Understanding why a lung immune cell fails to stop tuberculosis in early infection
Official title: Elucidation of the molecular mechanism(s) for the non-responsiveness of CD38- AMs to tuberculosis infection
Funded at Tulane University of Louisiana · NIH-11515951 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Researchers are studying a specific lung immune cell type to figure out why it sometimes doesn’t stop tuberculosis early, with the goal of improving vaccines or therapies for TB patients.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Tulane University of Louisiana NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New Orleans, United States) |
| Project start | June 1, 2024 |
| Project end | May 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $217,035 |
| NIH project number | 7R21AI178534-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11515951 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Human patients are not directly enrolled in this animal-model-focused grant; potential relevance comes from understanding mechanisms that could later translate to human TB prevention or treatment.
✕Less likely to help
Direct patient benefits are unlikely during this basic mechanistic study without immediate clinical trials or translation.
What this research studies
This project looks at alveolar macrophages in the lungs and how they respond to Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Using advanced techniques like single-cell RNA sequencing and fluorescent bacterial reporters, the researchers will compare two macrophage subtypes and how they control or fail to control the infection. They will test whether prior vaccination with BCG shifts the balance toward a protective macrophage phenotype and reduces infected cells. The work aims to uncover epigenetic factors that influence early TB control in the lungs. If successful, findings could guide new strategies to prevent TB from spreading after inhalation.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: The study could inform new vaccine or therapy approaches that enhance early lung defenses against TB.
How similar studies have gone: Prior work using scRNA-seq and TB models suggests macrophage phenotypes influence infection outcomes, supporting this approach but with translational translation still needed.
Where this research is happening
-
Tulane University of Louisiana
New Orleans, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Pisu, Davide — Tulane University of Louisiana
- Study coordinator: Pisu, Davide
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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.