ITM is globally recognised for its expertise in Leishmania and leishmaniases, covering a broad research portfolio, from fundamental to operational research, spanning our three scientific departments (ITM Leishmania Centre). 

Within the Department of Biomedical Sciences (DBS), research on Leishmania follows two main axes:

• Basic experimental research into the parasite’s adaptive skills, including genome instability’s role in environmental stress adaptation, molecular mechanisms of quiescence, and drug resistance and tolerance.
• Applied research on Leishmania’s evolutionary genetics in natural contexts and the molecular epidemiology of leishmaniasis.

The Unit of Experimental Parasitology was established in January 2025 to ensure the continuation of ongoing, state-of-the-art research on Leishmania. In addition to developing new lines of basic experimental research on adaptation mechanisms in Leishmania and related parasites, we build on the successful experimental research lines of the Unit of Molecular Parasitology.