Mapping immune cells in TB lung granulomas and how TB bacteria adapt during disease and treatment
Deep spatial immune profiling of granulomas and M. tuberculosis adaptation to disease and treatment
['FUNDING_R01'] · EMORY UNIVERSITY · NIH-11228399
Researchers are mapping the immune cells and tuberculosis bacteria inside lung granulomas to understand why some pockets control infection while others let bacteria survive, with the goal of helping people with pulmonary TB.
Quick facts
| Phase | ['FUNDING_R01'] |
|---|---|
| Study type | Nih_funding |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | EMORY UNIVERSITY (nih funded) |
| Locations | 1 site (ATLANTA, UNITED STATES) |
| Trial ID | NIH-11228399 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this research studies
If you have TB, this project maps where different immune cells and TB bacteria sit inside lung granulomas and how those neighborhoods change during disease and treatment. The team uses a high-plex imaging method (t-CyCIF) to label 30+ markers in tissue and builds a TB Granuloma Information System to layer immune, metabolic, and bacterial data onto a spatial map. Most work uses a well-established nonhuman primate model and detailed tissue imaging to link granuloma architecture with bacterial survival and drug tolerance. The goal is to reveal why some granulomas kill bacteria while others let them persist so future therapies can target the pockets that shelter TB.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: The findings are most relevant to people with active pulmonary tuberculosis or those who can provide lung tissue or sputum samples for research.
Not a fit: People with latent TB infection, TB limited to non-pulmonary sites, or unrelated lung conditions are less likely to directly benefit from this specific granuloma-focused research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could guide therapies that target bacteria hiding in specific granuloma regions or improve how antibiotics reach and kill TB in the lungs.
How similar studies have performed: Previous high-resolution imaging and nonhuman primate TB studies have revealed important insights, but combining 30+ marker t-CyCIF with a TB Granuloma Information System to map bacterial physiology in space is a novel approach.
Where this research is happening
ATLANTA, UNITED STATES
- EMORY UNIVERSITY — ATLANTA, UNITED STATES (ACTIVE)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: RENGARAJAN, JYOTHI — EMORY UNIVERSITY
- Study coordinator: RENGARAJAN, JYOTHI
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.