Daniel Jeffares

Dr. Daniel Jeffares is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Biology at the University of York. His research focuses on Leishmania genomics, population genetics, and quantitative genetics, with an emphasis on understanding evolutionary processes and molecular biology in parasitic organisms. His work contributes to global health initiatives, including collaborations through the UK-Brazil Joint Centre Partnership in Leishmaniasis (JCPiLeish) and the PREV_PKDL project analyzing visceral leishmaniasis in East Africa. He leads the Jeffares Lab, which utilizes advanced genomic techniques to study parasite evolution and pathogenesis.

Research Interests:

• Leishmania population genomics and drug resistance
• Genomic analysis of co-infections and pathogen diversity
• Evolutionary adaptations in trypanosomatids and extremophiles
• Applications of genomic methods in disease research

Awards: Recipient of the Visiting Professorship (2022), recognizing his contributions to collaborative research and capacity-building in genomic methodologies.

Grants & Collaborations:

• Principal Investigator on projects funded by MRC, Wellcome Trust, and NERC
• Leadership in multidisciplinary initiatives addressing visceral leishmaniasis in Sudan, Ethiopia, Uganda, and Kenya
• Active partnerships with institutions in Brazil and global health networks

Labs/Teams: The Jeffares Lab at the University of York, part of the Biology Department’s research cluster focusing on microbial genomics and evolutionary processes.