Roundworms are a colloquial designation for nematodes, a highly diverse phylum of unsegmented, bilaterally symmetrical pseudocoelomate animals characterized by a cylindrical body, complete digestive tract, and a chitinous cuticle that undergoes molting. As a research topic, roundworms encompass free-living and parasitic species that serve as models in developmental biology, genetics, neurobiology, ecology, and host–pathogen interactions, with Caenorhabditis elegans being the most extensively studied. Investigations focus on their conserved molecular pathways, reproductive strategies, environmental adaptations, and impact on human, animal, and plant health, including their role in soil ecosystems and as agents of helminthic disease.
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