Hope for the Forgotten: Tackling Endemic Parasitic Diseases with New Tools and Ideas
A special issue of Biology (ISSN 2079-7737). This special issue belongs to the section "Infection Biology".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 28 February 2026 | Viewed by 29
Special Issue Editor
Interests: trypanosomatids; vaccine development; host-pathogen interaction; drug repourposing
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) caused by endemic parasites continue to impose a heavy burden on global health, particularly in low-resource regions. This Special Issue focuses on advancing our understanding of endemic parasitic diseases through innovative basic and translational research. We welcome original research and reviews that explore the molecular biology, host–parasite interactions, and adaptive strategies of parasites thriving in tropical environments. Key themes include the following:
- Virulence mechanisms and immune evasion in parasitic infections.
- Host–parasite interactions at the cellular and molecular levels.
- Genomic and metabolic adaptations of parasites to tropical climates.
- Identification of molecular targets for diagnostics and therapeutic development.
- Novel vaccine strategies targeting parasitic pathogens.
- Drug discovery and repositioning, including preclinical studies of repurposed compounds for parasitic NTDs.
By bringing together new tools and ideas, this Special Issue aims to foster hope for affected populations and stimulate interdisciplinary approaches to combat these oft-overlooked diseases.
Dr. Cecilia Perez Brandán
Guest Editor
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Keywords
- parasitic diseases
- neglected tropical diseases (NTDs)
- host–parasite interactions
- virulence mechanisms
- immune evasion
- molecular pathogenesis
- genomic adaptations
- drug discovery
- drug repurposing
- vaccine development
- diagnostic biomarkers
- tropical medicine
- endemic infections
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