Valenzuela Research Group

The Vector Molecular Biology Section (VMBS) focuses on understanding how molecules from arthropod vectors are critical for the success of pathogen transmission and translating this knowledge into disease control opportunities. The section has two main themes: dissecting the immune events following an arthropod bite, mainly the cellular interactions at the vector-host-pathogen interface, and their implication for disease pathogenesis; and elucidating the determinants of successful transmission to a mammalian host by a competent arthropod vector.

Vector Molecular Biology Section (Valenzuela) Group Image

First row (left to right): Fabiano Oliveira (VMBS leadership); Tiago Donatelli Serafim. Second row (left to right): Shaden Kamhawi (VMBS leadership); Jesus Valenzuela; Eva Iniguez. Third row (left to right): Aline Da Silva Moreira; Serena Doh; Ronja Frigard; Luana Rogerio; Pedro Cecilio (VBS); Patrick HuffCutt (past member, VMBS). Fourth row (left to right): Johannes Doehl; Joshua Lacsina (TPCR, LMVR); Kristina Tang (past member, VMBS); Laura Willen. Not pictured: Daniel Sonenshine; Claudio Meneses.

Credit: NIAID

Jesus G. Valenzuela, Ph.D.

Chief, Vector Molecular Biology Section

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Education: Ph.D., 1995, University of Arizona

Dr. Valenzuela received his Ph.D. in Biochemistry from the University of Arizona in 1995. He joined the Laboratory of Parasitic Diseases in 1996, became a research fellow in 1999, and became a tenure-track investigator in the Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research in October 2002. Dr. Valenzuela became a Senior Investigator in October 2009. In 2019, Dr. Valenzuela became deputy chief of the Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research.

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Jesus G. Valenzuela, Ph.D.

Johannes S. P. Doehl, Ph.D.

Postdoctoral Visiting Fellow

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Education:

Ph.D., Molecular Parasitology, 2014, University of York, Department of Biology/Hull York Medical School, UK

B.Sc. Honours, Biochemistry, 2009, University of Aberdeen, UK

Languages Spoken: German, Portuguese, Spanish

My current main research interest are two-fold, revolving around 1) the description of scratching as a host immune defense mechanism against ectoparasites, and 2) the understanding of skin patch formation and expansion post-dissemination of Leishmania infantum.

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Serena Doh

Postbac IRTA

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Education:

Bachelor's Degree, University of Maryland, College Park

Associate's Degree, Montgomery College

Languages Spoken: Korean

I am part of the tick project that investigates immune responses to tick bites which will lead to development of an anti-tick vaccine.

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Eva Iniguez, Ph.D.

IRTA Postdoctoral Fellow (INRO)

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Education:

Ph.D., Pathobiology, University of Texas at El Paso

Languages Spoken: Spanish

I am interested in vector-host-pathogen interactions focused on leishmaniasis, a vector-borne neglected disease transmitted to humans by the bite of a Leishmania-infected sand fly. I am currently studying the skin immune responses to infected sand fly bites. I am involved in field-oriented research to investigate Leishmania transmission dynamics implicating both clinical and entomological tools in...

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Postdoctoral Fellow in the Vector Molecular Biology Section of the Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Biology

Shaden Kamhawi, Ph.D.

Group Leader, Insect-Human-Pathogen and Insect-Reservoir-Pathogen Interactions, Vector Molecular Biology Section

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Education:

Ph.D., Medical Entomology, Salford University, Salford, England

Languages Spoken: French, Arabic, English

Dr. Kamhawi received her Ph.D. in medical entomology from Salford University in England in 1990. She worked as an assistant professor at Yarmouk University in Jordan, where she worked for several years on leishmaniasis and hydatid disease, with a focus on disease transmission and risk factors in field settings. In 1997, she worked as a visiting scientist at NIAID’s Laboratory of Parasitic Diseases...

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Claudio Meneses, B.S.

Research Associate

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Education:

B.S., 1995, Universidade Gama Filho, Brazil

Languages Spoken: Portuguese

My duties consist of maintaining large sand fly and tick colonies for supplying lab members and international collaborators with live insects for their research projects.

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Tingirt B. Mitiku

IRTA student

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Education:

Biotechnology/Biology, Montgomery College

Languages Spoken: Amharic

I am an IRTA student at NIAID/NIH, and I co-operate with laboratory investigators and post docs performing research on sand fly-leishmania host interaction. In the insectary lab, I operate on mass rearing sand flies, I prepare sand fly food and materials needed for insect colonization.

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Fabiano Oliveira, M.D., Ph.D.

Associate Scientist, Staff Scientist

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Education:

Ph.D., Human Pathology, Federal University of Bahia, Brazil

M.D., Medical School of the Federal University of Bahia, Bahia, Brazil

Languages Spoken: Portuguese, Spanish

Dr. Fabiano Oliveira earned his M.D., M.Sc., and Ph.D. degrees from the Federal University of Bahia/ Fiocruz. In 2003, he joined the National Institutes of Health (NIH) for a postdoctoral fellowship and was appointed as a staff scientist in 2008. Dr. Oliveira currently serves as an associate scientist/staff scientist at the Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, NIAID. Dr. Oliveira's research...

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Tiago Donatelli Serafim, Ph.D.

Research Fellow

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Education:

Ph.D., 2012, Federal University of Ouro Preto, Brazil

Bachelor’s degree, 2008, Federal University of Ouro Preto, Brazil

Languages Spoken: Portuguese

Dr. Serafim got his Ph.D. in Brazil on immunology of Leishmania infection and purinergic signaling and spent early career years in the UK at the University of Glasgow investigating the role of kinases on Trypanosoma brucei in vivo.

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Sameeta Siraj

IRTA student

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Education:

Pre-Clinical Nursing Program, Montgomery College

Languages Spoken: Urdu, Hindi, Punjabi

I am working as a student IRTA to help in the Leishmania project at the LMVR. I take care of the sand flies as they are the natural vectors of Leishmania. I also help in breeding and potting them up to provide strong colonies for research purposes.

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Daniel E. Sonenshine, Ph.D.

Guest Researcher

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Education:

Ph.D., 1959, University of Maryland
Bachelor’s degree, 1955, City College of New York

I am investigating the role of tick saliva regulating tick feeding success, including the antihemostatic features of tick saliva that facilitate tick attachment and ability to engorge.

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