NIAID 

STRATEGIC 

PLAN FOR 

TUBERCULOSIS 

RESEARCH

PREPARED BY THE NIAID TUBERCULOSIS 

RESEARCH STRATEGIC PLAN WORKING GROUP

September 26, 2018
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Table of Contents

Executive Summary 1

Introduction 2

Research Plan 5

Strategic Priority 1: Improve Fundamental Knowledge of TB 5

Strategic Priority 2: Advance Research to Improve Diagnosis of TB 7

Strategic Priority 3: Accelerate Research to Improve TB Prevention 9

Strategic Priority 4: Support Research to Advance and Shorten Treatment of TB 12

Strategic Priority 5: Develop Tools and Resources to Advance TB Research 14

Conclusion 16

Appendices 17

Appendix 1. NIAID-Supported Clinical and Basic Research Resources 17

Appendix 2. NIAID Tuberculosis Research Strategic Plan Working Group Members 19

Appendix 3. Portfolio Analysis Results 20

Appendix 4. Abbreviations 21
1

Executive Summary

The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) at the United States (U.S.) National 

Institutes of Health is committed to reinvigorating and accelerating its research efforts to prevent, 

diagnose, and treat tuberculosis (TB) (Box 1, Figure 1). This NIAID Strategic Plan for Tuberculosis

Research proposes building on current trans-NIAID efforts to understand better the immunology and 

pathogenesis of TB and expanding resources to quickly develop new tools to more effectively combat 

this disease. These tools include preventive vaccines and therapies, less-toxic treatment regimens of 

shorter duration, and rapid, accurate, easily implementable, point-of-care diagnostics to detect all forms 

of TB, including latent, disseminated, and drug-resistant (DR) TB, in the diverse populations and age 

groups affected.

In 2017, 10 million people, including 1 million children, became ill with TB, and 1.6 million people with

TB died, making it the leading infectious cause of death in the world. Globally, approximately 1.7 billion 

people, including 13 million people in the U.S., are living with asymptomatic Mtb infection, known as 

latent TB; they have a lifetime 5 to 10 percent chance of developing active disease. 

Efforts to halt the spread of TB domestically and globally are critical to reducing TB-related morbidity 

and mortality. The total global economic burden associated with TB from 2000 to 2015 was an 

estimated $617 billion. The societal benefit of implementing TB control and prevention measures for the 

U.S. from 1995 to 2014 was valued at $14.5 billion. To address the global health emergency that TB 

represents, the World Health Organization (WHO) End TB Strategy sets ambitious goals for 2035 to 

reduce TB deaths by 95 percent and to reduce TB disease incidence by 90 percent (relative to 2015 

levels).

In support of this goal, the WHO, the U.S.

Government Global TB Strategy, and the 

National Action Plan for Combating 

Multidrug-Resistant TB, outline paths to end 

the TB pandemic, including a strong 

emphasis on reinvigorating research efforts

to advance fundamental knowledge of TB 

and enable the development of improved diagnostics as well as treatment and prevention strategies. 

The WHO End TB Strategy also proposes objectives to strengthen patient care and improve policies and 

support systems to immediately benefit patients. The United Nations General Assembly held its firstever high-level meeting on TB in September 2018 to discuss a unified approach to address the TB 

pandemic.

To support and align with the global and domestic TB research goals outlined in the formal plans listed 

above, NIAID’s strategic plan has a specific translational TB Research Mission (Box 1). The plan includes 

five strategic priorities that capitalize on recent advances in the field and are critical to the development 

and evaluation of the knowledge and tools needed to end TB globally: 

1. Improve fundamental knowledge of TB to understand host and bacterial factors (and their

interplay) that drive Mtb pathogenesis, transmission, and epidemiology. Elucidate the immune

mechanisms responsible for limiting or failing to limit Mtb infection and disease

Box 1. NIAID Strategic Plan for TB Research Mission

Accelerate basic, translational, and clinical research to 

improve understanding of TB and expedite the 

development of innovative new tools and strategies to 

improve diagnosis, prevention, and treatment to end 

the TB pandemic
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2. Advance research to improve the diagnosis of TB, including research to identify biomarkers and

biosignatures for different forms of TB that can facilitate the development of accurate, rapid,

and easily implementable diagnostic and prognostic tests for use in all populations

3. Accelerate research to improve TB prevention by supporting science to design, develop, and

evaluate preventive vaccines and chemoprevention, and to identify markers of protective

immunity that can predict vaccine efficacy

4. Support research to improve treatment for all forms of TB in all populations and age groups,

including research to develop less toxic regimens of shorter duration for safe and effective

treatment, host-directed therapies (HDTs), and therapeutic vaccines

5. Develop tools and resources to advance research in understanding, preventing, diagnosing,

and treating TB, including human cohorts and clinical capacity; animal models representative of

human disease; and assays, reagents, and tools to assess vaccine, therapeutic, and diagnostic

candidates

To accelerate research for these five strategic priorities, NIAID will leverage current resources and 

global collaborations, including existing NIAID-supported clinical trials networks (Appendix 1). NIAID 

also will promote a more multidisciplinary approach to TB research, drawing on expertise from fields 

within and outside of TB research to facilitate studies of complex biological questions and encourage

the application of state-of-the-art technologies used successfully in other fields. Additionally, NIAID 

will provide critical support for training the next cadre of TB researchers to accelerate an aggressive 

research agenda. With these research efforts and an emphasis on rapid translation of results to 

patients—facilitated through collaborations within the U.S. Government and with other key 

partners—new TB prevention and control strategies can and will be developed and implemented 

both domestically and abroad to end TB.

