Tuberculosis (TB) is still one of the world’s deadliest infectious diseases. In 2023, there were about 10.8 million people who got sick with TB and around 1.25 million who died from it. Vietnam continues to be among the countries with high number of TB, with about 182,000 new TB cases (182 per 100,000 population) reported in 2023. (WHO Global TB Report 2024)
Led by Associate Professor Nguyễn Thụy Thương Thương, Dr Lê Thanh Hoàng Nhật, and colleagues at the University of Oxford and Francis Crick Institute (UK), this research is among the first to investigate the molecular determinants of pathogenesis and treatment outcome in both pulmonary and meningeal TB.
Over six years, the study will follow more than 3,500 patients in Vietnam, combining clinical data, laboratory results, and biological samples collected over time. Using state-of-the-art technologies – including multi-omics, single-cell genomics, and cell infection models -scientists will investigate how genetic and immune factors shape the course of TB.
The research will focus on three key areas:
- Bacterial burden and treatment response
- Mechanisms driving TBM deaths and survivorship
- The role of dexamethasone in TBM outcomes
Through these investigations, the team aims to identify new biomarkers for treatment monitoring and novel targets for host-directed therapies. In parallel, they will develop a comprehensive, integrated database, providing a vital resource for future systems biology and precision medicine research in tuberculosis.
“With this award, we can bring the latest scientific innovations to address a long-standing global health challenge. Understanding how disease and recovery work at the molecular level will help us monitor treatment more effectively and develop more precisely targeted therapies,” said Assoc Prof Nguyễn Thụy Thương Thương, Head of Tuberculosis Research Group, OUCRU.
This project builds on over two decades of TB research in Vietnam, where OUCRU scientists have worked closely with local hospitals and health authorities to improve diagnosis, treatment, and patient care. This strong foundation of clinical studies, laboratory research, and international collaboration has positioned OUCRU as a global leader in TB and tuberculous meningitis research.
Supported by the Wellcome Discovery Award, a prestigious scheme that funds bold and creative ideas with the potential to transform human health, this achievement marks a major step forward in OUCRU’s mission to improve the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of infectious diseases in Vietnam and across the region.
