Dr. Soong’s research focuses on New World cutaneous, mucosal and visceral leishmaniasis. Using mouse and hamster infection models, her team wants to understand how innate and adaptive immune responses against Leishmania parasites are regulated, which host- and parasite-derived factors are responsible for disease pathogenesis, and which molecules can be incorporated in the vaccine regimen. Special focus is placed on the impact of parasite infection on the functions of dendritic cells and macrophages, as well as on the role of regulatory T cells and Th cells in the outcome of infection. New lines of research include Leishmania proteomics and biochemistry, host cell signaling during the infection, susceptibility variants for mucosal leishmaniasis in Peru. In addition, she has active collaborations with other scientists on sand fly transmission of Leishmania, tick-transmitted bacteria infection, and mosquito-transmitted viral infection.