolid-Corrêa A, Pawęska JT, Pérez DR, Pfaff F, Plemper RK, Postler TS, Rabbidge LO, Radoshitzky SR, Ramos-González PL, Rehanek M, Resende RO, Reyes CA, Rodrigues TCS, Romanowski V, Rubbenstroth D, Rubino L, Runstadler JA, Sabanadzovic S, Sadiq S, Salvato MS, Sasaya T, Schwemmle M, Sharpe SR, Shi M, Shimomoto Y, Sidharthan VK, Sironi M, Smither S, Song JW, Spann KM, Spengler JR, Stenglein MD, Takada A, Takeyama S, Tatara A, Tesh RB, Thornburg NJ, Tian X, Tischler ND, Tomitaka Y, Tomonaga K, Tordo N, Tu C, Turina M, Tzanetakis IE, Vaira AM, Van den Hoogen B, Vanmechelen B, Vasilakis N, Verbeek M, Von Bargen S, Wada J, Wahl V, Walker PJ, Waltzek TB, Whitfield AE, Wolf YI, Xia H, Xylogianni E, Yanagisawa H, Yano K, Ye G, Yuan Z, Zerbini FM, Zhang G, Zhang S, Zhang YZ, Zhao L, Økland AL (2023). Annual (2023) taxonomic update of RNA-directed RNA polymerase-encoding negative-sense RNA viruses (realm Riboviria: kingdom Orthornavirae: phylum Negarnaviricota). Journal of General Virology, 104: 001864.

2022

Cuypers LN, Sabuni C, Šumbera R, Aghová T, Lišková E, Leirs H, Baird SJE, Goüy de Bellocq J, Bryja J (2022). Biogeographical importance of the Livingstone Mountains in southern Tanzania: comparative genetic structure of small non-volant mammals. Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution, 9: 742851.
Cuypers LN, Čížková D, Goüy de Bellocq J (2022). Co-infection of mammarenaviruses in a wild mouse, Tanzania. Virus Evolution, 8:1205 veac065.
Kuhn JH, Adkins S, Alkhovsky S, Avšič-Županc T, Ayllón MA, Bahl J, Balkema-Buschmann A, Ballinger MJ, Bandte M, Beer M, Bejerman N, Bergeron É, Biedenkopf N, Bigarré L, Blair CD, Blasdell KR, Bradfute S, Briese T, Brown PA, Bruggmann R, Buchholz U, Buchmeier M, Bukreyev A, Burt F, Büttner C, Calisher C, Candresse T, Carson J, Casas I, Chandran K, Goüy de Bellocq J, Krásová J, Těšíková J (2022). 2022 taxonomic update of phylum Negarnaviricota (Riboviria: Orthornavirae), including the large orders Bunyavirales and Mononegavirales. Archives of Virology, 167: 2857-2906.
Mapaco L, Crespin L, Rodrigues D, Goüy de Bellocq J, Bryja J, Bourgarel M, Missé D, Caron A, Fafetine J, Cappelle J, Liégeois F (2022). Detection and genetic diversity of Mopeia virus in Mastomys natalensis from different habitats in the Limpopo National Park, Mozambique. Infection, Genetics and Evolution, 98: 105204.

2021

Bletsa M, Vrancken B, Gryseels S, Boonen I, Fikatas A, Li Y, Laudisoit A, Lequime S, Bryja J, Makundi R, Meheretu Y, Akaibe BD, Mbalitini SG, Van de Perre F, Van Houtte N, Těšíková J, Wollants E, Van Ranst M, Pybus OG, Drexler JF, Verheyen E, Leirs H, Goüy de Bellocq J, Lemey P (2021). Molecular detection and genomic characterization of diverse hepaciviruses in African rodents. Virus Evolution, 7:1205 veab036.
Denys C, Jacquet F, Kadjo B, Missoup AD, Aniskine V, Goüy de Bellocq J, Soropogui B, Douno M, Sylla M, Nicolas V, Lalis A, Monadjem A (2021). Shrews (Mammalia, Eulipotyphla) from a biodiversity hotspot, Mount Nimba (West Africa), with a field identification key to species. Zoosystema, 43: 729-757.
Fornůsková A, Hiadlovská Z, Macholán M, Piálek J, Goüy de Bellocq J (2021). New perspective on the geographic distribution and evolution of lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus, Central Europe. Emerging Infectious Diseases, 27: 2638-2647.
Meheretu Y, Granberg Å, Berhane G, Khalil H, Lwande OW, Mitiku M, Welegerima K, Goüy de Bellocq J, Bryja J, Abreha H, Leirs H, Ecke F, Evander M (2021). Prevalence of orthohantavirus-reactive antibodies in humans and peri-domestic rodents in Northern Ethiopia. Viruses, 13: 1054.
Petružela J, Ribas A, Goüy de Bellocq J (2021). Mitogenomics and evolutionary history of rodent whipworms (Trichuris spp.) originating from three biogeographic regions. Life, 11:1205 540.
Těšíková J, Krásová J, Goüy de Bellocq J (2021). Multiple mammarenaviruses circulating in angolan rodents. Viruses, 13: 982.
Vanmechelen K, Meurs S, Zisi Z, Goüy de Bellocq J, Bletsa M, Lemey P, Maes P (2021). Genome sequence of ruloma virus, a novel paramyxovirus clustering basally to members of the genus Jeilongvirus. Microbiology Resource Announcements, 10: e00325-21.
Vanmechelen K, Zisi Z, Gryseels S, Goüy de Bellocq J, Vrancken B, Lemey P, Maes P, Bletsa M (2021). Phylogenomic characterization of Lopma virus and Praja virus, two novel rodent-borne arteriviruses. Viruses, 13: 1842.

