Research lines or specialties:
Genomics, population genetics and development of drugs and vaccines against parasites (Leishmania sp.); discovery of antiviral development against Dengue virus; discovery and development of therapeutic agents against neurodegenerative diseases.
Summary of resume:
Graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Biological Sciences from the University of Havana (1985). He took several Specialization courses in Molecular Biology and Biotechnology at the Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Havana, Cuba. He did training in Molecular Biology at the Institute of Molecular Biology I of the University of Zurich (1988-1989). He completed postgraduate studies in Population Genetics at the University of Havana (2000), and obtained a scientific degree of Doctor of Biological Sciences (PhD) at the same institution (2001). He has also received several courses on related topics: Biotechnology Biosafety (Buenos Aires, 2010), Management of eukaryotic genomes (Montevideo 2012), among others. He currently directs several research projects aimed at clarifying important aspects of the biology of the Leishmania panamensis parasite, as well as the search for new drugs with antiviral and anti-neurodegeneration activity. He maintains scientific collaborations with researchers at the University of Texas at San Antonio, United States in the areas of search for drugs for the treatment of Alzheimer’s and as potential antivirals.
Selected publications:
A pseudopterane diterpene isolated from the octocoral Pseudopterogorgia acerosa inhibits the inflammatory response mediated by TLR-ligands and TNF-alpha in macrophages. González Y, Doens D, Santamaría R, Ramos M, Restrepo C, Arruda L, Lleonart R, Gutierrez M, Fernández PL. PLoS ONE 8(12):e84107. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0084107.
AFLP Polymorphisms Allow High Resolution Genetic Analysis of American Tegumentary Leishmaniasis Agents Circulating in Panama and Other Members of the Leishmania Genus. Restrepo CM, De La Guardia C, Sousa OE, Calzada JE, Fernández PL, Lleonart R. PLoS One. 2013 Sep 9;8(9):e73177. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0073177.
Amplified fragment length polymorphisms reveals high intraspecific variability in field isolates of Leishmania panamensis. Restrepo C, Pérez E, De La Guardia C, Sousa O, Calzada J, Lleonart R. Current Trends in Biotechnology and Pharmacy 5(2): 1183-1192, April 2011.
Progress in the Identification of Dengue Virus Entry/Fusion Inhibitors. De La Guardia C, Lleonart R. BioMed Research International, Vol 2014, Article ID 825039, 13 pages, http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2014/825039.
The genome of Leishmania panamensis: insights into genomics of the L. (Viannia) subgenus. Llanes, A., Restrepo, C.M., Vecchio, G.D., Anguizola, F.J. & Lleonart, R. Sci. Rep. 5, 8550; DOI:10.1038/srep08550 (2015, in press).
Selected publications:
- Carlos Restrepo, 2011-2016: “Desarrollo de marcadores moleculares en el parásito Leishmania panamensis ”
Carolina de la Guardia, 2011-2016: “Identificación y caracterización de compuestos con actividad antiviral contra el virus Dengue” - Deborah Doens, 2011-2016: “Desarrollo de un nuevo ensayo para el cribado de compuestos contra Alzheimer” (co-tutoría)
- Lizzi Herrera, 2012-2017: “Estudios de resistencia a drogas en el parásito Leishmania panamensis y desarrollo de modelo animal de infección” (co-tutoría)
- Alejandro Llanes, 2012-2017: “Secuenciación y caracterización del genoma del parásito Leishmania panamensis para la identificación de posibles nuevos blancos terapéuticos”
Ricardo Lleonart, PhD
Highest degree of studies: PhD University of Havana (2001)
Category: Researcher
SIN level:: National Researcher (2011), Distinguished Researcher (2015)
Contact information:
E-mail:
rlleonart@indicasat.org.pa