Host directed therapies for Chagas disease

Abstract: Chagas disease, caused by infection with the protozoal parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, affects approximately 7 million people worldwide and leads to progressive clinical disease. Parasite persistence causes chronic myocarditis, with increased infiltration of inflammatory cells into the heart accompanied by increased production of inflammatory cytokines, leading to cardiomyopathy. Current antiparasitic treatment is limited to two drugs, benznidazole and nifurtimox. Both drugs have prolonged treatment courses, induce significant side effects, and have limited efficacy beyond early infection. Importantly, neither antiparasitic drug addresses the underlying host inflammatory responses that contribute to disease.  Therefore, new therapies are urgently needed to bridge the efficacy and tolerability gaps of current chemotherapy. Our overall goal is to develop novel immunotherapies to complement chemotherapy. This presentation will discuss progress towards developing the first therapeutic vaccine for Chagas disease that can be combined with benznidazole treatment to reduce inflammation and improve cardiac function. Additionally, new studies investigating the immunomodulatory effects of hookworm secreted anti-inflammatory proteins in Chagas disease will be discussed.

Biography: Kathryn Jones is an Associate Professor in the Departments of Pediatrics, Division of Tropical Medicine, and Molecular Virology and Microbiology at Baylor College of Medicine. She is also the Director of the Pre-Clinical Testing Unit at the Texas Children’s Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, and the Technical Lead for the Chagas Vaccine Initiative. Dr. Jones received her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from Michigan State University College of Veterinary Medicine. She also obtained her PhD from Michigan State University in the Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics where she studied immune responses to whipworm infections in pigs. During her PhD studies, Dr. Jones was a clinical veterinarian in the University Laboratory Animal Resources department at Michigan State University. After completing her PhD, Dr. Jones pursued post-doctoral studies at The George Washington University (GWU) in the Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Tropical Medicine where she studied the immune response to Leishmania major in a mouse model of infection. At the same time, Dr. Jones joined the Human Hookworm Vaccine Initiative at GWU as the Project Veterinarian, overseeing all the pre-clinical studies to advance the first human hookworm vaccine to first in human testing. In 2011, Dr. Jones moved to Baylor College of Medicine as a founding member of the National School of Tropical Medicine, and the Texas Children’s Hospital Center for Vaccine Development (CVD). Currently, Dr. Jones is the Project Veterinarian and Director of the Pre-clinical testing unit in the CVD overseeing the preclinical studies for multiple vaccines against neglected tropical diseases, including Chagas disease, and soil transmitted helminth infection. Dr. Jones leads a research team focused on defining mechanisms of inflammation and fibrosis caused by Trypanosoma cruzi, the parasite responsible for Chagas disease, and developing novel immunotherapies. Finally, Dr. Jones enjoys teaching students at all levels in both the research laboratory as well as in the Tropical Medicine Teaching laboratory.For more information, please contact AITHM at aithm@jcu.edu.au.