2020

Balard A, Jarquín-Díaz VH, Jost J, Martincová I, Ďureje Ľ, Piálek J, Macholán M, Goüy de Bellocq J, Baird SJE, Heitlinger E (2020). Intensity of infection with intracellular Eimeria spp. and pinworms is reduced in hybrid mice compared to parental subspecies. Journal of Evolutionary Biology, 33: 435-448.
Cuypers LN, Baird SJE, Hánová A, Locus T, Katakweba AS, Gryseels S, Bryja J, Leirs H, Goüy de Bellocq J (2020). Three arenaviruses in three subspecific natal multimammate mouse taxa in Tanzania: same host specificity, but different spatial genetic structure?. Virus Evolution, 6:1205 veaa039.
Goüy de Bellocq J, Bryjová A, Martynov AA, Lavrenchenko LA (2020). Dhati Welel virus, the missing mammarenavirus of the widespread Mastomys natalensis. Journal of Vertebrate Biology, 69: 20018.
Mariën J, Borremans B, Verhaeren C, Kirkpatrick L, Gryseels S, Goüy de Bellocq J, Günther S, Sabuni CA, Massawe AW, Reijniers J, Leirs H (2020). Density dependence and persistence of Morogoro arenavirus transmission in a fluctuating population of its reservoir host. Journal of Animal Ecology, 89: 506-518.

2019

Baird SJE, Goüy de Bellocq J (2019). Shifting paradigms for studying parasitism in hybridising hosts: response to Theodosopoulos, Hund, and Taylor. Trends in Ecology & Evolution, 34: 387-389.
Meheretu Y, Stanley WT, Craig EW, Goüy de Bellocq J, Bryja J, Leirs H, Pahlmann M, Günther S (2019). Tigray orthohantavirus infects two related rodent species adapted to different elevations in Ethiopia. Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases, 19: 950-953.
Petružela J, Bryja J, Bryjová A, Katakweba A, Sabuni C, Baird SJE, Goüy de Bellocq J (2019). Evolutionary history of Pneumocystis fungi in their African rodent hosts. Infection, Genetics and Evolution, 75: 103934.
Zechmeisterová K, Goüy de Bellocq J, Široký P (2019). Diversity of Karyolysus and Schellackia from the Iberian lizard Lacerta schreiberi with sequence data from engorged ticks. Parasitology, 146: 1690-1698.

2018

Čížková D, Baird SJE, Těšíková J, Voigt S, Ďureje Ľ, Piálek J, Goüy de Bellocq J (2018). Host subspecific viral strains in European house mice: Murine cytomegalovirus in the Eastern (Mus musculus musculus) and Western house mouse (Mus musculus domesticus). Virology, 521: 92-98.
Goüy de Bellocq J, Wasimuddin W, Ribas A, Bryja J, Piálek J, Baird SJE (2018). Holobiont suture zones: Parasite evidence across the European house mouse hybrid zone. Molecular Ecology, 27: 5214-5227.
Mariën J, Sluydts V, Borremans B, Gryseels S, Broecke BV, Sabuni CA, Katakweba AAS, Mulungu LS, Günther S, Goüy de Bellocq J, Massawe AW, Leirs H (2018). Arenavirus infection correlates with lower survival of its natural rodent host in a long-term capture-mark-recapture study. Parasites & Vectors, 11: 90.
Vanmechelen K, Bletsa M, Laenen L, Lopes AR, Vergote V, Beller L, Deboutte W, Korva M, Avšič Županc T, Goüy de Bellocq J, Gryseels S, Leirs H, Lemey P, Vrancken M, Maes P (2018). Discovery and genome characterization of three new Jeilongviruses, a lineage of paramyxoviruses characterized by their unique membrane proteins. BMC Genomics, 19: 617.

2017

Gryseels S, Baird SJE, Borremans B, Makundi R, Leirs H, Goüy de Bellocq J (2017). When viruses don’t go viral: the importance of host phylogeographic structure in the spatial spread of arenaviruses. PLoS Pathogens, 13: e1006073.
Mariën J, Borremans B, Gryseels S, Soropogui B, De Bruyn L, Ngiala Bongo G, Becker-Ziaja B, Goüy de Bellocq J, Günther S, Magassouba N, Leirs H, Fichet-Calvet E (2017). No measurable adverse effects of Lassa, Morogoro and Gairo arenaviruses on their rodent reservoir host in natural conditions. Parasites & Vectors, 10: 210.
Těšíková J, Bryjová A, Bryja J, Lavrenchenko LA, Goüy de Bellocq J (2017). Hantavirus strains in East Africa related to Western African hantaviruses. Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases, 17: 278-280.