Figure 1. The NIAID Strategic Plan for TB Research proposes to build on an existing foundation of research and resources

to advance five TB research priorities targeted at 1) improving fundamental knowledge, 2) advancing diagnosis, 3) 

preventing initial infection or progression to active disease, 4) improving treatment for all forms of TB in all populations 

and age groups, and 5) building resources to advance understanding and tool development in priorities 1 through 4.
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Introduction

Over the course of history, TB has killed more people than any other infectious disease. Over the past

200 years, it is estimated that at least 1 billion people have died from TB—more than the number of 

deaths resulting from malaria, smallpox, HIV/AIDS, cholera, plague, and influenza combined. TB remains 

the deadliest infectious disease in the world. In 2017, the WHO estimates that TB claimed the lives of 1.6

million people, including 230,000 children. 

Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb), the bacterium that causes TB, is transmitted through the air and 

primarily infects the lungs, although it can also affect other parts of the body, including the brain. An 

estimated 1.7 billion people globally, including 13 million people in the U.S., are thought to be latently 

infected with Mtb; they carry the bacterium, but do not show any symptoms of disease. People with 

latent TB infection have a 5 to 10 percent lifetime risk of developing active TB disease. Activation of 

latent disease most often manifests in its most contagious form, pulmonary TB, characterized by an 

array of symptoms including cough, fever, weight loss, and night 

sweats. HIV infection, young age, and conditions that weaken the 

immune system significantly increase the risk of developing TB 

disease in all forms. Left untreated, severe complications can 

develop that lead to death in about half of people who progress to 

active TB disease. 

Although drug-sensitive (DS) TB is treatable, curative therapy 

typically requires a cumbersome six-month, four-drug regimen 

with well-described toxicities. Inadequate treatment can lead to 

multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB), which is resistant to the two 

most effective anti-TB drugs, rifampin (RIF) and isoniazid (INH), and 

also to extensively drug-resistant TB (XDR-TB), which is resistant to 

many additional TB drugs. Standard treatment of MDR-TB can take 

more than 2 years, including painful daily injections for 6 months, Figure 2. Scanning electron micrograph 

of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the 

bacterium that causes tuberculosis. 

Image credit: NIAID. 

and can be prohibitively expensive. XDR-TB therapy is even more 

complex and often fails. Some of these treatments often result in 

long-lasting or permanent toxic side effects. The significant 

challenges of effectively treating DS-, MDR- and XDR-TB underscore the critical need for shorter, safer, 

and more effective drug regimens that are easily tolerated and can be delivered to patients in all care 

settings. Recently completed and ongoing clinical trials of drug regimens of shorter duration have shown 

significant promise of better treatment options for patients. 

For those infected with Mtb, HIV co-infection poses additional challenges. The risk of progressing from 

latent to active TB disease is estimated to be 20 times higher in people living with HIV (PLWH), and each 

disease increases the severity of the other. Additionally, TB drug regimens need to be compatible with 

HIV antiretroviral therapy (ART) and vice versa, which further complicates treatment. Unfortunately, 

many regions of the world with high HIV prevalence, particularly sub-Saharan Africa, also have a high 

burden of TB. Despite significant efforts to improve the care of patients, TB is the leading cause of death 

in PLWH worldwide, highlighting the urgent need for improved diagnosis and optimized treatment 

strategies that are also suitable for these populations. 

Each year an estimated 40 percent of patients with active TB disease, or approximately 4 million people, 

go undiagnosed or unreported. These missed TB patients, some of whom harbor drug-resistant (DR) 
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strains, account for a significant portion of TB deaths and continue to fuel the pandemic. A person with 

active TB disease may infect an additional 10 to 15 people per year. New technologies for rapid and 

accurate diagnosis in point-of-care and/or low-resource settings and for all ages and populations are 

needed to help identify and facilitate prompt treatment of TB patients. 

Effective vaccination strategies are needed to change the trajectory of the TB pandemic. The Bacillus 

Calmette–Guérin (BCG) vaccine, administered to neonates and infants throughout most of the world, 

provides protection against meningitis and disseminated disease in children; however, it insufficiently

protects against disease in adolescents and adults. Although more intensive 

efforts are needed to better understand the fundamental requirements 

necessary to develop a highly effective TB vaccine, recent animal studies 

and human clinical trials provide promising indications that more efficacious 

vaccines are within reach. 

WHO recently developed the End TB Strategy that aspires to end the TB 

pandemic by 2035. A fundamental component of this strategy is intensified 

research and innovation to develop new tools to combat TB. NIAID, the 

major global funder of TB biomedical research and development supporting 

nearly one-third of the global TB biomedical research effort, has a 

responsibility to develop the critical tools needed to achieve the global goal 

of ending the TB pandemic. 

NIAID recently conducted a portfolio analysis (see summary in Appendix 3) to map current investments, 

held extensive internal discussions to outline critical areas of focus, solicited input from the public, and 

subsequently developed this strategic plan. The plan emphasizes five strategic priorities that support 

basic, translational, and clinical research focused on enhancing the fundamental knowledge, diagnosis, 

prevention, and treatment of TB (Figure 1). NIAID will accelerate efforts to develop preventive vaccine 

candidates, while continuing to support the development of safer, shorter, more effective drug 

regimens and improved diagnostics. 

