Alvaro Acosta Serrano
- Current job title: Principal Investigator in Molecular Parasitology and Vector-Parasite Interactions
- Current location: Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine
- Field of research: Vector-parasite interactions, molecular parasitology and glycobiology
- Wellcome Trust awards: University Award, Wellcome Trust International Travelling Fellowship, Wellcome Trust Research Career Development Fellowship
Tell us about your background.
I'm originally from Caracas, Venezuela, where I studied education and biology with a major in physiology. I was then awarded a fellowship to go to São Paulo and Dundee to study for a PhD in molecular parasitology. I've also worked in Baltimore, Dundee and Glasgow before joining the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine.
Why did you choose your career?
When I came out of college, I took a technician post in a parasitology lab as it was all that was available at the time - I needed a job! This is where my passion for molecular parasitology really started. Remarkably, the experience made me realise the social importance of studying tropical medicine and parasitology as I had to interact with people suffering with various tropical diseases.
How would you describe your job, or what do you do on a day-to-day basis?
The usual stuff... submitting grant applications and papers, and also teaching. Over the past two years, I've set up a new Wellcome Trust-funded lab, and I'm lucky to have attracted a group of enthusiastic young scientists. Unfortunately, I don't have much time to do any lab work myself, but I enjoy helping people there whenever I can. If you get disconnected from the lab, you can miss out on new methodologies and basically what's going on with the research. Also, I have a very close relationship with my staff - we often meet for activities and meals. This relationship is important as it maximises productivity and you can understand better if someone is struggling.
In lay terms, what's your science about?
We are investigating, at a molecular level, how African trypanosomes - the parasitic microorganisms that cause sleeping sickness - are passed from the tsetse fly that transmits them to a vertebrate host. While investigating basic aspects of this process, we hope to produce something to help control the transmission of this disease.
We also study the control and prevention of cutaneous leishmaniasis (another important neglected tropical disease) in the Middle East.
What are you working on at the moment?
I'm trying to understand the fundamental science behind this little branch of parasitology and vector biology - at this stage of my career, I really want to do something that can be applied; developing new tools to block the transmission of African trypanosomiasis and leishmaniasis would be a dream, and they are very much needed.
What's the ultimate aim of your work?
I hope to develop new tools that will help to control and treat some of the most devastating vector-borne diseases - that is my goal.
What are the difficulties and challenges of being a scientist, and how do you overcome them?
One of the most challenging aspects of this career is to get a stable job. The way my career has progressed is maybe a little different from someone native to the UK. After having the good fortune to work in top universities, I was working in the Wellcome Trust Centre for Molecular Parasitology in Glasgow with a Wellcome Trust Research Career Development Fellowship. After five years, I found myself with no money and no lab. In the past, I was very naïve about some aspects of funding - I was always confident of getting more, but the economic crisis had begun and so getting grants and a stable faculty post became very difficult. This was a depressing time, and I even considered quitting science. Somehow, I remained optimistic and took this opportunity to switch fields - a risky move.
Luckily, after a couple of years, I've managed to build my lab up again. In retrospect, although it was a tough time, perhaps this was the best thing that could have happened to me as I learned a lot about different biology fields. Combining these with my experience in basic parasite biology, I've been able to redirect my research into fascinating fields such as host-pathogen interactions and disease control. I'm pleased that I had the patience, the support of friends and colleagues, and of course support from the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine and the Wellcome Trust to get through these difficult times.
As a foreigner, leaving your family behind, learning other languages and adjusting to live in a different culture can be a huge barrier, especially at the early stages of a career. This requires a flexible but strong mind, and it is an extra intellectual effort you have to make. But, with time, you learn to adapt and make 'home' wherever you live.
How has the Wellcome Trust award influenced your career decisions?
Well, I've always had Wellcome Trust funding while I've been working in the UK. I'm fortunate to be funded by the Trust, and I think that they appreciate and support my work - literally. Without their support, I might not have been a scientist any more given the current difficult times.
What is the best part about doing science?
The opportunity to find solutions to very challenging problems. That, and the social impact that research can have. I was born and raised in a country endemic for tropical diseases. You don't see many in big cities like Caracas, where I was raised, but when I worked in a parasitology lab there was a nearby centre for those with leishmaniasis and Chaga's disease. It shocked me to see the people who worked in the fields, with no money or resources, going to the centre with advanced, disfiguring stages of the disease. It hit me that I had to do something about it. I felt I should try to find something that's useful for society.
Who is your biggest role model?
I've never really had any idols or role models, but I definitely respect and admire people's achievements, and of course some people's work can be very inspiring.
Who is your favourite living scientist?
I was very fortunate to work with several great scientists, among them Professors Fabian Michelangeli, Mike Ferguson and Paul Englund - my mentors in Venezuela, the UK and the USA, respectively. I learned a great many things about science and how to maintain a work-life balance from them.
What music do you listen to at work?
I'm very much into jazz. There's very good jazz in Liverpool - you can listen to it every day of the week. One musician I particularly like is Pat Metheny; he's a virtuoso American guitarist and composer who has a very characteristic sound and style. When I work in the lab or write, I like to put on jazz music in the background. It brings me into a state of concentration where I can really focus.
What are your hobbies?
I come from a family of musicians, including both of my parents. I play the drums. We have a band that I play in here called Foreign Accent Syndrome, since most members come from different parts of the world. We've had a few gigs in local pubs, but mostly for our colleagues and friends.
I also like to cook Latin American dishes for people in the lab - if I can find the ingredients. My signature Venezuelan dish is arepa - equivalent to a Mexican corn taco, but thicker. You can fill them with cheese, black beans, pork - you name it. They're amazing.
If you weren’t a scientist, you would be…
A musician. Definitely. I can't live without music. I'd probably be a drummer or guitarist. I wouldn't say I'm brilliant at either, but I'd say I'm probably a better drummer than Ringo Starr!