Neglected tropical diseases disproportionately affect the world’s poorest populations, perpetuating cycles of disease and poverty. Among the most devastating of these diseases is schistosomiasis, a disease caused by blood-dwelling parasitic worms, known as schistosomes, that cause death and morbidity in over 200 million people globally. By developing modern molecular tools, Jim Collins endeavors to understand how these parasites thrive and reproduce in their human hosts. By unraveling fundamental biological processes in these parasites, he aims to identify vulnerabilities that could pave the way for the development of a new generation of therapies.