Tuberculosis, a model for Translational Research
Augusto C. Ochoa, MD, Principal Investigator
Carol Mason, MD
Juzar Ali, MD
Arnold Zea, PhD
Abstract
Tuberculosis and other chronic diseases such as cancer, affect the population of Louisiana
to a greater extent than other states. Decreasing the incidence and improving the
treatment of these diseases requires the combined effort of scientists and clinicians
using new biological, molecular and epidemiological tools to study these complex diseases.
The proposed center builds upon seminal findings of our researchers who discovered
that tuberculosis and cancer use similar mechanisms to evade the immune system. Preventing
or reversing this process could induce a protective immune response useful in the
treatment of both diseases. The goal of the team of senior investigators and emerging
faculty from Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, Tulane University
Medical Center and the joint General Clinical Research Center, is to expand our understanding
of this phenomenon in tuberculosis as a means to develop new therapies that reverse
these escape mechanisms, and are applicable in tuberculosis and cancer. The Board
of Regents support will advance the development of our initial findings. The novelty
of these observations and the proven track record of the scientific team, will further
expand funding from federal agencies through hypothesis driven grants, and will provide
the basis for translational research to develop and test new therapies with the local
and national biotechnology industry. An external board of well recognized national
and international advisers will provide a continuous evaluation of the results obtained
and help identify new directions for the Center.
Sponsor: Board of Regents
Duration: 01/01 - 12/06