Rafael Ramiro De Assis
Assistant Project Scientist, Department of Physiology and Biophysics, UCI
Biography
Rafael Ramiro de Assis, Ph.D., is an Assistant Project Scientist in the Department of Physiology and Biophysics at the University of California, Irvine. He received his Ph.D. in Health Sciences with a focus on Cellular and Molecular Biology from Centro de Pesquisas René Rachou, FIOCRUZ, Brazil in 2012. His research focuses on parasite-host interactions, immune responses to parasite virulence factors, and vaccine development, with particular emphasis on leishmaniasis and schistosomiasis.
De Assis has made substantial contributions to the development and application of protein and peptide microarray technologies for infectious disease diagnostics and immune profiling. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he played a key role in developing coronavirus antigen microarrays to analyze antibody responses in convalescent plasma and vaccinated individuals, contributing to multiple high-impact publications on SARS-CoV-2 serology. His work has also extended to malaria, influenza, and other infectious diseases, utilizing immunomics approaches to identify biomarkers and characterize immune responses.
His research portfolio includes over 40 peer-reviewed publications in journals such as Nature Communications, Cell Stem Cell, NPJ Vaccines, and Scientific Reports. De Assis has received research funding including a CRAFT-COVID award from the University of California Irvine for developing a low-cost camera-based microarray imager. He has served as a reviewer for multiple scientific journals and as a co-advisor for graduate and undergraduate students in Brazil.
Return to topEducation
- Ph.D. in Health Sciences - Cellular and Molecular Biology, Centro de Pesquisas René Rachou, FIOCRUZ, Brazil, 2012
- M.Sc. in Microbiology, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Brazil, 2009
- B.Sc. in Biology with major in Microbiology, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Brazil, 2007
Areas of Expertise
- Parasite-Host Immune Interactions
- Cytokine Inflammatory Mediator Pathways
- Macrophage Neutrophil Activation Mechanisms
- Leishmaniasis Vaccine Development
- SARS-CoV-2 Antibody Profiling
- Schistosomiasis Molecular Markers
- Protein Microarray Immunodiagnostics
Recent Publications
- Govender V., Reddy T., Maenetje P., Beattie T., Adonis T., Nielson T., Moodley J., Mdluli J., Bhoola A., Angelo S., Panchia R., Mngadi K.T., Innes C., Brumskine W.L., Mlotshwa M., Nhlangulela L.R., Ncube I., Moyo-Gwete T., Moore P.L., Keeton R.S., et al., “Safety and immunogenicity of a single dose of Ad26.COV2.S, BNT162b2, or SARS-CoV-2-rS-protein-nanoparticle in previously vaccinated and unvaccinated adults living with and without HIV in South Africa: a phase 2a randomised, observer-blind trial” (opens in new tab), Lancet HIV, vol. 13, pp. e163-e175, 2026.
- Hosseinian S, de Assis R, Khalil G, Luu MK, Jain A, Horvath P, Nakajima R, Palma AM, Hoang A, Razzak E, Garcia N, Alger J, Kalantari M, Silzel EK, Jasinskas A, Zaldivar F, Schubl SD, Felgner PL, Khan S, “Analysis and comparison of SARS-CoV-2 variant antibodies and neutralizing activity for 6 months after a booster mRNA vaccine in a healthcare worker population” (opens in new tab), Frontiers in Immunology, vol. 14, pp. 1166261, 2023.
- Bagri A, de Assis RR, Tsai CT, Simmons G, Mei ZW, Von Goetz M, Gatmaitan M, Stone M, Di Germanio C, Martinelli R, Darst O, Rioveros J, Robinson PV, Ward D, Ziman A, Seftel D, Khan S, Busch MP, Felgner PL, Corash LM, “Antibody profiles in COVID-19 convalescent plasma prepared with amotosalen/UVA pathogen reduction treatment” (opens in new tab), Transfusion, vol. 62, no. 3, pp. 570-583, 2022.
- Assis R, Jain A, Nakajima R, Jasinskas A, Khan S, Palma A, Parker DM, Chau A, Specimen Collection Group, Obiero JM, Tifrea D, Leung A, Grabar C, Muqolli F, Khalil G, Escobar JC, Ventura J, Davies DH, Albala B, Boden-Albala B, et al., “Distinct SARS-CoV-2 antibody reactivity patterns elicited by natural infection and mRNA vaccination” (opens in new tab), NPJ Vaccines, vol. 6, no. 1, pp. 132, 2021.
- Assis R, Jain A, Nakajima R, Jasinskas A, Khan S, Davies H, Corash L, Dumont LJ, Kelly K, Simmons G, Stone M, Di Germanio C, Busch M, Felgner PL, “Distinct SARS-CoV-2 antibody reactivity patterns in coronavirus convalescent plasma revealed by a coronavirus antigen microarray” (opens in new tab), Sci Rep, vol. 11, no. 1, pp. 7554, 2021.
