Improving Chagas Disease Treatment
Official title: Treatment outcome requirements for disease prevention in Chagas disease
Funded at University of Georgia · NIH-11173624 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This research explores how quickly treatment for Chagas disease can prevent heart damage and provide lasting protection.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Georgia NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Athens, United States) |
| Project start | August 19, 2024 |
| Project end | June 30, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $637,608 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AI180075-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11173624 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Patients with Chagas disease, especially those newly infected or at risk of heart complications, may benefit from future treatment strategies informed by this work.
✕Less likely to help
Patients without Chagas disease or those whose condition is not related to the T. cruzi parasite would not directly benefit from this specific research.
What this research studies
Chagas disease, caused by the Trypanosoma cruzi parasite, can lead to serious muscle damage, especially in the heart, if the infection persists. While early treatment is thought to improve outcomes and prevent heart issues, there isn't much specific information to confirm this. This project uses a natural setting of infection in working dogs, which develop a similar disease pattern to humans, to understand how treatment timing affects the disease. Researchers are comparing a new, effective treatment given soon after infection versus several years later. They will look at parasite levels, immune responses, and signs of heart disease to see which approach works best.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Successful findings could help doctors decide the best time to treat Chagas disease in patients to prevent serious heart problems and offer long-term protection.
How similar studies have gone: This research addresses a gap in understanding the optimal timing for Chagas disease treatment, building on general acceptance but lacking specific supporting data.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Georgia
Athens, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Tarleton, Rick L — University of Georgia
- Study coordinator: Tarleton, Rick L
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Treatment outcomes for Chagas disease in dogs to inform human care
This grant tests whether treating early versus later in infection improves recovery and long-term health in dogs with Chagas disease, with findings intended to help people protected from or living with the disease.
-
Gut bacteria and treatment outcomes in lymphoma
Seeing whether the mix of gut bacteria relates to treatment success and immune responses in people with diffuse large B‑cell lymphoma.
-
Suicide risk interventions: comparing how much therapy and brain markers predict outcomes
A study in veterans and active-duty service members compares how different amounts of therapy, plus brain-activity clues, affect future suicide risk.
-
Blood markers in teens to detect suicide risk and predict treatment response
Researchers are measuring tiny RNA fragments in blood exosomes to find signals of suicide risk and treatment response in adolescents.
-
Comparing different treatment approaches for preventing suicide in veterans and active duty service members
This study is looking at different types of support to help active duty service members and veterans who are at risk of suicide, comparing a quick one-time therapy session with longer treatments to see which works best for different people.
-
Investigating how gut bacteria affect lymphoma treatment outcomes and immune response
This study is looking at how the bacteria in your gut might affect how well treatment works for people with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, and it hopes to find ways to personalize therapies based on your unique gut health.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.