My pronouns are he/him
My research focuses on the cellular and molecular biology of Schistosoma mansoni. I am particularly interested in parasite development and sexual differentiation. I combine multiomics approaches, particularly single-cell transcriptomics and functional genomics with in vitro culture systems to investigate how sexual dimorphism is established during development in the mammalian host. My current work in Gabriel Rinaldi’s group uses single-cell approaches to identify sex-specific cell populations and transcriptional programmes, to understand the cellular processes that drive male and female differentiation and development.
More broadly, I am interested in the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying host–pathogen interactions. During my PhD, I focused on the interaction between S. mansoni and its obligate intermediate snail host, Biomphalaria glabrata, exploring the host side of this relationship as an alternative way of disrupting the transmission of the parasite. Using single-cell RNA sequencing, transcriptomic, epigenomic and metabolomic approaches, I investigated haemocyte diversity, immune responses and the molecular basis of innate immune memory. These projects have allowed me to approach schistosome biology from different perspectives, from the biology of the parasite itself to its interactions with its hosts. Ultimately, this work could help identify novel mechanisms to interfere with the schistosome life cycle and contribute to the control of schistosomiasis.
