Air pollution and TB spread in Ugandan urban slums
Official title: Air Pollution Effects on Transmission of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in Urban Slum Community in Uganda
Funded at Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences · NIH-11579143 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project explores whether exposure to air pollution makes tuberculosis more likely to spread within households in a crowded Ugandan slum.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Newark, UNITED STATES) |
| Project start | September 15, 2012 |
| Project end | June 30, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $99,530 |
| NIH project number | 3R01ES020382-10S2 |
| Project ID | NIH-11579143 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are households in high TB incidence urban slums where there is a TB index case and exposure to indoor/outdoor air pollution.
✕Less likely to help
Households with low exposure to air pollution or where no TB transmission occurs may see limited direct benefit.
What this research studies
From a patient-facing perspective, the study looks at how air pollution might affect TB transmission in communities that are at high risk. It examines whether fine particles in the air make people with TB more infectious and whether exposure makes household contacts more likely to become infected. Researchers plan to collect air quality data, examine respiratory samples, and study immune responses to see how pollution and TB interact. The work aims to inform interventions that could reduce transmission and protect vulnerable families in urban slums.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, findings could guide public health actions to lower PM2.5 exposure and reduce TB spread in crowded settings.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work shows PM2.5 can affect immune responses; this study tests its role in real-world TB transmission.
Where this research is happening
-
Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences
Newark, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Schwander, Stephan K — Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences
- Study coordinator: Schwander, Stephan K
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.