Dr. Joel Vega Rodríguez
Director of the Parasitology and Molecular Entomology Unit
NAID Malaria and Vector Research Laboratory, NIH
Photo taken in the interview with Dr. Joel Vega on March 27, 2024 about his work and recent research. During his visit to our School of Medicine, he gave the seminar: Seminar: Beyond Bloodsucking: How Mosquito Adaptation to Hematophagy Shaped the Transmission of Malaria Parasites Workshop / Section 1 and 2: “Host and Vector Interactions in Malaria Infections”, Lab Workshop: Exflagellation assay for antiplasmoidal compounds. This interview is part of the 75th Anniversary of the School of Medicine of the University of Puerto Rico.
The Microbiology Department is happy to share the latest publication by Dr Joel Vega titled Mosquito salivary apyrase regulates blood meal hemostasis and facilitates malaria parasite transmission The study shows that mosquitoes ingest a substantial amount of apyrase during blood feeding, which reduces coagulation in the blood meal by enhancing fibrin degradation and inhibiting platelet aggregation.
Congrats Joel!!
