Thouraya Boussoffara

Associate Professor of Immunology / Researcher

Institut Pasteur de Tunis, Tunisia

VALIDATE Role:

Network Associate

Biography:

Thouraya Boussoffara, immunologist researcher in the laboratory of Transmission, Control and Immunobiology of Infections (LTCII) at Pasteur Institute of Tunis, Tunisia. I am leading currently the team “surveillance and immunobiology of infections” focusing on four topics, leishmaniasis, tuberculosis, diseases due to infection with viruses (influenza viruses/covid-19) and Development of strategies to control these diseases using the "one health” approach.

My research activities mainly focused on leishmaniasis with a particular interest to the identification of potential vaccine candidates and the analysis of their immunogenicity and efficacy in preclinical studies using animal model (mice, dog). Thereby, I am currently coordinating two projects aiming to analyze the immunogenicity and efficacy of anti-leishmaniasis vaccine candidates: a live attenuated parasite evaluated in a canine model and an mRNA vaccine tested in a mice model.

I am member of a Task force created in 2022, aiming to development and production of mRNA vaccine at Pasteur Institute of Tunis with the objective to set-up a platform for production of mRNA vaccine. I am also member of the project “Vision” (Era-Talent H2020) (From Insightful Science to Innovative Health: Strengthening Translational Capacity and Talent Interoperability in Vaccine and Biologic Research & innovation).

Related Websites:

Institut Pasteur de Tunis

Key Publications:

Trimèche M, Boussoffara T, Chelbi I, Cherni S, Zhioua S, Msallem N, Labidi I, Zhioua E. Effects of multiple feedings on sensitized rabbits on the fitness of Phlebotomus papatasi (Diptera: Psychodidae). Acta Trop. 2022 Jan 10; 228:106303. doi: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2022.106303.
Boussoffara T, Boubaker MS, Ben Ahmed M, Mokni M, Guizani I, Ben Salah A, Louzir H. Histological and immunological differences between zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis due to Leishmania major and sporadic cutaneous leishmaniasis due to Leishmania infantum. Parasite. 2019; 26: 9. doi: 10.1051/parasite/2019007. Epub 2019 Feb 27.
Boussoffara T., Boubaker MS., Ben Ahmed M., Mokni M., Feriani S., Ben Salah A., Louzir H. Activated cytotoxic T cells within zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis lesions. Immunity, Inflammation and Disease. 2019; 1–10. https://doi.org/10.1002/iid3.240
Boussoffara T, Chelif S, Ben Ahmed M, Mokni M, Ben Salah A, Dellagi K., Louzir H. Immunity against Leishmania major infection: parasite-specific granzyme B induction as a correlate of protection. Front. Cell. Infect. Microbiol. 2018; Vol.8:397.doi: 10.3389/fcimb.2018.00397.
Mou Z, Li J., Boussoffara T., Kishi H., Hamana H., Ezzati P., Hu C, Yi W, Liu D., Khadem F., Okwor I., Jia P., Shitaoka K., Wang ., Ndao M., Petersen C., Chen J., Rafati S., Louzir H., Muraguchi A., Wilkins JA., Uzonna JE. Identification of broadly conserved cross-species protective Leishmania antigen and its responding CD4+ T cells. Science Translational Medicine. 2015; Vol. 7, Issue 310, pp. 310ra167.
Das S, Freier A, Boussoffara T, Das S, Oswald D, Losch FO, Selka M, Sacerdoti-Sierra N, Schönian G, Wiesmüller KH, Seifert K, Schroff M, Juhls C, Jaffe CL, Roy S, Das P, Louzir H, Croft SL, Modabber F, Walden P. Modular multi-antigen T cell epitope-enriched DNA vaccine against human leishmaniasis. Science Translational Medicine.2014; (6): 234ra56.
Naouar I., Boussoffara T., Chenik M., Gritli S., Ben Ahmed M., Belhadj Hmida N., Bahi-Jaber N., Bardi R., Gorgi Y., Ben Salah A., Louzir H. Prediction of T cell epitopes from Leishmania major potentially excreted/secreted proteins inducing granzyme B production. PLoS One. 2016 Jan 15; 11(1):e0147076
Naouar I., Boussoffara T., Ben Ahmed M., Belhaj Hmida N., Gharbi A., Gritli S., Ben Salah A., Louzir H. Involvement of Different CD4+T Cell Subsets Producing Granzyme B in the Immune Response to Leishmania major Antigens. Mediators of Inflammation, Volume 2014, Article ID 636039
Marzouki S., Ben Ahmed M., Boussoffara T., Abdeladhim M., Ben Aleya-Bouafif N., Namane A., Belhaj Hamida N., Ben Salah A., Louzir H. Characterization of the antibody response to the saliva of Phlebotomus papatasi in people living in endemic areas of cutaneous leishmaniasis. American Journal of Tropical Medicine Hygiene. 2011; 84(5); p: 653-661.
Bousoffara T., Louzir H., Ben Salah A., Dellagi K. Analysis of Granzyme B Activity as a Surrogate Marker of Leishmania-Specific Cell-Mediated Cytoxicity in Zoonotic Cutaneous Leishmaniasis. Journal of Infectious Disease. 2004; 189 (1 April).1267-1273.