How lung immune cells develop and metabolize to fight tuberculosis
Official title: Ontogeny and metabolism of lung alveolar macrophages in tuberculosis
Funded at Boston University Medical Campus · NIH-11558828 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at how lung immune cells called alveolar macrophages behave and use energy to influence tuberculosis infection, with the goal of guiding better vaccines and therapies.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Boston University Medical Campus NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project start | June 5, 2026 |
| Project end | July 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $733,869 |
| NIH project number | 7R01AI184960-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11558828 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Patients with tuberculosis or at risk of TB could benefit from future therapies arising from this research.
✕Less likely to help
This basic research may not directly benefit healthy individuals or those not at risk for TB during the study.
What this research studies
Tuberculosis is hard to control because M. tuberculosis grows in lung macrophages that respond differently. The study will explore how the origin of alveolar macrophages and their metabolism affect their ability to support or hinder TB growth. Researchers will examine ontogeny (where these cells come from) and metabolic pathways like fatty acid oxidation to see how they shape infection outcomes. Insights from this work could inform new vaccines and treatments that target macrophage biology to prevent disease spread.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could lead to vaccines or therapies that make lung macrophages less permissive to TB and improve protection.
How similar studies have gone: Prior work has linked macrophage metabolism to TB progression, with potential for translational applications, making this a promising but exploratory step.
Where this research is happening
-
Boston University Medical Campus
Boston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Huang, Lu — Boston University Medical Campus
- Study coordinator: Huang, Lu
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Coronary disease and immune activation in people with HIV and tuberculosis coinfection
This research looks at how having HIV and latent tuberculosis together might raise the risk of heart disease, and what immune changes are involved.
-
Pulmonary rehabilitation to reduce breathing problems after tuberculosis
A program of guided exercise and breathing training to help adults who have recovered from TB breathe better and feel healthier.
-
Pulmonary rehab to reduce breathing troubles after TB
A program of pulmonary rehabilitation is being studied to help adults who have completed TB treatment avoid ongoing lung problems and improve daily breathing.
-
Air pollution and tuberculosis spread in Kampala, Uganda
This project looks at whether dirty air from PM2.5 particles makes tuberculosis more likely to spread within urban slum households in Kampala, Uganda.
-
Air pollution and TB spread in Ugandan urban slums
This project explores whether exposure to air pollution makes tuberculosis more likely to spread within households in a crowded Ugandan slum.
-
Air pollution and TB transmission in Kampala’s urban slums
This project looks at whether air pollution from PM2.5 makes tuberculosis spread more easily from infected people to their neighbors in urban slums of Kampala, Uganda.
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.