Since the start of the human genome project, a great number of genome
projects on other "model" organism have been initiated, some of
them already completed. Several initiatives have also been started on
parasite genomes, mainly through support from WHO/TDR, involving
North-South and South-South collaborations, and great hopes are vested in
that these initiatives will lead to new tools for disease control and
prevention, as well as to the establishment of genomic research technology
in developing countries. The Trypanosoma cruzi genome project, using the
clone CL-Brener as starting point, has made considerable progress through
the concerted action of more than 20 laboratories, most of them in the
South. A brief overview of the current state of the project is given.
