The Trypanosoma cruzi genome initiative

An initiative was launched in 1994 by the Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases (TDR) of the WHO to analyse the genomes of the parasites Filaria, Schistosoma, Leishmania, Trypanosoma brucei and Trypanosoma cruzi. Five networks were established through wide publicity, holding meetings of key laboratories and developing proposals which were then reviewed by the Steering Committee of Strategic Research for financial support. The aim of the Programme was to use the platform of these networks to: (1) train scientists from tropical disease-endemic countries; (2) transfer technology and share material and expertise, thereby reducing costs and increasing efficiency; and (3) provide an information system that is accessible globally as soon as the results become available. The initial target was to produce a low-resolution genome map for each of the parasites, but it soon became evident that by using rapidly developing technologies, it might be feasible to complete DNA-sequence analysis for some of the parasites in the next decade, as discussed here by Alberto Carlos Frasch and colleagues, with particular focus on the T. cruzi genome initiative.