ChagasChat

Claudia Herrera is a microbiologist and associate professor in the Department of Tropical Medicine at the Tulane University School of Public Health. With over 15 years of experience in the study of parasitic diseases, her academic and scientific work focuses on the molecular epidemiology and population genetics of protozoan parasites, highlighting her pioneering research on Trypanosoma cruzi. At Tulane, she has established a world-class reference laboratory for the early detection and genotyping of this parasite, leading projects centered on congenital transmission and the development of next-generation diagnostics. She is the co-chair of the U.S. Chagas Disease Research Consortium.

Etienne Waleckx is an expert on Chagas disease and a professor at the Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán (Mexico). He is part of a research unit at the IRD (French Research Institute for Sustainable Development) called INTERTRYP. This unit is dedicated to study strategies to control Neglected Tropical Diseases caused by Trypanosomatids.

Dr. Adriana González is the director of the research area of ​​Salvando Latidos and the Minimally Invasive Cardiovascular Institute in Mexico. She is also a member of the Ibero-American network of clinical researchers for new diagnostic and therapeutic tools to tackle Chagas disease, and she is also a clinical advisor to the Mexican association of affected people.

Salvando Latidos is a non-profit organization that facilitates access to prevention, diagnosis, care, treatment, and rehabilitation for those affected by cardiovascular diseases, through collaborative projects with public and private institutions.

Dr. Mario J. Grijalva is Director of the Infectious and Tropical Disease Institute and Professor of Microbiology at the Ohio University. He is former Director of the CISeAL, a research center in Quito, created in 2000 with the collaboration of the Pontifical Catholic University of Ecuador (PUCE).

He is an internationally recognized expert on the spread of Chagas disease and other infectious diseases, which affects millions of people in South and Central America and has recently spread to the United States and Europe.

Anna Veiga is Doctor in Biology. The Probitas Foundation has been contributing since 2008 to health access for vulnerable people through its International Program. Probitas develops projects against Chagas disease with the aim of improving comprehensive care for affected communities (prevention, diagnosis, and treatment) as well as training health professionals and improving the infrastructure of health centers to enhance their capacities.

This March 8th, on International Women’s Day, the Chagas Coalition reaffirms the importance of highlighting and advocating for the fundamental role of women in science and health care.

It is crucial to recognize the impact of women scientists in the fight against neglected tropical diseases like Chagas, where their dedication and leadership have been key to the development of research and treatments.

This March 8th, we raise our voices to reivindicate gender equality across all fields of science. Inclusion and equal opportunities are vital for building a fairer and more sustainable future.

Marina Gold is currently CEO and Executive Director of the Mundo Sano Foundation.

She was trained in political and medical anthropology, and started her career in the academic world, teaching in university institutions and developing and leading research projects. Her work has gradually focused on health issues until she became responsible for the foundation in 2022.

Dr. María Jesús Pinazo has been leading DNDi’s work on Chagas disease since January 2022. Graduated in Medicine and Surgery, senior specialist in Internal Medicine and Infectious Diseases. PhD in Internal Medicine at the University of Barcelona. Main line of research in International Health is on Chagas Disease, from basic to Public Health research.

Laura C. Bohorquez is a Scientific Officer, Lead for Chagas Disease at the NTD Programme of FIND. Bohorquez’s goal is to contribute to the control and elimination of neglected tropical diseases in Latin America. She helps develop and implement strategic plans with both global and local strategic partners, aimed at impulsing innovative and accessible diagnostics.

Read the report about new methods of diagnsis for Chagas Disease, by FIND and DNDi:

“Meeting on diagnostic evaluation and economic impact analysis of new diagnostic methods for Chagas disease” 

Dr. Cintia Valeria Cruz is a researcher at the Mahidol Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit (MORU). In this interview, she briefly explains the paper that the unit has just published, on August 29, in the British Pharmacological Society journal: “Adverse events associated with benznidazole treatment for Chagas disease in children and adults”.

This multidisciplinary team was founded by Dr. Hector Freilij, and it has been led by Dr. Jaime Altcheh for the last 18 years. The unit is made up of experts with extensive experience such us biologists, biochemists, bioinformaticians and physicians. Their study compiles the conclusions of more than 20 years of comprehensive care for patients with Chagas disease at the Hospital de Niños Ricardo Gutiérrez, in Buenos Aires (Argentina).