Dr. Jimenez is establishing a new line of research focused in the study of neglected tropical diseases that affect underserved populations. As a pharmacist and through her M.S. in Biochemistry and Ph.D. in Biomedical Sciences, she has long experience in basic research in parasitology, looking at mechanisms of adaptation and survival of protozoan parasites that affect humans including Trypanosoma cruzi, causing agent of Chagas disease, and Trypanosoma brucei, responsible for sleeping sickness. Protozoan parasites affect millions of people around the world and are an important burden for public health, mostly in developing countries.