Recerca - El nostre equip

During his career as a pediatrician, with special interest in infectious disease epidemiology and public health, he has combined clinical work with biomedical research in LMICs. He has been focused in the identification of biomarkers, differential diagnosis and treatment of uncomplicated and severe malaria in children. Then, he has been part of different clinical of new therapeutics tools for malaria in the last years. Furthermore, he has been involved in international collaborations for the design, implementation and evaluation of different clinical and epidemiological studies in Southern Mozambique, including biomarkers characterization in malarial disease.

In addition, he has participated in the development and implementation of a minimally invasive tissue sampling (MITS) methodology to better understand the underlying pathophysiology and mechanisms leading to death in resource-constrained settings.  He has also been interested in technological innovation for global health and has participated in different studies to validate and develop diagnostic and prognosis devices for pediatric infectious diseases. 

Línies de recerca

• Clinical development of treatment and prevention tools for Malaria 
• Differential diagnosis of malaria and other common pediatric infections
• Mortality surveillance and cause of death ascertainment in low-income settings 
• Validation and testing of innovative technologies for global health applied to low-income settings

Publicacions principals

• Ogbuanu IU, Otieno K, Varo R, Sow SO, Ojulong J, Duduyemi B, Kowuor D, Cain CJ, Rogena EA, Onyango D, Akelo V, Tippett Barr BA, terKuile F, Kotloff KL, Tapia MD, Keita AM, Juma J, Assefa N, Assegid N, Acham Y, Madrid L, Scott JAG, Arifeen SE, Gurley ES, Mahtab S, Dangor Z, Wadula J, Dutoit J, Madhi SA, Mandomando I, Torres-Fernandez D, Kincardett M, Mabunda R, Mutevedzi P, Madewell ZJ, Blau DM, Whitney CG, Samuels AM, Bassat Q; CHAMPS consortium. Burden of child mortality from malaria in high endemic areas: Results from the CHAMPS network using minimally invasive tissue sampling. J Infect. 2024 Mar;88(3):106107. doi: 10.1016/j.jinf.2024.01.006. Epub 2024 Jan 28. PMID: 38290664.
• Varo R, Crowley VM, Mucasse H, Sitoe A, Bramugy J, Serghides L, Weckman AM, Erice C, Bila R, Vitorino P, Mucasse C, Valente M, Ajanovic S, Balanza N, Zhong K, Derpsch Y, Gladstone M, Mayor A, Bassat Q, Kain KC. Adjunctive rosiglitazone treatment for severe pediatric malaria: A randomized placebo-controlled trial in Mozambican children. Int J Infect Dis. 2024 Feb;139:34-40. doi: 10.1016/j.ijid.2023.11.031. Epub 2023 Nov 25. PMID: 38013152.
• Varo R, Crowley VM, Sitoe A, Madrid L, Serghides L, Bila R, Mucavele H, Mayor A, Bassat Q, Kain KC. Safety and tolerability of adjunctive rosiglitazone treatment for children with uncomplicated malaria. Malar J. 2017 May 23;16(1):215.
• Varo R, Quintó L, Sitoe A, Madrid L, Acácio S, Vitorino P, Valente AM, Mayor A, Camprubí D, Muñoz J, Bambo G, Macete E, Menéndez C, Alonso PL, Aide P, Bassat Q. Post-malarial anemia in Mozambican children treated with quinine or artesunate: A retrospective observational study. Int J Infect Dis. 2020 Jul;96:655-662. 
• Varo R, Crowley VM, Sitoe A, Madrid L, Serghides L, Kain KC, Bassat Q. Adjunctive therapy for severe malaria: a review and critical appraisal. Malar J. 2018 Jan 24;17(1):47.