The Chagas Disease Foundation - Directors
Rick L. Tarleton, Ph.D.
Founder and PresidentRick has more than 30 years of research experience in various aspects of human and experimental T. cruzi infection and Chagas disease. He was the Founding Director of the Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases (1998-2001) at the University of Georgia and is currently a Distinguished Research Professor at UGA.
Daniel C. Colley, Ph.D.
Board MemberDan has more than 40 years of experience in tropical disease research in schistosomiasis, Chagas disease, and tracoma. From 1993-2001 he was Director of the Division of Parasitic Diseases at the Center for Disease Control and is currently the Director of the Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases at the University of Georgia where he also directs the Bill and Melinda Gates funded global consortium for operational research in Schistosomiasis. Dan has been the recipient of numerous awards including Brazil's highest scientific honor "Order of Scientific Merit, Class Gra-Cruz" presented by the President of Brazil in 2005.
Ricardo Gurtler, Ph.D.
Board MemberRic is an Associate Professor at the University of Buenos Aires. His expertise is with the ecoepidemiology of Chagas disease with specific emphasis on infection transmission.
Boris Striepen, D.Sc.
Board MemberBoris is an expert in the cell and molecular biology of apicomplexan parasites, including Toxoplasma gondii and Cryptosporidium. He is an Associate Professor in the Department of Cellular Biology and the Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases at the University of Georgia
Ricardo Preve
Board MemberMr. Ricardo Preve is Argentinian by birth and is currently head of Ricardo Preve Films LLC (www.prevefilms.com), in Charlottesville, VA where he serves as a Producer and Director. Among his list of successful products is the documentary film "Chagas: A Hidden Affliction".
Michael A. Luther, Ph.D, MBA
Board MemberDr. Michael Luther is the President of the David H. Murdock Research Institute. Prior to becoming President of the David H. Murdock Research Institute earlier this year, Dr. Luther held the position of Vice President of Basic Research and Site Head at Merck Frosst Centre for Therapeutic Research in Montreal, QC. He headed efforts in drug discovery and development in Inflammation and Metabolic Diseases. Before Merck, Dr. Luther was with GlaxoSmithKline in a number of positions of increasing responsibility including his last role as Vice President in Discovery Research and as the leader of a new business venture that integrated diagnostics and therapeutics called Predictive Medicine.
