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Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the agent causing tuberculosis, poses a formidable challenge to biomedical researchers as a consequence of its ability to evade the immune system, development of drug resistance and the failure of vaccines such as BCG to adequately induce long-term protective immunity. Today, approximately a century after the discovery of the causative agent of tuberculosis by Robert Koch, it is estimated that as much as one-third of the entire human population on the planet is infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Although most of these infected individuals harbor latent disease which is clinically silent, the global reservoir of active tuberculosis remains enormous with approximately 8 million new cases of active disease and two-to-three million deaths attributable to this infection each year. To succeed in the fight against the global tuberculosis pandemic, it is clear that a multidisciplinary collaboration bringing together all of the resources of modern research and medicine. The AECOM TB Research Group is composed of experienced investigators dedicated to this goal. Centered in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology of the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, this group has marshaled its skills, knowledge and resources to wage a common battle against M. tuberculosis. The research group pursues basic and applied research in a wide variety of areas related to tuberculosis, with a particular emphasis on understanding the mechanisms of pathogenesis and immune defense, and the design of safer and more effective vaccines. |
For more information about this site, please contact Dr. Jordan Kriakov | |