Impact of Mycobacterium tuberculosis genotype and host ancestry on strain transmissibility

• Applicant: Dr. Matthias Gröschel, Ph.D.
• Subject Area: Medical Microbiology and Mycology, Hygiene, Molecular Infection Biology ; Parasitology and Biology of Tropical Infectious Disease Pathogens ; Pneumology, Thoracic Surgery
• Term: from 2020 to 2021
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 436318830

Tuberculosis (TB) is a disease caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis and is responsible for more deaths annually than any other single infectious agent. The global geographical distribution of the bacterial lineages suggests a long evolutionary trajectory whereby strains of certain lineages have co-adapted with their human hosts. It remains unknown which combinations of bacterial lineage and host ancestry are more likely to develop active TB and thus transmit disease. Using epidemiological and whole genome sequencing data from an international consortium, this project aims to investigate the relationship between bacterial lineage and human ancestry among transmitted TB cases through multivariate regression modelling. To gain biological insight into bacterial causes of variable transmissibility, a genome wide association approach will be employed to identify genetic loci associated with the transmissibility phenotype. Investigating the co-adaptation and co-evolution between the bacterial strains and their human host will shed light on the pathobiology of TB infection, and help identify combinations of bacterial lineage and host ancestry that are most prone to transmit. This can ultimately help refine disease containment strategies in an era of increased human movement and globalization.

• DFG Programme: Research Fellowships
• International Connection: USA
• Host: Professorin Dr. Maha Farhat