One-third of the world’s population harbors latent M. tuberculosis infection, which can subsequently emerge as an airborne and transmittable disease. Reducing the human reservoir of infection through early detection, treatment and prevention efforts are vital to reducing the global burden of TB. Vanderbilt has been working closely with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Tennessee Department of Health and Metro Nashville Public Health Department to better prevent and treat TB infection among populations locally and internationally.
The Tuberculosis Trials Consortium (Nashville, TN & Lima, Peru)
The Tuberculosis Trials Consortium (TBTC) is a collaboration of researchers from the CDC, domestic and international public health departments, academic medical centers, and selected Veterans Administration medical centers whose mission is to conduct programmatically relevant research concerning the diagnosis, clinical management, and prevention of tuberculosis (TB) infection and disease. The Vanderbilt-Tennessee-Peru site provides an outstanding combination of scientific expertise, scientific leadership, and long-standing experience in conducting high-quality, high-enrolling clinical trials in both the United States and Peru.
The Tuberculosis Epidemiologic Studies Consortium (Nashville, TN)
The Division of Tuberculosis Elimination (DTBE) of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) established the Tuberculosis Epidemiologic Studies Consortium (TBESC) in order to strengthen, focus, and coordinate tuberculosis (TB) research on latent M. tuberculosis infection. The TBESC is designed to build the scientific research capacities of state and metropolitan TB control programs, participating laboratories, academic institutions, and hospitals.
Vanderbilt Vaccine Research Program (Nashville, TN)
The Vanderbilt Vaccine Research Program is one of only eight Vaccine Treatment and Evaluation Units (VTEUs) in the U.S. to receive a new contract to continue evaluating innovative vaccines for malaria, pandemic flu, and other infections including TB over the next seven years.The unit may work on phase 1, 2, 3 and 4 clinical trials to evaluate vaccines, therapeutics and diagnostics for safety and effectiveness in a domestic or international setting. VTEUs are on the forefront of research in fighting and preventing infectious diseases.
Southeastern National Tuberculosis Center (Southeastern US & the Caribbean)
The Southeastern National Tuberculosis Center (SNTC) is one of five Regional Training and Medical Consultation Centers (RTMCC) in the United States. The SNTC supports the education and training missions of TB programs throughout the region and provides a source of expert medical consultation for healthcare providers caring for TB patients. They serve 10 southeastern states (including Tennessee), Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.Additionally, the SNTC collaborates with the Laboratoire National de Sante de Publique (LNSP) in Haiti to develop a reference lab network that will provide advanced laboratory techniques including culture and susceptibility, rapid molecular diagnostic techniques, and other rapid diagnostic tests.