Charlotte Avanzi

Dr. Avanzi's laboratory specializes in the genomics epidemiology of leprosy. More specifically, it investigates the transmission and dissemination dynamics of Mycobacterium leprae and Mycobacterium lepromatosis, the causative agents of leprosy in humans, along with the role of animal and environmental hosts in facilitating the global pathogen spread. Furthermore, her research encompasses the development and optimization of molecular diagnostic techniques for detecting these pathogens in clinical specimens and assessing their viability, which is crucial for evaluating treatment effectiveness and developing new regimens. Additionally, as a participant in the World Health Organization's drug resistance surveillance network, her laboratory conducts comprehensive molecular analyses to determine drug susceptibility profiles and elucidate novel resistance mechanisms in M. leprae.