Milena de Melo Jorge, M. D.,
University of Ceara, Fortaleza, Brazil
Ph.D. Student in Immunology
E-mail: milena.demelojorge@tufts.edu

Trypanosoma cruzi, the agent of Chagas’ disease, can invade various cell types, particularly muscle cells in the heart and gastrointestinal tract, glial cells and, to a lesser extent, neurons in the nervous system. It remains unknown how T. cruzi penetrates cells to inhabit the intracellular milieu for years or decades. My project is an attempt to identify the cellular receptors that govern T. cruzi invasion, particularly in cells of the nervous system. By understanding how T. cruzi enters Schwann cells, astrocytes, and neurons, I hope to be able to develop agents to prevent or abort infection.