Dr Tapan Bhattacharyya

Tapan joined LSHTM in 2009.

Molecular epidemiology of Trypanosoma cruzi, agent of Chagas disease. Chagas disease remains an important parasitic infection in the Americas. The vectors for the protozoan agent T. cruzi are triatomine bugs, which transmit the infective stage of the parasite in their faeces when taking a blood-meal. T. cruzi is classified into genetic lineages TcI-TcVI exhibiting a complex geographical distribution and a poorly understood relationship to clinical symptoms. Tapan's work is directed towards furthering understanding of the epidemiology of the different parasite lineages in this neglected tropical disease.

Serological diagnostics for Leishmania donovani, agent of visceral leishmaniasis. Visceral leishmaniasis, caused by infection with protozoa of the Leishmania donovani complex, remains a major public health problem in endemic regions of South Asia, East Africa, and Brazil. Phlebotomus and Lutzomyia sandflies are vectors in the Old and New World, respectively. Tapan's work is directed toward comparing and improving serological tests across endemicities, including identifying novel antigens.