2016

Goüy de Bellocq J, Těšíková J, Meheretu Y, Čížková D, Bryjová A, Leirs H, Bryja J (2016). Complete genome characterisation and phylogenetic position of Tigray hantavirus from the Ethiopian white-footed mouse, Stenocephalemys albipes. Infection, Genetics and Evolution, 45: 242-245.
Gryseels S, Goüy de Bellocq J, Makundi R, Vanmechelen K, Broeckhove J, Mazoch V, Šumbera R, Zima Jr. J, Leirs H, Baird SJE (2016). Genetic distinction between contiguous urban and rural multimammate mice in Tanzania despite gene flow. Journal of Evolutionary Biology, 29: 1952-1967.
Sabuni CA, Van Houtte N, Gryseels S, Maganga SLS, Makundi RH, Leirs H, Goüy de Bellocq J (2016). Genetic structure and diversity of the black and rufous sengiin Tanzanian coastal forests. Journal of Zoology, 300: 305-313.
Wasimuddin W, Bryja J, Ribas A, Baird SJE, Piálek J, Goüy de Bellocq J (2016). Testing parasite "intimacy": the whipworm Trichuris muris in the European house mouse hybrid zone. Ecology and Evolution, 6: 2688-2701.

2015

Goüy de Bellocq J, Baird SJE, Albrechtová J, Sobeková K, Piálek J (2015). Murine cytomegalovirus is not restricted to the house mouse Mus musculus domesticus: prevalence and genetic diversity in the European house mouse hybrid zone. Journal of Virology, 89: 406-414.
Gryseels S, Leirs H, Makundi R, Goüy de Bellocq J (2015). Polymorphism in vkorc1 Gene of Natal Multimammate Mice, Mastomys natalensis in Tanzania. Journal of Heredity, 106: 637-643.
Gryseels S, Rieger T, Oestereich L, Cuypers B, Borremans B, Makundi R, Leirs H, Günther S, Goüy de Bellocq J (2015). Gairo virus, a novel arenavirus of the widespread Mastomys natalensis: Genetically divergent, but ecologically similar to Lassa and Morogoro viruses. Virology, 476: 249-256.
Kubelová M, Papoušek I, Bělohlávek T, Goüy de Bellocq J, Baird SJE, Široký P (2015). Spotted fever group rickettsiae detected in immature stages of ticks parasitizing on Iberian endemic lizard Lacerta schreiberi Bedriaga, 1878. Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases, 6: 711-714.
Sabuni CA, Van Houtte N, Maganga SLS, Makundi RH, Leirs H, Goüy de Bellocq J (2015). Development of eight polymorphic microsatellite markers in the Black and Rufous sengi, Rhynchocyon petersi. Conservation genetics resources, 7: 193-195.

2014

Dlugosz EM, Goüy de Bellocq J, Khokhlova IS, Degen AA, Pinshow B, Krasnov BR (2014). Age at weaning, immunocompetence and ectoparasite performance in a precocial desert rodent. Journal of Experimental Biology, 217: 3078-3084.

2012

Baird SJE, Ribas A, Macholán M, Albrecht T, Piálek J, Goüy de Bellocq J (2012). Where are the wormy mice? A re-examination of hybrid parasitism in the European house mouse hybrid zone. Evolution, 66: 2757-2772.
Bordes F, Ponlet N, Goüy de Bellocq J, Ribas A, Krasnov BR, Morand S (2012). Is there sex-biased resistance and tolerance in Mediterranean wood mouse (Apodemus sylvaticus) populations facing multiple helminth infections?. Oecologia, 170: 123-135.
Meheretu Y, Čížková D, Těšíková J, Welegerima K, Tomas Z, Kidane D, Girmay K, Schmidt-Chanasit J, Bryja J, Günther S, Bryjová A, Leirs H, Goüy de Bellocq J (2012). High diversity of RNA viruses in rodents, Ethiopia. Emerging Infectious Diseases, 18: 2047-2050.
Ribas A, Makundi RH, Goüy de Bellocq J (2012). Paraconcinnum leirsi n.sp. (Trematoda: Dicrocoeliidae) from rodents in Tanzania and its phylogenetic position within the dicrocoeliids. African Zoology, 47: 326-331.
Wasimuddin W, Čížková D, Ribas A, Piálek J, Goüy de Bellocq J, Bryja J (2012). Development and characterization of multiplex panels of microsatellite markers for Syphacia obvelata, a parasite of the house mouse (Mus musculus), using a high throughput DNA sequencing approach. Molecular and Biochemical Parasitology, 185: 154-156.