I received an M.D. (1977) from the State University of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, a master’s degree (1981) in Microbiology and Immunology from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro and a Ph.D. (1992) in Internal Medicine (Immunology) from the University of São Paulo. I was a participant in the Biology of Parasitism course, Marine Biological Laboratory (1981). I was a fellow at the Gluck Equine Research Center, Lexington KY (1993) and ate the Harvard School of Public Health (1995-1997. My research has mostly focused on immunoparasitology and understanding mechanisms of parasitism and of immunopathology caused by parasites and how genetic variability of hosts affects outcomes of host-parasite interactions. I am especially interested in applying this knowledge to develop sustainable technologies to control tick infestations in cattle and dogs. My research also seeks to understand the mechanisms in the mammalian host that control pathogenesis of infections caused by Leishmania.