Maria Odete Afonso

Present position:

• Assistant Professor: Medical Entomology/Parasitology, Institute of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Universidade Nova de Lisboa (IHMT/UNL), Portugal, since 2001.

Academical degrees, fields of study, awarding institutions, dates:

• Medical degree (MD), University of Lisbon (Classic), Medical Faculty, 1982. – Course of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, IHMT, UNL, 1988.
• MSc Medical Parasitology/Entomology (Exams in Pedagogic Aptitude and Scientific Capacity – equivalent degree), IHMT/UNL, 1992.
• PhD in Biomedical Sciences, Parasitology/Entomology, IHMT/UNL, 2001.

Teaching activities:

• Coordinator of Curricular Unit “Ticks, others ectoparasites and associated diseases in the Global World”, MSc in Medical Parasitology, IHMT/UNL, since 2012.
• Coordinator of Curricular Unities “Medical Entomology I and Medical Entomology II”, PhD Course Biomedical Sciences, in IHMT/UNL, 2013-2014.
• Coordinator of Curricular Unities “Medical Entomology I and Medical Entomology II”, PhD Course Biomedical Sciences, (Parasitology), IHMT/UNL, 2014-2015.
• Coordinator of Curricular Unity “Medical Entomology”, MsC Course Medical Parasitology, IHMT/UNL, 2014-2015.
• Professor in Medical Entomology and Parasitology: MSc and PhD Courses, IHMT/UNL, 2001-present.
• Invited teacher at Medicine Faculty of Lisbon/ UL; Vasco da Gama University of Coimbra; University of Évora; University of Algarve; Faculty of Medicine Veterinary /UTL, Lisbon Portugal.

Others activities (IHMT/UNL):

• Director of Common Services, IHMT/UNL, 15 Feb. 2015 – 5 Nov. 2019.

Area of scientific activity:

• Medical Entomology and Parasitology: tsetse flies, phlebotomine sand flies, human lice, bed bugs with medical importance, HAT, Nagana, Leishmaniasis, human pediculosis and others human ectoparasitosis, climate changes – arthropods vectors.
• Studies on sand fly vectors aimed at Leishmaniasis, vector incrimination, and ecoepidemiology.
• Studies on tsetse fly vectors aimed at African trypanosomiasis (Guiné-Bissau, Guiné Equatorial and Angola), vector incrimination, and ecoepidemiology.
• Phlebotomine sand flies systematic, bioecological and surveillance studies in different settings (North to South of Portugal).

Supervision activities:

• Laboratorial Training – 25 finished and 1 ongoing; MSc Thesis – 11 finished; PhD Thesis – 1 finished; Postdocs – 2 finished (Students: Portugal, Spain, Brazil, Cuba, Guine-Bissau, Angola, Mozambique).

National Consulting Activity:

• Consultant – Project of Algarve University (sand flies surveillance).

Participation in International Networks:

• “OnLeish observatory”.

Research (research/participation) in national and international projects:

• National Projects: Phlebotomine studies – Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro (North of Portugal), UTAD, IHMT, UPMM/FCT; Castelo Branco (CnPq, FIOCRUZ, Brazil & IHMT), Arrábida (IHMT, UPMM, CMDT/ FCT), Torres Novas (IHMT, UPMM, FCT), Lisboa and Palmela (Centre of Portugal) (IHMT, UPMM/FCT; Alentejo (IHMT, UPMM/FCT & U. Evora; IHMT, GHTM, FIOCRUZ, Brazil & IHMT) and Algarve (South of Portugal) (IHMT, UPMM, CMDT/ FCT, GHTM).
• International Projects: Phlebotomine studies – EDEN (EU, IHMT, UPMM/FCT) and EDENext (EU, IHMT, CMDT/FCT) projects.

1. 1. Pereira, S.P., Pita-Pereira, D., Araújo-Pereira, T., Britto, C., Costa Rego, T., Ferrolho, J., Vilhena, M., Rangel, E.F., Vilela, M.L. & Afonso, M.O. (2017). First molecular detection of Leishmania infantum in Sergentomyia minuta (Diptera, Psychodidae) in Alentejo, Southern Portugal. Acta Tropica, 174, 45-48. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.actatropica.2017.06.020
   2. Alten, B., Maia, C., Afonso, M.O., Campino, L., Jiménez, M., González, E., Molina, R., Banuls, A.L., Prudhomme, J., Vergnes, B., Toty, C., Cassan, C., Rhola, N., Therry, M., Sereno, D., Bongiorno, G., Bianchi, R., Khoury, C., Tsirigotakis, N., Dokianakis, E., Antouniou, M., Christodoulou, V., Mazeris, A., Karakus, M., Ozbel, Y., Arserim, S.K., Kasap, O.E., Gunay, F., Oguz, G., Kaynas, S., Tsertsvadze, N., Tskhvaradze, L., Giorgobiani, E., Gramisccia, M., Volf, P. & Gradoni, L. (2016). Seasonal dynamics of Phlebotomine sand fly proven vectors of Mediterranean Leishmaniasis caused by Leishmania infantum. Plos Negleted Tropical Diseases, 10, 2, http://10.1371/journal.pntd.0004458
   3. Bravo-Barriga, D., Parreira, R., Maia, C., Afonso, M.O., Blanco-Ciudad, J., Serrano, F.J., Pérez (2016). Detection of Leishmania DNA and blood meal sources in phlebotomine sand flies (Diptera: Psychodidae) in Western of Spain: update on distribution and risk factors associated. Acta Tropica, 164: 414–424. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.actatropica.2016.10.003
   4. Branco. S., Alves-Pires, C., Maia, C., Cortes, S., Cristóvão, J.M.S., Gonçalves, L., Campino, L. & Afonso, M.O. (2013). Entomological and ecological studies in a new potential zoonotic leishmaniasis focus in Torres Novas municipality, Central Region, Portugal. Acta Tropica 125: 339-348. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actatropica.2012.12.008
   5. Campino, L., Pratlong, F., Abranches, P., Rioux, J.A., Santos-Gomes, G., Alves-Pires, C., Cortes, S., Ramada, J., Cristóvão, J.M., Afonso, M.O. & Dedet, J.P. (2006). Leishmaniasis in Portugal: enzyme polymorphism of Leishmania infantum based on the identification of 213 strains. Trop.Med. Int. Health, 11: 1708-1714.