Barillas-Mury, a native Guatemalan, is an internationally recognized researcher making significant strides in parasite biology and working to improve health on a global scale.
In 2003, she joined the National Institutes of Health to lead the Mosquito Immunity and Vector Competence Section of the Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research. In 2015, her role expanded when she was made the director of the Malaria Research Program. Her continued work has revolutionized scientists' understanding of the immune system of the mosquito to understand how it affects malaria transmission — bringing the world closer to developing a vaccine. She was elected to the National Academy of Sciences in 2014.
