Translating pathogenesis insights into tools to tackle Tuberculosis

Dr Naomi Walker, Senior Clinical Lecturer and PhD Supervisor at the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, recently delivered an insightful seminar on the evolving challenges and opportunities in tuberculosis (TB) research. Her presentation offered a comprehensive overview of the global TB pandemic, underlining the rising incidence of TB cases worldwide and the lasting health challenges that TB survivors continue to face.

A key focus of the discussion was the complexity of diagnosing TB in people living with HIV. Dr Walker explored how coinfection complicates clinical presentation and treatment timelines, particularly around the initiation of antiretroviral therapy. The seminar also delved into the emerging role of matrix metalloproteinases in TB pathology and discussed the potential of doxycycline as an adjunct therapy—highlighting the need to explore novel treatment strategies. Participants raised important concerns about the effectiveness of current diagnostic tools and the limited understanding of post-TB lung disease. There was also a call for more research into immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome (IRIS), which remains a significant issue for TB-HIV co-infected patients during recovery.

The session concluded with a collective call to action: more robust, multidisciplinary research is needed to improve diagnosis, treatment, and long-term outcomes for TB patients, especially in high-burden, resource-limited settings.

Dr Walker shares insights on the evolving challenges and opportunities in TB research