Fast light-based test to find hard-to-treat drug-resistant TB
Rapid phenotypic detection of complex and emergent TB drug-resistance using a next-generation nanoluciferase reporter phage
This project tests a new rapid laboratory test that uses a light-producing virus to find TB bacteria that are resistant to current antibiotics so people can get the right medicines sooner.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Columbia University Health Sciences NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11419782 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you have TB, researchers are developing a quicker lab test that uses harmless bacteriophages carrying a light-making gene to report whether TB bacteria survive specific drugs. The test makes infected bacteria glow unless an antibiotic stops them, letting lab staff read drug susceptibility without waiting for slow culture growth. The team aims to detect resistance to newer TB drugs, including those used in all-oral short-course treatments, so emerging resistance is found earlier. The work is being done in specialized labs and would be applied to patient samples sent from clinics.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with suspected or confirmed pulmonary TB—especially those with prior TB treatment, known exposure to drug-resistant TB, or HIV co-infection—would be the ideal candidates for this testing approach.
Not a fit: People without active TB, with infections caused by organisms other than Mycobacterium tuberculosis, or in settings that cannot send samples to a specialized lab may not directly benefit from this test.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Could let clinicians identify drug-resistant TB much faster so patients start effective therapy sooner and avoid ineffective drugs.
How similar studies have performed: Reporter-phage assays have shown promise in lab and pilot studies for rapid TB drug-susceptibility, but applying them to detect resistance to newer drugs like bedaquiline is relatively new and still being validated.
Where this research is happening
New York, United States
- Columbia University Health Sciences — New York, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: O'donnell, Max — Columbia University Health Sciences
- Study coordinator: O'donnell, Max
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 below.