Several themes, outlined below, cut across the strategic plan to maximize the use of resources and 

accomplish the plan’s objectives:

• Advances in basic TB research, diagnostics, prevention, and treatment will be translated into 

interventions for the benefit of both the U.S. and global populations

• Existing NIAID-supported and collaborative human cohorts and preclinical resources (Appendix 

1) will be expanded and adapted to expedite research and maximize usage across the research 

spectrum 

• State-of-the art tools and techniques (including improved animal models) will be applied to TB 

research by encouraging cross-disciplinary research collaborations

• Collaborative domestic and international efforts will be intensified to foster rapid development 

of new diagnostics, vaccines, and therapeutics that are applicable to patients in high- and lowTB burden settings, including the U.S.

The plan highlights the need to better understand human Mtb infection and the factors that affect TB 

disease development for the purpose of facilitating new interventions and treatment strategies. The 

plan also outlines the research resources and tools needed to advance the strategic research priorities. 

Modern, 21st century tools and technologies have the potential to provide improved insight into the 

Figure 3. Needle syringe 

and vaccine bottle. Image 

credit: NIAID.
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complex nature of TB pathogenesis and to create highly effective preventive and therapeutic 

interventions for implementation both in the U.S. and abroad.

Advances guided by the five strategic priorities are expected to be interdependent and complementary. 

Broad, multidisciplinary biomedical collaboration and coordination is vital, as is training the next 

generation of TB scientists to capitalize on emerging scientific opportunities. NIAID expects this plan to 

serve as a foundation for its future research investments and to guide a comprehensive effort toward 

the successful development of the diagnostic, prevention, and treatment tools necessary to end the TB 

pandemic. 

Research Plan

Strategic Priority 1: Improve Fundamental Knowledge of TB 

TB infection can manifest in two forms: latent, asymptomatic infection and active, symptomatic disease. 

Although these classifications drive treatment decisions, they inadequately describe the intricate 

dynamics of disease. The development of improved diagnostics, vaccines, and therapeutics requires a

more detailed understanding of the dynamics of bacterial and host biology involved in initial Mtb

infection, the factors that lead to control or progression to active TB disease, and the basis for the 

requirement of prolonged treatment.

Detailed molecular analyses of pathogen and host factors, as well as a more comprehensive 

understanding of host-pathogen dynamics, are needed to better understand how they affect host 

responses to TB infection and potentially, subsequent disease outcomes. Emerging technologies offer 

the potential to characterize Mtb heterogeneity and determine how the ability of the pathogen to exist 

in different metabolic states and cellular niches mediates survival and susceptibility to antibiotics. 

Equally important, advanced technologies have the potential to rapidly improve our understanding of 

the quality, quantity, and diversity of host immune responses required to effectively eliminate or control 

Mtb in diverse cellular and tissue environments. Since host-pathogen interactions are likely modulated 

by age, sex, ethnicity, host genetics, comorbidities (such as diabetes), and co-infections (such as HIV), 

more comprehensive and integrative approaches to studying TB will be required. NIAID has placed a 

priority on TB research in the context of HIV to specifically address the interplay of these two copandemics. 

NIAID will leverage existing 

research activities, resources, and 

human cohorts to achieve the 

scientific objectives outlined 

below. Collaborative research 

conducted in TB-endemic 

countries will provide novel

insights into the impact of coinfections and comorbidities on TB and how immune responses and other host-pathogen interactions 

may differ among people residing in these settings. NIAID will support research to study the 

heterogeneity of TB disease in the context of its diverse disease manifestations, co-infections, 

comorbidities, and microbial genetics to determine their impact on disease outcomes and transmission. 

Box 2. Strategic Priority 1 Focus Areas

• Develop a comprehensive view of the dynamics and 

complexity of Mtb pathogenesis, immunity, transmission, 

and epidemiology 

• Advance diagnostics, preventive measures, and therapeutics 

through characterization of TB disease with modern tools 

• Promote interdisciplinary programs and engage new 

researchers to study complex biological phenomena 
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These studies will help inform the breadth of assays and studies that must be undertaken to develop 

and evaluate products for use in diverse care settings and populations. 

By expanding the focus of TB research to the characterization of pulmonary, extra-pulmonary, and 

disseminated TB using modern tools, including imaging technologies, multidisciplinary systems biology,

and computational modeling, NIAID will help define factors that determine whether pulmonary or extra-

-pulmonary TB occurs in a given patient. This distinction is necessary to expand diagnostic tests to 

patients with extra-pulmonary TB. Furthermore, NIAID will support research on tissue-specific and 

systemic immunity to Mtb and the factors involved in localization of the pathogen to various organs and 

its evasion of the immune system. Gaining insight into the mechanisms that lead to disease will facilitate 

the design and interpretation of animal models that better represent human disease. 

Objective 1.1: Understand the host and pathogen drivers that underlie the dynamics and 

pathophysiology of latent TB in humans 

Following Mtb infection, the majority of people can control the infection without displaying symptoms. 

For those who become infected, the roles of bacterial genetics and epigenetics in the virulence and 

fitness of Mtb during early stages of infection need to be characterized in more detail in humans and 

animal models, as do the types of host cells that are infected, the extent of bacterial exposure needed to 

establish infection, and the way infection spreads through the body. In-depth analysis of host immune 

mechanisms that eliminate or control Mtb in its latent form may prove to be important in developing 

improved vaccine strategies.

Currently, the only readily available tools, in addition to radiographic imaging, to determine whether a 

patient is infected are blood or skin tests that measure immune responses against Mtb proteins, or 

time-consuming sputum culture tests that detect the presence of Mtb. These tests are not able to 

distinguish between latent infection and active disease. Research to identify biomarkers that can predict 

the risk of progression to active disease is ongoing. Current efforts show promise; however, additional

research is needed to rapidly identify and treat patients latently infected with Mtb in order to prevent 

symptomatic disease. 

