Leading Researcher in immunoepidemiology of Plasmodium vivax malaria, Molecular biology and Immunology of Malaria (BMIM), Rene Rachou Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (FIOCRUZ-Minas).  Ph.D. (1995) Parasitology, Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, MG; Post-Doc (1998-2001) Parasitology Dep, NYU Medical Center, NYC, NY; PlosOne, Academic Editor.

Contact Info

luzia.carvalho@fiocruz.br

Office:

IRR, FIOCRUZ-Minas

Av. Augusto de Lima 1715, 30190-002, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil 

Phone: 55-31-33497793

Research Interests 

As a contribution to current efforts on P.vivax vaccine development, we have devoted great effort to characterize the protective immune response against lead blood stage vaccine candidate, such as the Duffy binding protein (DBPII), in populations living in the Amazon rainforest. Given the increasing evidence of P. vivax infections associated with severe and fatal disease, we have also concentrated interests on the identification of sensitive and reliable markers for vivax severity. The approach includes to investigate components of the coagulation-inflammation cascade as a cofactor for malaria morbidity.  Researchers in our group work at the bench, in the field, or both.

Relevant publications

Complete List of Published Work:  

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=Carvalho+LH++malaria

Carvalho LH, Sano G, Hafalla JC, Morrot A, Curotto de  Lafaille MA, Zavala F. IL- 4-secreting CD4+ T cells are   crucial to the  development of CD8+ T-cell responses against malaria liver stages. Nature Medicine;  8:166-70, 2002;

Ceravolo IP, Sanchez BA, Sousa TN, Guerra BM, Soares IS, Braga EM, McHenry AM, Adams JH, Brito CF, Carvalho LH. Naturally acquired inhibitory antibodies to Plasmodium vivax Duffy binding protein are short-lived and        allele-specific following a single malaria infection. Clin Exp Immunol.; 156(3):502-10, 2009;  

Franklin BS, Vitorino BL, Coelho HC, Menezes-Neto A, Santos ML, Campos FM, Brito CF, Fontes CJ, Lacerda MV, Carvalho LH. Plasma circulating nucleic        acids levels increase according to the morbidity of Plasmodium vivax    malaria. PLoS One.;6(5):e19842, 2011 

Ntumngia FB, Thomson-Luque R, Torres Lde M, Gunalan K, Carvalho LH, Adams JH. A Novel Erythrocyte Binding Protein of Plasmodium vivax Suggests an Alternate Invasion Pathway into Duffy-Positive Reticulocytes. MBio. 23;7(4). pii: e01261-16, 2016.

Kano FS, Souza-Silva FA, Torres LM, Lima BA, Sousa TN, Alves JR, Rocha RS, Fontes CJ, Sanchez BA, Adams JH, Brito CF, Pires DE, Ascher DB, Sell AM, Carvalho LH. The Presence, Persistence and Functional Properties of Plasmodium vivax Duffy Binding Protein II Antibodies Are Influenced by HLA Class II Allelic Variants. PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 10(12):e0005177, 2016

Ongoing Research Support 

• Brazilian National Research Council (CNPq), 2015-2018 (#422257/2016-8). A potential target for Plasmodium vivax vaccine: molecular, immunological and functional properties of a novel blood-stage protein.  I.:  L.H. Carvalho
• Research Foundation of Minas Gerais State (FAPEMIG), 2018-2021 (#APQ-01580-18) On the role of coagulation-inflammation cycle as a cofactor for vivax-induced pathogenesis. P.I.: LH Carvalho
• National Institute of Health, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIH/NIAID), 2019-2023. (#R01 AI064478-12A1). Immunological characterization of the vivax Duffy binding protein. P.I. JH Adams; co-PI LH Carvalho