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NIAID > Labs & Scientific Resources > Labs at NIAID > Info about NIAID Labs > Malaria and Vector Research > Mosquito Immunity and Vector Competence

Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research

Carolina V. Barillas-Mury, M.D., Ph.D.

Chief, Mosquito Immunity and Vector Competence Section
Senior Investigator


Dr. Barillas received her M.D. from Universidad Francisco Marroquín de Guatemala (1985) and her Ph.D. in biochemistry from the University of Arizona (1992). She joined the Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research in 2003 and became a senior investigator in 2010.

Description of Research Program

The Mosquito Immunity and Vector Competence Section investigates the interactions between the mosquito immune system and Plasmodium parasites to understand how they affect disease transmission.

Four major areas of interest are the following:

  • Interactions between Plasmodium parasites, the gut microbiota, and mosquito midgut epithelial cells
  • Immune pathways that mediate antiplasmodial responses
  • Hemocyte differentiation and immune memory in mosquitoes
  • Plasmodium evasion of the mosquito immune system

Listen to an interview with Dr. Barillas-Mury on National Public Radio: The Cure for Malaria Could Be in a Mosquito’s Gut.

Time Bomb Model of Ookinete Invasion
Parasites inflict extensive damage as they migrate through midgut epithelial cells, which ultimately leads to apoptosis. Nitric oxide synthase and an inducible heme peroxidase mediate nitration of damaged cells. We propose that the responses mediating cell death are also potentially harmful to the parasite, and ookinetes have a limited time window to escape unharmed.

    Illustration of Time Bomb Model
    Time bomb model of parasite invasion of mosquito midgut epithelial cells (Download larger version, 293k)

Research Group Members

Janneth Rodrigues
Janneth Rodrigues
rodriguesj@niaid.nih.gov		 Giselle De Almeida
Giselle De Almeida
dealmeidaolig@niaid.nih.gov
Photo of Alvaro Molina-Cruz
Alvaro Molina-Cruz
amolina-cruz@niaid.nih.gov		 Lindsey Garver
Lindsey Garver
Lindsey.garver@nih.gov

Selected Publications

(View list in PubMed.)

Rodrigues J, Brayner FA, Alves LC, Dixit R, Barillas-Mury C. Hemocyte differentiation mediates innate immune memory in Anopheles gambiae mosquitoes. Science. 2010 Sep 10;329(5997):1353-5.

Jaramillo-Gutierrez G, Molina-Cruz A, Kumar S, Barillas-Mury C. The Anopheles gambiae oxidation resistance 1 (OXR1) gene regulates expression of enzymes that detoxify reactive oxygen species. PloS One. 2010 Jun 17;5(6):e11168.

Kumar S, Molina-Cruz A, Gupta L, Rodrigues J, Barillas-Mury C. A peroxidase/dual oxidase system modulates midgut epithelial immunity in Anopheles gambiae. Science. 2010 Mar 26;327(5973):1644-8.

Gupta L, Molina-Cruz A, Kumar S, Rodrigues J, Dixit R, Zamora RE, Barillas-Mury C. The STAT pathway mediates late-phase immunity against Plasmodium in the mosquito Anopheles gambiae. Cell Host Microbe. 2009 May 8;5(5):498-507.

Molina-Cruz A, Dejong RJ, Charles B, Gupta L, Kumar S, Jaramillo-Gutierrez G, Barillas-Mury C. Reactive oxygen species modulate Anopheles gambiae immunity against bacteria and Plasmodium. J Biol Chem. 2008 Feb 8;283(6):3217-23.

Han YS, Thompson J, Kafatos FC, Barillas-Mury C. Molecular interactions between Anopheles stephensi midgut cells and Plasmodium berghei: the time bomb theory of ookinete invasion of mosquitoes. EMBO J. 2000 Nov 15;19(22):6030-40.

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Last Updated September 17, 2010