NIAID will foster cross-disciplinary programs that bring together basic and clinical researchers with 

expertise in bacteriology, pathology, immunology, systems biology, and other relevant disciplines to 

study these highly complex and dynamic aspects of TB pathophysiology. Animal models that recapitulate

latent infection will be valuable tools to create hypotheses that can be tested in humans, where it may 

not be possible to fully study the natural history of infection. 

Objective 1.2: Understand the host and pathogen drivers that underlie the dynamics and 

pathophysiology of active TB in humans 

Mtb has co-evolved with humans over millennia, and research efforts are focused on delineating how 

the body controls the pathogen, or the circumstances under which Mtb successfully evades immune 

control and induces disease. Although pulmonary TB is the primary and most transmissible form of TB, 

extra-pulmonary or disseminated TB that spreads to other organ systems outside the lung, including the 

brain, also can occur. Patients with extra-pulmonary TB are difficult to diagnose because current 

strategies are optimized for identifying pulmonary TB. An increased understanding of the pathology of 

extra-pulmonary TB will help define the spectrum of TB and why each type of TB develops, and will 

facilitate diagnosis and appropriate treatment of patients who do not present with classic TB symptoms. 
7

Modern imaging technologies, such as positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT, 

Figure 4), provide sophisticated insights into the dynamics of TB pathology in humans, particularly the 

development and evolution of pulmonary granulomas, which are pockets of infection walled off by the 

host immune response. Data emerging from the application of state-of-the art technologies suggest that 

biomarkers can be identified to more effectively classify and predict the course of the patient’s disease 

and the susceptibility of the pathogen to antibiotics. Currently, no method exists to track Mtb

throughout its life cycle in the host. Novel methods to quantify Mtb directly or indirectly through 

biomarkers or microbially directed imaging probes are critical to better determine the response to 

therapy. Potentially, such techniques could identify patients who are either curable with shorter course 

therapy or who may experience relapsing disease. Additionally, the ability to quantify live Mtb in the 

host would improve the ability to develop drugs that are active against Mtb in different metabolic states 

and would contribute to assessing the efficacy of novel vaccine candidates in human clinical trials.

A better understanding of the nature and dynamics of host-pathogen interactions at the molecular and 

cellular level that result in active TB is critical to developing improved diagnostics, vaccines, and 

therapeutics. Further studies are needed to determine the factors that lead to the establishment of Mtb

infection, how the genetic makeup of both Mtb and the host affect the course of infection, the other 

host and microbial factors that contribute to Mtb infection control or evasion of the immune system,

and the host-pathogen interactions that eventually trigger active disease. 

Strategic Priority 2: Advance Research to Improve Diagnosis of TB 

Prompt, accurate, and rapid diagnosis of TB infection is critical to determining the optimal treatment 

strategy. Most current diagnostic protocols, including nucleic acid amplification, microscopy, and 

bacterial cultures, require laboratory equipment and experienced personnel that are not always 

available in TB prevalent areas. Most of these protocols call for sputum-based samples, which are 

difficult to obtain from young children and PLWH who have low amounts of Mtb in their sputum 

(paucibacillary disease). Additionally, extra-pulmonary forms of TB cannot be detected using sputum 

samples. 

The most commonly used diagnostic for active TB infection, microscopic detection by direct sputum 

smear, is only 50 to 60 percent accurate, does not provide critical information about drug resistance, 

and often cannot accurately establish the presence of active disease in people who have low levels of 

Mtb. Other tests, such as the Tuberculin Skin Test and the QuantiFERON®-TB Gold test, have low 

accuracy in immunocompromised people, are unable to distinguish individuals with latent TB infection 

from those with active TB disease, or can deliver false positive results in people vaccinated with the BCG

vaccine (for additional information on the BCG vaccine, see Strategic Priority 3). 

Recent advances in TB diagnostics, including the roll-out of the WHO-recommended Xpert® MTB/RIF 

diagnostic test, have provided significant improvements over traditional diagnostic tools. However, 

there is still a need for simple, easy-to-use, inexpensive, point-of-care diagnostics, including additional 

rapid diagnostics that identify drug resistance. The Xpert® MTB/RIF diagnostic test is accurate and rapid; 

however, it requires ready access to and proper storage of reagents and supplies, and trained personnel 

who may not be available in some resource-limited areas with high burden of TB disease. 
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Discovery of host and microbial

biomarkers or biosignatures is 

rapidly advancing. However, there 

is still a need to identify individual 

markers or combinations of 

markers that indicate infection, 

risk of disease progression, 

response to therapy or predict 

disease recurrence. Furthermore, these markers and signatures need to be combined with suitable 

diagnostic platforms for testing in resource-rich and -limited health care settings. Ideally, these types of 

studies should leverage existing clinical trials, study protocols, and clinical cohorts supported by NIAID 

and other partners.

NIAID will support research to intensively profile bacterial signatures and human host responses using 

high-throughput genomic sequencing, “omics” technologies, and bioinformatics tools to identify

biomarkers of infection, risk of disease progression, or risk of disease recurrence. NIAID also will support

the integration of host biomarkers and biosignatures into diagnostic platforms suitable for use in diverse 

healthcare settings, and for the evaluation of innovative diagnostic algorithms using existing or novel TB 

diagnostics. 

