Nelder F. Gontijo

This study uses intravital microscopy and fluorescent labeling to characterize the mechanics of mouthpart movements and salivation dynamics during blood feeding in Lutzomyia longipalpis, revealing a coordinated process involving tissue disruption, salivary secretion, and host vascular modulation.

The paper investigates trypanosomatid diversity in small mammals at a wildlife-urban interface, identifying zoonotic pathogens and highlighting public health risks.

The paper sequences and annotates the genomes of two sand fly species, identifying genes related to vector biology and population structure to aid in leishmaniasis control.

This paper analyzes the testicles transcriptome of Rhodnius prolixus to identify genes involved in male reproduction and highlights the lack of functional annotations for many transcripts.

This paper identifies a Y-linked gene in Triatoma infestans orthologous to Drosophila kl-3, showing it is essential for male fertility through knockdown experiments.