Improving vaccines and treatments to help people with tuberculosis recover
Optimizing vaccine science to improve the outcome of tuberculosis treatment
This project combines new vaccines with immune-boosting therapies and antibiotics to give children and adults better, safer protection and recovery from tuberculosis.
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 ID | NIH-11098455 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers are developing safer, more effective vaccination strategies that combine new TB vaccines with treatments that boost the body's immune response and standard antibiotics. They will optimize these combinations in the lab and in animal models and design approaches intended for future testing in people, aiming to prevent active disease and stop transmission from adults with pulmonary TB. The team focuses on inducing stronger innate immunity and long-lasting T cell responses while reducing lung damage in active, cavitary TB. The work also considers safety for people with weakened immune systems, such as those living with HIV.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates for eventual clinical testing would include adults with pulmonary TB, people with latent M. tuberculosis infection at risk of reactivation, and persons living with HIV who can safely receive new vaccine strategies.
Not a fit: People who cannot safely receive vaccines (for example, those with severe immune compromise) or who require immediate drug-only treatment may not directly benefit from vaccine-focused approaches.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to vaccine-plus-treatment options that reduce TB transmission, prevent reactivation from latent infection, and improve recovery for people with active TB.
How similar studies have performed: Some prior vaccine and host-directed therapy approaches have shown promise in animal and early human studies, but no new vaccine has yet reliably replaced BCG for adult pulmonary TB, so this remains a partly tested and evolving area.
Where this research is happening
Newark, UNITED STATES
- Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences — Newark, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Subbian, Selvakumar — Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences
- Study coordinator: Subbian, Selvakumar
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.