To study the molecular mechanisms used by parasites to undergo developmental transformations and to adapt to their hosts by using the African trypanosomes (prototype Trypanosoma brucei) as model organisms. This project can be divided into two parts:

Studies on the parasite (endocytosis of host macromolecules, cell signaling, controls of gene expression, metabolic changes during the parasite life-cycle)
Study of host-parasite interactions (mechanisms underlying pathology in mammalian hosts, macrophage - trypanosome interactions, tsetse fly - trypanosome interactions
 The ITM partner has the lead on the following activities:

The study of the trypanosome adhesion to the salivary gland epithelium
The characterisation of tsetse salivary components that are involved in attraction, growth and differentiation of the parasite in the salivary gland
The study of tsetse saliva-host/trypanosome interactions during early development of the metacylic trypanosomes at the biting site
Factors affecting trypanosome development in the tsetse fly
 Besides this, ITM is a collaborating partner in activities that concerns the study of the glycosome turnover and the mitochondrial functions during parasite development in the tsetse fly.