Sam Wassmer, PhD, is an immunopathologist whose research focuses on the effects of malaria infection on the brain. He leads an international, multidisciplinary team of researchers across India, Switzerland, the US, Gabon, and the UK to develop new diagnostic tools and therapeutic approaches for patients with malaria. He is a Steering Committee member and former Co-Director of the Malaria Centre at LSHTM, which connects and supports more than 300 malaria researchers, both within and beyond the School, through seminars, social events, and scientific retreats.
He is known for his innovative and collaborative work in malaria-endemic settings, integrating advanced neuroimaging, molecular diagnostics, and artificial intelligence to improve understanding of the mechanisms underlying cerebral malaria. His research has been funded by the Wellcome Trust, the MRC, and the NIH, and has taken him to live and work in Malawi, the US, and the UK. Sam is also closely involved in capacity building through long-standing partnerships with research institutes across Africa and Southeast Asia. He teaches at the School of Global Health, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine in China, and is an Adjunct Professor at GLA University in India.
Sam is also a Mental Health First Aider and a Steering Committee member of LSHTM Press.
Affiliations
Centres
Teaching
Sam has completed the Postgraduate Certificate in Learning and Teaching at the LSHTM and is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA). He has a wide range of teaching activities, which include:
Module Organiser for Immunology of Clinical Disease (IDM3167),
Co-Module Organiser for the Distance Learning Malaria Module (IDM503),
Lectures:
- inflammation, immunopathology of infectious diseases & malaria pathogenesis (IDM3120),
- malaria blood stages & immunology (IDM3177),
- innate immunity, inflammation & immunopathogenesis (IDM3134),
- malaria pathophysiology (Distance Learning IDM103, IDM213, IDM503),
MSc exam marking (both intensive and distance learning).
He is the Chair of the Immunology of Infectious Diseases Exam Board, tutors students from several MSc courses, and is involved in the Mentorship Scheme and the Grant Application Programme at LSHTM.
Research
Sam Wassmer's team investigates factors that lead to the development of cerebral malaria in patients infected with Plasmodium falciparum. This includes specific virulence factors of the parasite, as well as host-related determinants across cohorts from different age groups and geographic origins. Sam is also interested in the development of cost-effective and easily deployable diagnostic tools, specifically designed for malaria-endemic settings.
Selected Publications
