I am interested in using multidisciplinary approaches to elucidate 1) molecular mechanisms of snail intermediate host and schistosome parasite interactions, 2) fundamental mechanisms underlying snails/invertebrate defenses, and 3) immune evasion of schistosomes in vertebrate definitive hosts. The long-term goal of my study is to develop innovative approaches for the control of schistosomiasis, an infectious disease afflicting more than 200 million people worldwide.