Research expertise

Bio

Maria Luísa Simões (she/her) joined ITM as Associate Professor in 2023. She was previously Assistant Professor at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (UK) and Faculty Research Associate at Johns Hopkins University (USA). She graduated in 2014 with a PhD in Biomedical Sciences (Nova University of Lisbon, Portugal; Imperial College London, UK). Maria Luísa is the Chair for the American Committee of Medical Entomology (ACME) and member of the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (ASTMH) scientific program committee. She is the recipient of the 2022 Breakthrough in Medical Entomology Award (ACME) and the 2019 ASTMH Young Investigator Award. 

Research focus

Malaria remains a critical global health challenge, with current control methods falling short of eradication goals. Research in the Simões Laboratory https://www.simoeslaboratory.com/ centers on understanding how biotic and abiotic stressors, such as pathogens and environmental factors, shape Anopheles immunity and its impact on malaria parasite transmission.

While recent advances in Anopheles transgenesis have paved the way for genetically modified mosquitoes with reduced vectorial capacity, these tools must be effective in the real world. Our lab's research focuses on how the mosquito innate immune system, the primary defense against Plasmodium, responds to  these shifting stressors.

Our goal is to identify new genetic transmission-blocking targets for the development of novel vector-based malaria control technologies that are climate-change resilient.

Our Lab in the News:

RTBF, 4 September 2025: https://www.rtbf.be/article/le-changement-climatique-pourrait-multiplier-les-moustiques-vecteurs-du-paludisme-decouvre-l-institut-de-medecine-tropicale-11595603

La Libre, 2 September 2025: https://www.lalibre.be/planete/2025/09/02/les-moustiques-vecteurs-du-paludisme-favorises-par-le-stress-climatique-D5USZVHVCRB2NFKQQKYVKLXJYM/

L'Avenir, 22 Febuary 2025: https://www.lavenir.net/actu/societe/2025/02/22/a-anvers-on-manipule-les-moustiques-genetiquement-pour-lutter-contre-malaria-7LMRSY6K5JDPJN3TQVCFZGRIAY/

El Pais, 20 August 2024: https://elpais.com/planeta-futuro/2024-08-20/la-ciencia-avanza-lentamente-en-la-revolucion-de-los-mosquitos-transgenicos-para-acabar-con-la-malaria.html

Nature, 28 June 2023: How genetically modified mosquitoes could eradicate malaria 

Join the Lab:

Motivated individuals with strong molecular, cellular, parasitology, and/or vector biology backgrounds, and with excellent scientific writing skills, can contact the PI, Maria Luísa Simões ([email protected]) to discuss prospective funding applications.