How long BCG vaccine protection in the lungs and blood lasts against tuberculosis infection
Official title: Durability of systemic and lung immune correlates of BCG-induced protection against M. tuberculosis infection
Funded at University of Cape Town · NIH-11171372 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project compares how long immune responses in the blood and lungs from BCG revaccination protect adolescents from becoming infected with tuberculosis.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Cape Town NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Rondebosch, South Africa) |
| Project start | August 11, 2020 |
| Project end | July 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $587,434 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AI150850-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11171372 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are adolescents who received BCG revaccination in the original cohort or are enrolled in the confirmatory phase 2b trial and who are willing to provide blood and undergo lung sampling.
✕Less likely to help
People who have not received BCG revaccination, who cannot or will not undergo bronchoscopy, or who already have active TB are unlikely to gain direct benefit from participation.
What this research studies
You would be part of a group of adolescents who got BCG revaccination and are being followed years later. Researchers will collect blood and lung fluid (bronchoalveolar lavage) to look at immune cells and antibodies using advanced lab tests like polychromatic flow cytometry. They will compare immune responses in the blood versus the lungs and check whether those responses stick around about six years after vaccination. The goal is to find immune signals that link to protection against sustained M. tuberculosis infection.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could reveal immune markers that predict long-lasting protection and guide better TB vaccines and revaccination strategies.
How similar studies have gone: Prior trials reported partial protection from BCG revaccination in adolescents, but durable, lung-specific immune correlates remain largely untested.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Cape Town
Rondebosch, South Africa Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Nemes, Elisa — University of Cape Town
- Study coordinator: Nemes, Elisa
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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.