A better understanding of the pathogenesis of TB is key to developing novel approaches to combatting this disease. 

Researchers at Vanderbilt, along with international collaborators, have been working to improve our understanding of the mechanisms behind M. tuberculosis transmission and pathogenesis.

Active Projects

  • Regional Prospective Observational Research in Tuberculosis (RePORT)-Brazil; PIs – Timothy Sterling, Bruno Andrade (Brazil); NIH U01AI069923
  • RePORT International Coordinating Center (RICC) 3.0; PIs – Jerrod Ellner (Rutgers), Timothy Sterling; CRDF Global
  • Epidemiologic, immunologic, and genetic predictors and mechanisms of incipient, sub-clinical, and active TB in HIV-infected and -uninfected close TB contacts; Brazil; PIs – Timothy Sterling, Bruno Andrade (Brazil), Thomas Hawn (UW); NIH R01AI147765
  • Prevalence, Incidence, and Biomarkers of Subclinical Tuberculosis (TB) in Close Contacts in the RePORT International Consortium; Brazil; PI - Timothy Sterling; CRDF Global
  • Regional Prospective Observational Research for Tuberculosis (RePORT)- Philippines; TB Pathogenomics Study - PI - Ribka Berhanu; CRDF Global
  • Functionally distinct human CD4 T cell responses to novel evolutionarily selected M. tuberculosis antigens (R01); PIs - Joel Ernst (UCSF) Timothy Sterling; NIH R01AI173002
  • Targeting mediators of oxidative stress to limit hyperinflammatory cell death modalities during Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection; PIs – Robert Watson, Kristin Patrick; NIH R01AI179037
  • Mitochondria as crucial regulators of innate immune outcomes during Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection; PIs – Robert Watson, Kristin Patrick; NIH R01AI155621
  • Prevalence, Incidence, and Biomarkers of Subclinical Tuberculosis (TB) in Close Contacts in the RePORT International Consortium; PI – Timothy Sterling; CRDF Global

Completed Projects

  • Characterization of Genomics and Metabolomics among Individuals Highly-Exposed, but resistant to Mtb Infection; PIs - Neel Gandhi (Emory); NIH R01AI139406
  • Molecular analysis of the adaptive immune response to tuberculosis; Nashville, TN; PI – Spyros Kalams; NIH R21AI127129
  • Towards a global TB biomarker: Comparison of small transcriptomic signatures to predict, diagnose and monitor TB disease; Brazil, South Africa; PIs – Bruno Andrade (Brazil), Timothy Sterling, Mbandi Kimbung; CRDF Global
  • Prospective profiling of eicosanoid and inflammatory balance in TB-diabetes; Brazil; PIs – Timothy Sterling, Bruno Andrade (Brazil), John Koethe, Henrique Serezani; CRDF Global
  • Macrophage immunogenetics and incipient tuberculosis in Brazil; Brazil; PIs – Thomas Hawn (UW), Timothy Sterling, Bruno Andrade (Brazil); CRDF Global