Objective 2.1: Discover novel biomarkers or biosignatures for TB prevention, diagnosis, and 

prognosis, prediction of treatment outcomes, and identification of drug resistance

To address the need for new and improved TB diagnostics, significant efforts will be required to identify 

biomarkers or biosignatures that can be integrated into suitable technologies to provide accurate, 

reliable, and actionable information to clinicians. Host-based biosignatures for latency and active 

disease must be identified to predict whether a latent infection will progress to active disease so that 

preventive therapy can be initiated. Additionally, there is a need to identify biomarkers or biosignatures 

that correlate with predictors of response to therapy and evolution of drug resistance.

In addition to serving as the basis for clinical diagnosis and prognosis, pinpointing microbial and host 

biomarkers will be essential to facilitate clinical trials and serve as surrogate endpoints for candidate 

preventive or therapeutic interventions. Surrogate endpoints may suggest whether a product is 

efficacious and should proceed to more advanced clinical testing. Due to the limitations of sputumbased approaches, it is preferable that biomarker signatures are identified from easily obtainable, nonsputum samples such as peripheral blood, urine, stool, or volatiles, such as compounds that may be 

measured in the breath.

Novel biomarkers will need to be validated in diverse populations according to geography, age, 

ethnicity, and comorbid conditions, including diabetes, HIV infection, parasitic worm infections, and 

other non-tuberculous mycobacterial infections. 

Box 3. Strategic Priority 2 Focus Areas

• Integrate biomarkers and biosignatures derived from 

fundamental TB research into technology platforms to 

facilitate the development of diagnostics

• Develop rapid, accurate, and inexpensive point-of-care 

diagnostics and prognostics for all forms of TB 

• Accelerate clinical validation of diagnostic platforms in large 

patient cohorts
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Objective 2.2: Improve and develop accurate and rapid diagnostics 

Predictive and diagnostic biomarkers need to be paired with appropriate technology platforms to 

establish and validate new diagnostic assays that are operable under broad environmental conditions 

and care settings and require minimal maintenance. One of the 

most urgent developmental needs is a non-sputum-based, rapid, 

sensitive, and inexpensive point-of-care diagnostic that also 

provides information about drug susceptibility. Ideally, this test 

should be suitable to detect TB infection in people who have 

paucibacillary disease, children, and HIV seronegative and 

seropositive populations.

Newly developed or improved nucleic acid amplification-based 

technologies, rapid culture-based platforms, and other new 

technologies would ideally allow testing directly on patient 

samples with minimal or no sample processing and would yield 

results in a short time frame. In parallel with the development of 

the ideal point-of-care diagnostic, it will be beneficial to improve existing or make novel diagnostics for 

use in a point-of-care setting or a central laboratory. Novel, sophisticated diagnostic technologies will 

likely be expensive and not affordable for all patients and all geographic locations. Inexpensive triage or 

screening diagnostics that can be used with Xpert® MTB/RIF or other more sophisticated and expensive

diagnostics would allow for more cost-effective integration of these tools into TB control programs. 

Microbial-based diagnostic tools remain important to confirm the identity and drug sensitivity of the 

infecting pathogen and have utility for surveillance of emerging drug resistance. 

Strategic Priority 3: Accelerate Research to Improve TB Prevention 

The medical approaches to prevent TB infection or disease involve vaccines and/or chemoprevention. 

There are two primary vaccination strategies for prevention of active pulmonary TB disease: 1) a vaccine 

given to individuals with latent infection that prevents progression to active clinical disease; and, 2) a 

vaccine given to uninfected individuals that prevents primary Mtb infection. Given the incidence of 

latent Mtb infection, the most effective tool to combat the TB pandemic would be a vaccine that 

prevents individuals with latent Mtb infection from progressing to active, transmissible disease. Vaccines

that prevent initial infection or the establishment of latent disease would also have a significant impact.

The BCG vaccine, given to neonates throughout the world (although not common practice in the U.S.), 

provides moderate protection against severe complications of disseminated disease in children, but 

does not sufficiently protect against TB in adolescents and adults. Despite intensive efforts to improve 

upon BCG, success has been hampered in part by an incomplete understanding of the immunological

mechanisms required to more effectively prevent TB. A recent clinical trial performed in adolescents at 

high risk of acquiring Mtb suggested that revaccination with BCG may offer at least temporary 

protection from infection. Researchers are planning an intensive immunological investigation to

determine the implications of these results and whether this BCG revaccination strategy will translate to 

fewer people developing active TB.

To improve vaccine strategies, NIAID will invest in research and resources, including improved animal 

models, to support rational vaccine design. To guide the design and selection of preclinical vaccine 

candidates, it will be necessary to pinpoint opportunities for immunological analyses within vaccine 

Figure 4. TB-infected lung PET/CT image 

used for diagnosis, monitoring, and 

prediction of treatment outcomes. 

Image credit: NIAID.
10

clinical trials to identify correlates of protection. Within these studies, it also will be important to 

consider how previous BCG vaccination and exposure to other types of mycobacteria may affect the 

efficacy of novel vaccine approaches.

In the absence of a highly effective 

vaccine, a regimen of antibiotics,

referred to as chemopreventive 

therapy, can be used to prevent 

latently infected people from 

progressing to active TB disease. 

In the U.S., current standard 

treatments involve administering

antibiotics for 3 to 9 months. Although effective in areas where there is a low TB burden, 

chemopreventive therapy does not provide lasting protection against repeated exposures that 

commonly occur in people who live in regions with high TB burden. Furthermore, given the requirement 

for long duration of treatment and difficulties with adherence associated with chemoprevention, there 

is a need for shortened regimens effective against all forms of DS- and DR-TB, particularly for people

who are at higher risk of developing active TB, such as PLWH. Recent clinical trial results suggest that 

therapy as short as one month may be feasible.

