Why Chagas disease causes heart inflammation and scarring
Official title: Mechanisms of myocarditis and progressive cardiac fibrosis in chronic Trypanosoma cruzi infection.
Funded at Baylor College of Medicine · NIH-11309559 · Data updated 2026-11-12
An immune-based therapy made from a Trypanosoma cruzi protein plus an immune-stimulating adjuvant, sometimes given with benznidazole, aims to reduce heart inflammation and scarring in people with chronic Chagas disease.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Baylor College of Medicine NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Houston, United States) |
| Project start | March 18, 2022 |
| Project end | February 28, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $704,944 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AI168038-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11309559 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with chronic T. cruzi infection, especially those showing early signs of heart inflammation or fibrosis from Chagas disease, would be the most relevant candidates.
✕Less likely to help
People without T. cruzi infection or whose heart failure is caused by non-Chagas conditions are unlikely to benefit from this research.
What this research studies
You will hear about research that looks at why long-term T. cruzi infection causes ongoing heart inflammation (myocarditis) and buildup of scar tissue (fibrosis). Researchers are following molecular pathways linked to inflammation, fibrosis, and metabolism and testing an immunotherapy made from the parasite protein Tc24-C4 combined with a TLR4 adjuvant, and in some approaches pairing this with the antiparasitic drug benznidazole. Much of the work uses lab and animal models but is focused on mechanisms directly tied to human chronic Chagasic cardiomyopathy and on therapies that could be moved toward patients. The team’s earlier experiments showed this vaccine-linked approach can lower myocarditis and fibrosis in preclinical models, and they are working to understand how it works and whether it can be translated safely for people.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lower heart inflammation and scarring, help preserve heart function, and slow or prevent progression to chronic Chagasic cardiomyopathy.
How similar studies have gone: Related vaccine-linked chemotherapy approaches have reduced myocarditis and fibrosis in animal models, but large-scale human trials are still lacking.
Where this research is happening
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Baylor College of Medicine
Houston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Jones, Kathryn Marie — Baylor College of Medicine
- Study coordinator: Jones, Kathryn Marie
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Understanding heart inflammation and fibrosis caused by Chagas disease.
This study is looking at how a long-term infection with a parasite can cause heart problems in people with Chronic Chagasic Cardiomyopathy, and it aims to find better treatments, including a new type of therapy that helps boost the immune system.
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Myocardial fibrosis and fat in ART-treated women with HIV in sub-Saharan Africa
This grant studies heart tissue changes in women living with HIV in sub-Saharan Africa to understand why heart failure risk is higher in this group.
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.