Targeting Immunity — The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases has awarded Dr. John Chan a $2.5 million grant over five years to study the role of B cells in the immune response to Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb), which causes 2 million TB deaths per year, worldwide. B cells may help to fight off TB by producing antibodies and regulating T cells, lymphocytes known to play important roles in TB resistance. Dr. Chan aims to determine how B cells contribute to an optimal immune response to Mtb and to harness B cell immunity to develop effective strategies for TB control. Dr. Chan is professor of medicine (infectious diseases) and of microbiology & immunology. A major research interest in his lab is to develop, in collaboration with Dr. William Jacobs, Jr. and Dr. Steven Porcelli, effective TB vaccines.
Posted on: Tuesday, March 20, 2012