In parallel with the development of improved vaccine and chemopreventive strategies, it is important to 

better understand the biological and epidemiological factors that drive the transmission of TB in order 

to facilitate the development of tools and approaches to maximally disrupt the spread of Mtb, 

particularly in high-risk groups. 

Objective 3.1: Support the design and development of vaccine candidates that prevent infection 

or progression to active TB disease 

Recent findings in animal models and human clinical trials provide promising signs that improved TB 

vaccines are achievable. Efforts to replicate and extend these results in clinical trials incorporating 

intensive immunological studies have the potential to transform the field. Studies to characterize all 

aspects of immune responses to Mtb infection will inform optimal vaccine design and routes of delivery. 

In parallel, studies to reverse-translate results from human studies back into animal models will enable a 

mechanistic understanding of immune responses required for protective immunity against TB and 

accelerate the development and selection of improved vaccine candidates. Vaccine candidates found to 

be active against pulmonary TB should also be tested for their effectiveness against other forms of TB. 

State-of-the art technologies and bioinformatics tools can be used to discover new immunogens and 

immunogen/adjuvant combinations that can be rationally tested in diverse vaccine expression and 

delivery platforms. Multiple approaches, including iterative, head-to-head, preclinical and clinical 

evaluation of vaccine candidates using various dosing and administration strategies to maximize vaccine 

activity in target populations are important. Complementary research to identify and validate new 

assays and reagents will aid preclinical and clinical studies of vaccine candidates across the development 

pipeline. 

Box 4. Strategic Priority 3 Focus Areas

• Discover, develop, and evaluate new or improved vaccines 

and chemopreventive regimens 

• Improve understanding of protective immunity against Mtb

and identify correlates of immune protection

• Develop vaccines or chemopreventive regimens to block 

infection with Mtb, progression to active TB disease, or 

interrupt Mtb transmission
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Objective 3.2: Identify correlates of immune protection 

Identifying correlates of immune protection would aid the development of an improved TB vaccine.

Significant progress has been made in understanding the nature and magnitude of Mtb-specific immune 

responses, although the immune mechanisms that prevent Mtb infection or disease progression remain 

elusive. Animal studies have shown that T-cells limit the extent of infection or TB disease, although 

emerging evidence suggests that other components of the immune system also may contribute to 

protection. 

Vaccine studies in animal models and small Phase 1 clinical trials, coupled with in-depth immunological

analyses, can significantly improve understanding of the types of immune responses desired from a TB

vaccine candidate. However, identifying correlates of immune protection will require the analysis of 

samples from larger efficacy trials demonstrating a protective effect. A systematic evaluation of immune 

response data from a recent BCG revaccination trial is planned. Significant effort should be made to 

thoroughly evaluate samples from this and future trials to identify mechanisms of protection that can 

guide the design and selection of vaccine candidates to advance into clinical trials.

Finally, comprehensive immunological characterization of individuals with latent TB infection who do or 

do not progress to active disease is needed to understand the immunological parameters that impact 

progression to active disease or containment of infection. This knowledge may help identify correlates 

of risk that, in turn, may inform the development of vaccines that may prevent progression to active TB 

disease.

Objective 3.3: Investigate regimens to shorten course of chemopreventive treatments for drugresistant and drug-sensitive TB 

Chemopreventive strategies are needed as an immediate solution to protect people with latent TB

infection from progressing to active disease. Adherence to the standard 6- and 9-month INH- or RIFbased treatment regimens has been problematic because of the long duration of treatment and 

associated drug toxicities; thus, shorter drug regimens

must be developed to address this issue. A once weekly 

dose of INH and rifapentine for 3 months has been 

shown to be equally effective at preventing active TB as 

the 9-month INH regimen and is recommended by the 

WHO and CDC as an alternative to the longer INH 

treatment regimen.

Results from a recent NIAID-supported clinical trial 

demonstrated that 1-month antibiotic regimens to 

prevent active disease in PLWH with latent TB were noninferior to the 9-month INH regimen currently provided 

in many countries and were associated with fewer 

adverse events. Although these advances indicate a 

major step forward in reducing treatment duration and the occurrence of drug-related adverse events, 

there is still room for improvement. Developing regimens that can be given to all age groups and can 

address latent and DR-Mtb infection is necessary.

Figure 5. Drugs and vaccines. Image credit: NIH.
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Objective 3.4: Discover, develop, and improve interventions that interfere with TB transmission 

The factors that drive pathogen infectivity and underlie host susceptibility to infection and disease are 

poorly understood, and gaps also exist in our understanding of the population dynamics of TB. Key 

scientific opportunities include determining the factors that drive transmission, methods to measure TB 

transmission, and novel strategies to prevent transmission. The variable success of preventative therapy 

combined with growing evidence that TB is transmitted both within family units and in community 

settings underscore the inadequacy of current tools and approaches used to interrupt transmission. 

Further research to characterize TB transmission within high-burden settings is needed, including

studies to elucidate the infectious aerosol microenvironment and environmental factors that enable 

transmission. New methods and studies to measure transmission in high-risk environments should also

address underlying pathogen and host factors that affect transmission, including host genetic, 

epigenetic, or immune cell functions. Other important factors to consider are how HIV infection and ART 

may affect Mtb burden and the likelihood of transmission. Advanced geographical and real-time 

mapping of clusters of infection and predictive modelling would be valuable to better understand 

transmission dynamics and could be used as a tool to inform novel approaches for preventing further TB 

transmission. 

