Tuberculosis research group
Tuberculosis research is one of the major interests of the Department of Infectious Diseases and Immunity.
Tuberculosis is a world-wide threat affecting about a third of the world's population and killing over 2 million each year. Increased drug resistance in the form of multi- and extreme-drug resistant disease (MDR/XDR-TB) is a major emergent threat.
The Tuberculosis Research Group (TRG) has a broad-based, highly successful research programme undertaken both in the UK and overseas particularly in our main base in Peru.
The key senior personnel involved are:
Professor R H Gilman (visiting)
Main areas of research
1. Innate immune responses to infection.
a) Matrix metalloproteinases
b) Chemokines
2. Novel Diagnostic approaches to infections.
a) MODS
b) Proteomic fingerprinting
3. Susceptibility to tuberculosis
a) Infectiousness of patient
4. International Health Unit
Research Settings
There are 2 main research settings for this work with extensive collaborations.
1. The principal setting in the UK are the main and Category 3 laboratories within the Department of Infectious Diseases and Immunity.
2. The major overseas centre is in Peru where work is carried out in local tuberculosis centres and the shanty towns around Lima, in state of the art laboratories in University of Cayetano and in distant sites such as Iquitos within the Amazon Jungle region.
3. TRG collaborators are to be found within the UK, Peru, USA, India and several other areas of the world.
Personnel & Training
The TRG has been funded by a broad range of charities including the Wellcome Trust, The Medical Research Council (UK), The National Institutes of Health and others.
Numerous Academic Clinical Training Fellows have been recruited to the programme where they have successfully completed PhDs or higher Fellowships. In addition, there is a good range of PhD and Post Doctoral scientists in Immunology, Epidemiology and other relevant areas working both in the UK and overseas. Finally, there is close interaction with local units in Peru and a significant number of Peruvian staff are employed in addition to the many Peruvians with whom the TRG collaborates.
Interested in learning more?
If anything on the above pages seemed of interest please do not hesitate to get in touch with one of the principle investigators or drop an e-mail to id@imperial.ac.uk
Selected recent publications
List being updated. Previous publications can be found with the departmental publications.
Research Personnel
Dr Paul Elkington
‘Inhibition of matrix metalloproteinase activity in tuberculosis to prevent immunopathology’
Funded by: NHS Clinician Scientist Fellowship
Dr Moerida Belton
‘Hypoxia and the mechanisms regulating inflammatory tissue destruction’
Funded by: Medical Research Council (UK) Training Fellowship
Dr Danni Kirwan
Overseas Researcher based in Bolivia working on detection and susceptibility testing for tuberculosis in lymph node tissue using the MODS method
Andre Kubler
‘Manipulating matrix metalloproteinases in tuberculosis in vitro and in vivo’
Funded by: Imperial College PhD Studentship
Dr Rachel Moores
‘TGF, TH2 cytokines and immunomodulation of MMP gene expression and secretion in pulmonary tuberculosis’
Funded by: Wellcome Trust Clinical Training Fellowship
Dr Catherine Ong
‘Neutrophils and the regulation of MMPs in tuberculosis’
Funded by: Medical Research Council (Singapore) Training Fellowship
Bernadette Pedersen
Research Associate working on Dr Paul Elkington’s grant
Dr Lucinda Rand
Research Associate working on Dr Paul Elkington’s grant
Dr Tarangini Sathyamoorthy
'The role of membrane-type matrix metalloproteinases in the pathogenesis of tuberculosis'
Funded by: Medical Research Council (UK) Training Fellowship
Dr Shivani Singh
‘Chemokines and the regulation of matrix metalloproteinase activity in pulmonary tuberculosis’
Funded by: Medical Research Council (UK) Training Fellowship
Dr Cesar Ugarte
Visiting Researcher based in Peru focussing on tissue destruction of tuberculosis in man
