Parasitic worms, also known as helminths, have infected animals and humans long before we had awareness of ourselves. Currently, these infectious agents are responsible for more than half of the diseases that occur on farms, causing significant issues in animal health and million-dollar economic losses. Moreover, many helminths are responsible for zoonotic diseases that can infect humans. In fact, it is estimated that approximately a quarter of the human population is infected with one of these parasites, primarily in the most disadvantaged regions of the planet.

For thousands of years, parasitic helminths have co-evolved alongside their hosts, developing highly precise molecular adaptations that govern their invasion, survival, and pathogenesis mechanisms. In the Laboratory of Helminth Parasites of Zoonotic Importance (ATENEA) at IRNASA-CSIC, we investigate this molecular dialogue between helminths and their hosts to design more effective tools for controlling the diseases they cause. Additionally, we tap into the vast source of knowledge provided by the study of these «old friends» of our defence systems to uncover the therapeutic potential of these infectious agents. To achieve these research objectives, we take the name of ATENEA, the Greek goddess of wisdom, reason, combat strategy, and the sciences, and leverage the latest technologies in the design of host-parasite models, molecular biology, and -omics approaches.