Strategic Priority 4: Support Research to Advance and Shorten Treatment of TB 

The development of highly effective and short-duration treatments for latent and active DS- and DR-TB

will greatly facilitate the care of patients and contribute to ending the TB pandemic. Improved 

treatments suitable for use in adults and children that are also compatible with ART are under 

investigation in parallel or in combination with therapies to limit the pathological effects and frequent 

life-long disabilities resulting from active TB disease.

Interventions that interfere with the development and extent of disease [that is, host-directed therapies 

(HDTs)] will complement microbially directed treatments. This requires the development of a new 

generation of safe and effective drugs and drug regimens, as well as new approaches and strategies to 

accelerate their clinical evaluation and eventual use as therapeutic or preventive modalities. The current 

TB drug development pipeline contains promising candidates that have the potential to improve and 

simplify treatment.

Despite the discovery of increasing numbers of Mtb drug targets and antimicrobial compounds directed 

against these targets, the ability to clinically evaluate and bring new interventions to the market is

limited because of inadequate clinical capacity and funding, as well as the need for better coordination 

across the product development pipeline. As a result, many promising TB drug candidates in early

phases of development do not yet have a clear pathway to further evaluation as part of combination 

regimens or in Phase 3 clinical trials. 

A critical priority will be to improve our understanding of the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic 

properties of these drugs to optimize their use, individually and when combined in potential new 

regimens. It is important to understand and characterize drug penetration into infected tissue and 

whether a drug can sterilize the infected site. Additionally, because many existing drugs are associated 

with serious toxicities, focused efforts must be directed at overcoming these limitations and identifying 

new agents and/or new formulations with improved toxicity profiles. 
13

Optimized strategies for TB treatment remain a top research priority for controlling the TB pandemic

and achieving the global elimination of TB. NIAID will continue to advance the discovery of new agents 

that are directed against the pathogen and/or to the host, as well as to repurpose existing drugs to 

determine the shortest and

most effective therapeutic 

regimens for latent and active TB. 

The objectives delineated here 

support research that will 

contribute to optimal, shortened,

and well-tolerated treatment 

regimens for pulmonary, 

disseminated, and latent TB that are also suitable for PLWH, infants, and young children. 

Objective 4.1: Discover, develop, and evaluate new and improved therapeutic interventions and 

regimens

Efforts to support the discovery of TB drugs based on molecular scaffolds, pathways, and drug targets 

using novel drug screening assays are ongoing and will be accelerated. A concerted, collaborative effort 

among TB drug researchers will be needed to identify the best new drug candidates and understand 

their pharmacokinetic and microbiological characteristics singly and in combination with other drugs.

Improvements in clinical trial design, endpoint selection and analysis, and the predictive potential of 

animal models and early human studies need to be further explored. It is also important to continue 

complementary studies to explore the repurposing of drugs licensed for other indications for their 

possible use in the treatment of all forms of TB. Several classes of drugs used to treat other conditions

have already been repurposed for the treatment of MDR-TB and XDR-TB.

Clinical investigations of potential treatments for TB patients with other medical conditions, including 

HIV co-infection and diabetes, are vital. Research efforts will support the development of drug 

formulations for pediatric populations, from infants to adolescents. Innovative research to evaluate

adjunctive HDTs using repurposed drugs and therapeutic vaccines are needed to improve the 

effectiveness of immune responses to Mtb and reduce tissue destruction. The selection of nextgeneration HDT candidate agents for evaluation must be based on knowledge of host and pathogen 

factors and their interplay to identify the optimal therapeutic targets. Disseminated TB, especially TB 

meningitis, continues to exact a substantial toll in morbidity and mortality, and improvements in 

therapies to treat these conditions are greatly needed. Promising evidence suggests that HDTs specific 

for TB meningitis can improve survival.

The inability of many patients to complete therapy negatively impacts TB cure rates and contributes to 

the development of drug resistance. Therefore, in parallel with the development of HDTs, it will be 

necessary to study new ways to mitigate the risk of drug-related adverse events and promote 

adherence, including new drug delivery technologies.

Objective 4.2: Better understand and characterize existing TB drugs to extend their treatment 

utility

Many of the current drugs used to treat DS- and DR-TB were developed decades ago and their

mechanisms of action, pharmacological properties, and optimal dosing regimens were not fully 

determined. Studies that characterize the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic parameters of these 

Box 5. Strategic Priority 4 Focus Areas

• Develop new treatment regimens suitable for all populations

• Develop easier-to-take, effective, shorter, and safer 

treatment regimens for pulmonary TB, disseminated TB, and 

latent TB infection

• Expand understanding of the mechanisms of action and of 

adverse effects of drugs and candidate therapeutics
14

drugs, including their ability to penetrate tissues, are critical to achieve optimal therapeutic effects and 

limit toxicity. The development of quantitative measures of Mtb burden in adults, pregnant women, and 

children, as well as microbiologic studies to characterize the sterilizing activity of existing drugs would 

contribute to the rapid advancement of candidate drugs through the development pipeline. 

Objective 4.3: Identify strategies to rapidly assess and prevent permanent disability due to drugrelated adverse events 

Many TB drugs are associated with significant toxicities that can worsen during the long treatment

period (9 to 24 months or longer) necessary for MDR- and XDR-TB. Certain injectable agents, namely

aminoglycosides, which are part of the current MDR- and XDR-TB treatment regimens, are known to 

cause hearing loss and kidney damage when given for extended periods of time. The development of 

new, safer agents with fewer adverse effects is a key priority. In the short-term, research is needed to 

develop improved methods to quickly detect drug toxicities and to determine the mechanisms of 

toxicity for TB drugs. Regimens of existing drugs also need to be optimized to reduce adverse events.

