Grant: Operating Grant

Ever since German scientist Robert Koch first discovered the infectious agent of tuberculosis (TB), (Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Mtb) in 1882, TB has defied efforts by scientists to prevent or cure the disease. The presence of Mtb DNA in the lung tissues of ancient Egyptian mummy (dated 1550-1080 BC) suggests a long-standing historical evolutionary relationship between M.tb and humans. Despite the world-wide application of BCG vaccination and other anti-Mtb interventions, Mtb remains one of the most deadly human pathogens killing annually two million people. Eight to ten million new cases of active tuberculosis occur each year due in large part to asymptomatic people chronically infected with Mtb. The ability of Mtb to persist in individuals with apparently normal immune systems implies that Mtb has developed strategies to avoid, evade, and even subvert innate and adaptive immunity. The major objective of this proposal is to develop a novel vaccine employing a pharmacological approach or recombinant BCG as tools to enhance immunity and ultimately protection against pulmonary Mtb infection.