Hello! I studied microbiology and immunology at the Université de Montréal after getting an introduction class in this field in college. I developed a new interest in parasitology after a class given by Dr. Fernandez Prada, and that gave me an opportunity to do an internship in his lab. The subject of my Masters’ degree will be on the interaction between Giardia parasites and cell rendered immunodefient upon treatment by the drug given to transplant patient. Hopefully, this study will give us more information about the risk of zoonotic disease transmission for immunodeficient patient.

Hi! My name is Simon and I am from Antwerp, Belgium. I completed a bachelor in biomedical sciences at the University of Antwerp and am now eagerly pursuing a masters degree in tropical diseases. Being driven by a fierce interest in  parasitology and a passion for travel I decided to complete my master thesis abroad. Seeing my interest in leishmaniasis, professor Guy Caljon of the University of Antwerp recommended the lab of Dr. Fernandez-Prada. So here I am, learning from experts in this field. For the next 5 months I will research how Leishmania parasites adapt to changing environments in the context of drug resistance. With resistant strains emerging all over the world, visceral leishmaniasis remains a devastating burden to human health globally. I hope to make a meaningfull contribution to this ongoing battle against tropical diseases.

Hello! My name is Francesca. I studied veterinary medicine at the Faculté de médecine vétérinaire of Université de Montréal and graduated in 2022. During my second year of vet school, I had a parasitology class with Christopher. At the time he was working on a project in collaboration with Dr Hélène Carabin, and they needed an undergraduate student for some field work abroad. I joined their project and went to India to collect data from people living with cysticercosis and concomitant epilepsy.

Just before I graduated, Christopher reached out to see if I would be interested in doing my master’s with him, and here I am! I am currently working on a project that aims to resensitize resistant Leishmania to existing antiparasitic drugs. To do so, I am trying to modify the parasites’ genome and thus their phenotypic expression, through contact with genetically modified extracellular vesicles. Our hope is that this project will bring to light the importance of extracellular vesicles and their potential in the treatment of resistant microorganisms.

Hi! My name is Marie-Zoé. As an undergrad student in microbiology and immunology, I have worked 4 years as an assistant vet nurse. I completed my degree with an internship in Dr Fernandez-Prada’s lab where my passion for animal health combined with my research interest. During my master's, I'm studying the phenomenon of loss of resistance in Leishmania infantum, while also being a trainee in the One Health Against Pathogens program. We believe that people who have great cooking abilities make great scientists. By judging my Mac’n Squash and my cakes, I do fill in that belief.

​Hello! I completed my veterinary medicine studies at the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona in Spain, where, alongside internships across diverse veterinary fields, I cultivated a strong interest in parasitology during my coursework. After graduating, I encountered Dr. Fernandez Prada, attracted by his remarkable contributions to parasitology. Currently, I am pursuing a master’s degree in his lab, humbly immersed into the intricate realm of Leishmaniasis. My research endeavors to explore the possibility of Leishmania resensitization through the study of genetically modified extracellular vesicles. Acknowledging the global health impact of leishmaniasis, I aspire to make a modest contribution to the broader scientific community.