“Progress in tuberculosis clinical research is hampered by a lack of reliable biomarkers that predict progression from latent to active tuberculosis, and subsequent cure, relapse, or failure. Regional Prospective Observational Research in Tuberculosis (RePORT) International represents a consortium of regional cohorts (RePORT India, RePORT Brazil, and RePORT Indonesia) that are linked through the implementation of a Common Protocol for data and specimen collection, and are poised to address this critical research need. Each RePORT network is designed to support local, in-country tuberculosis-specific data and specimen biorepositories, and associated research. Taken together, the expected results include greater global clinical research capacity in high-burden settings, and increased local access to quality data and specimens for members of each network and their domestic and international collaborators. Additional networks are expected to be added, helping to spur tuberculosis treatment and prevention research around the world.” (Hamilton, et al, CID 2015)
Vanderbilt and the KwaZulu-Natal Research Institute for TB-HIV (K-RITH) (now the Africa Health Research Institute; AHRI) have recently been awarded a 3-year grant to join the newly established RePORT-South Africa network, the newest member of RePORT-International. The primary goal of this project is to establish an observational cohort of HIV-infected and -uninfected drug susceptible patients during TB treatment and followed up for relapse. Using patient specimens, the research team will identify and evaluate novel bacillary and host-mediated biomarkers of TB treatment response.
Timothy Sterling, M.D., Professor of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, and Alexander Pym, Ph.D., from AHRI in Durban, South Africa, will serve at the principal investigators of this project. Other key investigators include Yuri van der Heijden, M.D., M.P.H., from Vanderbilt, and Adrie Steyn,Ph.D., and Al Leslie, Ph.D., from K-RITH. Study coordinators include Fernanda Maruri, M.P.H. at Vanderbilt and Farina Karim, M.P.H. at AHRI.
Dr. Sterling is the Director of the Vanderbilt Tuberculosis Center (VTC), a joint effort between the Division of Infectious Diseases within the Department of Medicine and the Vanderbilt Institute for Global Health. The VTC is a focal point for collaborative efforts and tuberculosis research with an emphasis on epidemiology, clinical trials, and translational research.
This project is supported by CRDF Global.