Our lab investigates the molecular dialogues between insect vectors, pathogens, and vertebrate hosts. By decoding immune and metabolic mechanisms, we develop novel approaches to disrupt disease transmission cycles.
We discovered that Anopheles mosquitoes primed by prior Plasmodium infection develop enhanced immune responses upon re-infection, mediated by the histone acetyltransferase AgTip60 and a double peroxidase. This provided the first mechanistic description of trained immunity in mosquitoes and opened new avenues for malaria transmission-blocking strategies.
We established a novel research line investigating how the metabolic status of vertebrate blood-meal hosts — including obesity and diabetes — affects mosquito biology and arbovirus susceptibility. This introduces host metabolic disease as a previously unrecognized ecological variable influencing transmission dynamics.
Comprehensive analyses tracing the major components of innate immunity across animal evolution, providing a framework that connects mammalian trained immunity concepts to invertebrate immune systems. This work is foundational for applying immunological paradigms to vector biology.
Fundamental knowledge on inorganic polyphosphate (polyP) storage and function in insects, including novel DAPI-based microscopy methods for in situ visualization, roles in yolk mobilization, heavy metal detoxification, and phosphate sensing across eukaryotes.
Ultrastructural and functional characterization of the insect midgut, including secretory goblet cells in lepidopteran caterpillars, oxidant-gut physiology relationships in termites, and nutrient processing mechanisms relevant to pest management and vector biology.
Our research leverages the Vector Insects Platform (Plataforma de Insetos Vetores) at IBCCF/UFRJ and the Advanced Microscopy Unit at CENABIO/UFRJ, supported by a network of international collaborators.