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Research areas

Our laboratory specializes in three main research areas:

Graph showing the organisation of the research areas. Detailed description in the bulleted list in the next paragraph

Pathology

1. The role of oxygen in inflammation, innate immunity, and wound healing processes.

Parasitology

2. Pathogenesis studies of severe malaria (cerebral malaria, severe anemia) caused by Plasmodium falciparum.

3. Host-parasite interaction studies, including research on the innate immune response to P. falciparum and its products (hemozoin, HZ).

4. Studies on the immunomodulatory activity of Leishmania spp.

5. Studies on the effect of co-infections on the pathogenesis of parasitic diseases and the development of neurological disorders (Alzheimer’s disease).

6. Search for compounds with antimalarial and antileishmanial activity, and studies on the mechanism of action of antimalarial drugs.

7. Development of methods for the identification of new antiparasitic agents.

Virology

8. Study of the pathogenesis of diseases associated with human Polyomaviruses.

9. Study of viral replication/reactivation in immunocompromised individuals.

10. Study of the involvement of Human Endogenous Retroviruses (HERVs) in tumor pathologies.

11. Development of molecular tests for virological diagnosis.

12. SARS-CoV-2 and other respiratory viruses: clinical implications of infection.

13. SARS-CoV-2 and other respiratory viruses: drug research.

14. Creation of a strain library, currently including the following viruses: Human Polyomavirus JC and BK (JCPyV, BKPyV), Herpes Simplex Virus 1 (HSV-1), Varicella Zoster Virus (VZV), Influenza Virus, SARS-CoV-2, West Nile Virus (WNV), and Zika Virus. All viruses are available for in vitro pharmacological and neutralization testing.