- Rafael R. de Assis, Aarti Jain, Rie Nakajima, Algis Jasinskas, Jiin Felgner, Joshua M. Obiero, Philip J. Norris, Mars Stone, Graham Simmons, Anil Bagri, Johannes Irsch, Martin Schreiber, Andreas Buser, Andreas Holbro, Manuel Battegay, Philip Hosimer, Charles Noesen, Oluwasanmi Adenaiye, Sheldon Tai, Filbert Hong, et al., “Analysis of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in COVID-19 convalescent blood using a coronavirus antigen microarray” (opens in new tab), Nature Communications, vol. 12, pp. 6, 2021.
Most Cited Publications
- de Assis, Rafael Ramiro, Ibraim, Izabela Coimbra, Nogueira, Paula Monalisa, Soares, Rodrigo Pedro, Turco, Salvatore J., “Glycoconjugates in New World species of Leishmania: Polymorphisms in lipophosphoglycan and glycoinositolphospholipids and interaction with hosts” (opens in new tab), Biochimica et Biophysica Acta. G, General Subjects (Print), vol. 1820, pp. 1354-1365, 2011.
- Ibraim, Izabela Coimbra, De Assis, Rafael Ramiro, Pessoa, Natália Lima, Campos, Marco Antônio, Melo, Maria Norma, Turco, Salvatore Joseph, Soares, Rodrigo Pedro, “Two biochemically distinct lipophosphoglycans from Leishmania braziliensis and Leishmania infantum trigger different innate immune responses in murine macrophages” (opens in new tab), Parasites and Vectors, vol. 6, pp. 54, 2013.
- Assis, Rafael Ramiro, Ibraim, Izabela Coimbra, Noronha, Fátima Soares, Turco, Salvatore Joseph, Soares, Rodrigo Pedro, “Glycoinositolphospholipids from Leishmania braziliensis and L. infantum: Modulation of Innate Immune System and Variations in Carbohydrate Structure” (opens in new tab), Plos Neglected Tropical Diseases, vol. 6, pp. e1543, 2012.
- Nogueira, Paula M., Assis, Rafael R., Torrecilhas, Ana C., Saraiva, Elvira M., Pessoa, Natália L., Campos, Marco A., Marialva, Eric F., Ríosvelasquez, Cláudia M., Pessoa, Felipe A., Secundino, Nágila F., Rugani, Jerônimo N., Nieves, Elsa, Turco, Salvatore J., Melo, Maria N., Soares, Rodrigo P., “Lipophosphoglycans from Leishmania amazonensis Strains Display Immunomodulatory Properties via TLR4 and Do Not Affect Sand Fly Infection” (opens in new tab), PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases (Online), vol. 10, pp. e0004848, 2016.
- Paranaíba, Larissa Ferreira, Assis, R. R., Nogueira, Paula Monalisa, Torrecilhas, Ana Claúdia, Campos, João Henrique, Silveira, Amanda Cardoso De Oliveira, Martins filho, Olindo Assis, Pessoa, Natalia Lima, Campos, M.A., Parreiras, Patrícia Martins, Melo, Maria Norma, Gontijo, Nelder De Figueiredo, Soares, Rodrigo Pedro Pinto, “Leishmania enriettii: biochemical characterisation of lipophosphoglycans (LPGs) and glycoinositolphospholipids (GIPLs) and infectivity to Cavia porcellus” (opens in new tab), Parasites and Vectors, vol. 8, pp. 31, 2015.
- Assis, R. R., Ludolf, F., Nakajima, R., Jasinskas, A., Oliveira, G. C., Felgner, P. L., Gaze, S. T., Loukas, A., Loverde, P. T., Bethony, J. M., Correaoliveira, R., Calzavarasilva, C. E., “A next generation proteome array for Schistosoma mansoni” (opens in new tab), International Journal for Parasitology, vol. 46, pp. 411-415, 2016.
- Passero, L. F. D., Assis, R. R., Silva, T. N., Nogueira, P. M., Macedo, D. H., Pessoa, N. L., Campos, M. A. S., Laurenti, M. D., Soares, R. P., “Differential modulation of macrophage response elicited by glycoinositolphospholipids and lipophosphoglycan from Leishmania (Viannia) shawi” (opens in new tab), Parasitology International (Print), vol. 64, pp. 32, 2015.
Contact Information
Email: rramirod@hs.uci.edu
Address: 847 Health Sciences Quad, Workstation 2150
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Last updated on 5/12/2026.