João Pinto

João Pinto is Assistant Professor at the Medical Parasitology Unit of IHMT. He holds a PhD in Genetics (University of Lisbon, 2003) and a degree in Biology (University of Lisbon, 1994). In 2017, he obtained academic aggregation in Biomedical Sciences (Parasitology) by University Nova de Lisboa. He coordinated the PhD Program in Biomedical Sciences (2015-2020) and the MSc course in Medical Parasitology (2014-2015) of IHMT. Current teaching commitments involve the coordination of one Curricular Units (Control of Parasitic Diseases), lecturing at the PhD and MSc courses of IHMT and organization/lecturing of short training actions carried out overseas, particularly in endemic areas. He has (co)supervised 7 Post-Doctorate, 5 PhD and 14 MSc students.

My research interests focus on the bioecology, genetics and evolutionary biology of mosquito vectors. Specifically: (i) Determining the genetic structure of mosquito populations and its impact on dispersal of genes of interest (e.g. insecticide resistance mutations, transmission-blocking genes); (ii) analyzing the evolutionary dynamics of natural vector populations in relation to environmental changes; (iii) characterizing levels and mechanisms of insecticide resistance. Presently, I am based in São Tomé and Príncipe as Field Manager of the University of California Malaria Initiative, implementing research towards the elimination of malaria through genetically modified mosquitoes.

I have participated in 10 projects as Principal Investigator/Team leader, and (co)authored 102 peer reviewed articles and 2 book chapters (http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8572-7708).

1. Kormos A., Lanzaro G.C., Bier E., Santos V., Nazaré L., Pinto J., dos Santos A.A. & James A.A. (2022). Ethical considerations for gene drive: challenges of balancing inclusion, power and perspectives. Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology 10: 826727.
2. Campos M., Hanemaaijer M., Gripkey H., Collier T.C., Lee Y., Cornel A.J. Pinto J., Ayala D., Rompão H. & Lanzaro G.C. (2021). The origin of island populations of the African malaria mosquito, Anopheles coluzzii. Communications in Biology 4: 630.
3. Salgueiro P., Serrano C., Gomes B., Alves J., Sousa C.A., Abecasis A. & Pinto J. (2019). Phylogeography and invasion history of Aedes aegypti, the Dengue and Zika mosquito vector in Cape Verde islands (West Africa). Evolutionary Applications 12: 1797-1811.
4. Moyes C.L., Vontas J., Martins A.J., Ng L.C., Koou S.Y, Dusfour I., Raghavendra K., Pinto J., Corbel V., David J.-P. & Weetman D. (2017). Contemporary status of insecticide resistance in the major Aedes vectors of arboviruses infecting humans. PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases 11: e0005625.
5. The Anopheles gambiae 1000 Genomes Consortium (2017). Genetic diversity of the African malaria vector Anopheles gambiae. Nature 552: 96-100.