Keynote Speakers

  • Carlos Morillo, MD

    McMaster University

    Dr. Carlos Morillo is a cardiologist, electrophysiologist, professor, and the Cardiology Division Chief of the Libin Cardiovascular Institute of Alberta. As the PI of the BENEFIT trial, his main research interests include the development of clinical trials in the area of cardiac arrhythmias, syncope and treatment of Chagas Disease.

  • Pierre Buekens, MD PhD

    Tulane University

    Pierre Buekens' research focuses on reproductive epidemiology, with a special interest in congenital Chagas Disease, and he is the director of the Tulane Center for Emerging Reproductive and Perinatal Epidemiology (CERPE). He has worked extensively in Latin America and together with other researchers, he co-founded Trop-G, a collaboration working to control and eliminate NTDs in high-risk areas around the Gulf of Mexico.

    Faculty profile

Speakers

  • Claudia Herrera, PhD

    Chairwoman and Organizer

    Tulane University

    Dr. Claudia Herrera is an Assistant Professor at Tulane University. She is a molecular parasitologist, working to strengthen surveillance and implementation of diagnostic tools in both endemic and non-endemic regions.

    Faculty profile

  • Luisa Fernanda Aguilera Mora, MD

    Centro Cardiovascular Puerta de Hierro, Guadalajara

    Dr. Luisa Aguilera Mora is a cardiologist in Jalisco, Mexico. She is the founder of Salvando Latidos, and the director of heart failure at CCPH Guadalajara.

  • Igor Almeida, PhD

    The University of Texas at El Paso

    Dr. Igor Almeida is a professor at the UT El Paso. He researches the structure analysis and immunological and biological role of GPI-anchored glycoconjugates of T. cruzi, trying to understand how the parasite modulates and evades the host immune response.

    Faculty profile

  • Cintia Cruz, MD DPhil

    Toronto Sick Children’s Hospital

    Dr. Cintia Cruz is a pediatrician in Toronto, ON, Canada. Interested in understanding the pharmacometric determinants of efficacy in the treatment of Chagas disease, Cintia’s main areas of research include Chagas disease, clinical pharmacology, and pharmacometrics.

  • Eric Dumonteil, PhD

    Tulane University

    Dr. Eric Dumonteil is a professor at Tulane University. His specialties are in immunoparasitology, vector ecology, and vaccine development.

    Faculty profile

  • Luis Echeverria, MD

    Cardiovascular Foundation of Colombia

    Dr. Luis Echeverria is a cardiologist who specializes in cardiac failure and transplantation.

    ResearchGate profile

  • Priscila Silva Grijo Farani, PhD

    The University of Texas at El Paso

    Dr. Priscila Farani is an assistant professor at UT El Paso. She is a translational scientist specializing in molecular biology, immunology, and biomarker discovery for neglected tropical diseases, with a focus on Chagas Disease.

    Faculty profile

  • Robert Gilman, MD

    Johns Hopkins University

    Dr. Robert Gilman has an extensive history of researching infectious disease control, including screening and risk factor identification for congenital Chagas Disease.

    Faculty profile

  • Salvador Hernández, MD

    Kaiser Permanente; Center of Excellence for Chagas Disease

    Dr. Salvador Hernandez is a cardiologist, working on Chagas clinical research, physician awareness, and community screening efforts.

    CECD profile

  • Rosa A. Maldonado, DSc

    The University of Texas at El Paso

    Dr. Rosa Maldonado is a professor at UT El Paso. Her research focuses on developing novel immune- and chemotherapy tools to treat Chagas disease and leishmaniasis.

    Faculty profile

  • Rachel Marcus, MD

    LACHOSA-USA

    Dr. Rachel Marcus is a cardiologist and current medical director of the non-profit organization Latin American Society of Chagas (LASOCHA). She boasts a longstanding commitment to working with under served communities in the U.S. and abroad.

    LASOCHA profile

  • David Martin, MD

    Harvard Medical School

    Dr. David Martin is a practitioner of cardiac electrophysiology, focused on a holistic approach to patient-centric management across the broad range of cardiac arrhythmias. Dr. Martin’s research interests have been concentrated on device-based therapies of arrhythmia, with a special interest in Chagas Disease.

    Faculty profile

  • Maria Nunes, MD PhD

    Federal University of Minas Gerais

    Dr. Maria Nunes is an expert in Chagas Disease diagnosis and management. She has worked extensively on using cardiac imaging to evaluate patient prognosis and treatment efficacy.

    ResearchGate profile

  • Alex Pacheco Bouthillier

    Sociedad Interamericana de Cardiología

    Dr. Alex Pacheco is a cardiologist in Guadalajara, Mexico. He is an expert in cardiac insufficiency, complex arrhythmias, and electrophysiology.

    Staff profile

  • María Jesús Pinazo, MD

    DNDi

    Dr. María Jesús Pinazo is a Spanish physician and the Head of Chagas Disease at DNDi. Her main line of work and research is tropical and imported diseases, and her past research has focused on detection and diagnosis of Chagas in pregnant women and their babies in Latin America.

    DNDi profile

  • Antonio Ribeiro, MD PhD

    Federal University of Minas Gerais

    Dr. Antonio Ribeiro is Full Professor of Internal Medicine and the Head of Research and Innovation and of the Cardiology Service of the University Hospital at the Federal University of Minas Gerais, in Brazil.

    ResearchGate profile

  • Javier Sancho Más, MSc

    Chagas Disease Coalition

    Javier Sancho Más started wirking with Chagas Disease in 2003. He is a teacher at ESADE University, Barcelona, and coordinates the Chagas Disease Global Coalition. He is also co-author of Chagas Disease, a neglected tropical disease, Springer, 2021 and recently the Children Book of real stories with Doctors Without Borders, Tres niños sin fronteras.