Our group studies T cell responses in infections with protozoan parasites, including Plasmodium spp. (malaria) and Trypanosoma cruzi (Chagas disease). Our goal is to understand how T cells contribute to both immunity and immunopathology, focusing on co-stimulatory and co-inhibitory pathways that balance immunity and disease progression. We explore key questions such as:

• How do co-inhibitory receptors influence T cell exhaustion and immune evasion in acute and chronic protozoan infections?
• How do T cell responses differ between natural infection and vaccination, and what does this mean for vaccine development?

By combining mouse models and human cohorts, we investigate the interplay between immune regulation, co-inhibitory pathways, and pathogen-specific T cell responses. Our goal is to uncover mechanisms that drive protective immunity or immunopathology, ultimately informing vaccine and immunotherapy development.