Chasing Parasites: The Science Behind the Leishmaniasis Scar

Cutaneous leishmaniasis affects hundreds of thousands of people and animals every year — most commonly dogs — yet the disease remains largely overlooked by both the private and public sectors.

In this talk, Colombian biomedical investigator Dr María Adelaida Gómez takes us on a journey from remote rainforest villages to cutting-edge labs, uncovering the true cost of a disease, spread by tiny sandflies, that causes disfiguring skin wounds, psychological distress, and social stigma. Dr Gómez shares the real stories of patients whose lives are shaped by leishmaniasis — children who stop going to school, women who hide their faces, and travellers who return home with more than just souvenirs. She explains the science behind the scar: how a tiny parasite evades the immune system, why treatments remain toxic or unavailable, and how research — including the search for an effective vaccine — offers our best hope of closing the gap between those who suffer and those who can help.