Strategic Priority 5: Develop Tools and Resources to Advance Research in 

Fundamental Knowledge, Prevention, Diagnosis, and Treatment of TB 

The strategic priorities described above will require continued expansion and de novo development of 

tools and resources. It is critical to ensure that investigators involved in TB research and product 

development have access to Biosafety Level 3 (BSL3) facilities, including facilities that have capacity for 

non-human primate (NHP) research. 

To assure that research resources are adequate to meet research objectives, NIAID will facilitate the

improvement and expansion of 

existing resources, particularly to

facilitate the analysis of large and 

diverse datasets derived from

global human cohorts and 

relevant animal models using 

systems biology and omics 

approaches. In addition, NIAID 

will make an effort to standardize 

and harmonize preclinical and 

clinical protocols in order to simplify data integration, thus enabling studies to provide a more thorough 

understanding of TB variability and its impact on the efficacy of drugs and vaccines. This knowledge will 

help refine animal and other model systems that reflect this complexity and aid in the selection of drug, 

vaccine, and diagnostic candidates that have the best chances of success in late-stage clinical studies. 

Objective 5.1: Optimize and/or develop animal models that reflect the human disease state to 

support fundamental research and product development

No animal model perfectly recapitulates all the complex aspects of human Mtb infection and disease.

Small animal models have been useful for the analysis of fundamental immunological studies and are 

invaluable tools to assess immune responses and changes in bacterial burden in response to vaccination 

or treatment. However, differing immune dynamics within current small animal models limit their utility 

beyond basic mechanistic and feasibility studies. 

Box 6. Strategic Priority 5 Focus Areas

• Improve and develop tools and resources, animal models, 

repositories, and observational cohorts 

• Facilitate the standardization of research protocols and 

reagents

• Stimulate cross-disciplinary training to foster the next 

generation of TB scientists

• Promote collaborative, open sharing of data and resources 

to advance the field of TB research
15

NHPs may offer additional insights into complex biological questions that are not accessible in small 

animals. They have great utility for modeling complex aspects of human immunity; however, it is still 

being determined how well the dynamics of host-pathogen interactions and pathology, and responses 

to vaccines and therapeutics align with humans. Small and large animal models will have to be refined 

and improved in parallel and iteratively with human clinical studies to validate hypotheses and 

endpoints. To facilitate this effort, appropriate reagents will also need to be developed. More predictive 

animal models to inform drug efficacy and vaccine studies in humans will be critical to selecting the 

most promising product candidates and ensuring that clinical resources are efficiently and effectively

utilized. 

Objective 5.2: Develop, standardize, and share tools to facilitate product testing and resource 

and data/sample sharing 

The development of TB diagnostics, vaccines, and therapeutics is conducted in diverse organizations, 

from academia to industry, each contributing expertise and resources to defined steps along the 

product development pathway. More rapid translation of biomedical research findings into relevant TB 

product candidates and maximized use of available resources will require the further development of 

tissue repositories, as well as development of standardized nomenclatures, protocols, and reagents that 

facilitate the sharing of samples and datasets. Effective use of data repositories requires standardized 

nomenclatures and ontologies and the development of sophisticated data analysis and visualization 

tools. Existing NIAID databases (Appendix 1) can be leveraged to foster collaborations and data sharing. 

Objective 5.3: Develop tools to assess low bacillary burden in humans 

One of the limiting factors in studying the dynamic nature of TB infection and disease is our inability to 

quantitate and localize the pathogen in the body and correlate its presence with host responses. To 

study aspects of TB that precede active pulmonary disease or reflect persistence after therapy has been 

completed (paucibacillary stages of TB), it is necessary to develop sampling technologies and biomarkers 

of microbial or host responses to improve diagnostics and other clinical tools. Development of these 

tools requires generation of imaging probes that can locate bacilli in live animals and production of Mtb

strains suitable for imaging technologies and in vivo studies, including tracking the presence, growth,

and distribution of Mtb following infection and through disease progression. 

Objective 5.4: Leverage and expand current clinical capacity of NIAID resources to test new 

therapeutic candidates and drug regimens, diagnostics, and vaccine candidates 

NIAID will build on its existing investments in clinical research infrastructure and resources in the U.S. 

and locations where TB is endemic. In addition, leveraging NIAID resources (Appendix 1) in settings 

where HIV and TB are both endemic will facilitate the development of products for TB, as well as 

products for people co-infected with HIV. 

Objective 5.5: Promote cross-disciplinary research and support early investigators to expand the 

cadre of innovative TB researchers

To accomplish the ambitious research agenda outlined in the strategic priorities above, it will be critical 

to recruit experienced, as well as new investigators to the field of TB research and increase 

collaborative, multidisciplinary research efforts. NIAID will draw on expertise from diverse disciplines, 

including immunology, data science, genetics, and epidemiology, to drive the research that will increase 

fundamental knowledge and the development of new diagnostics, preventive measures, and 
16

treatments. NIAID will also support research opportunities for early career investigators to establish 

themselves as the next generation of TB researchers to ensure continuity within and to bring fresh 

perspective to the field. 

Conclusion

The aspirational goal of ending the TB pandemic by 2035 will require collaborative, accelerated global 

efforts among governmental, non-governmental, and community-based organizations. The NIAID 

Strategic Plan for Tuberculosis Research builds on the momentum generated from high-profile, 

international reports and meetings, including the WHO End TB Strategy, the 1

st WHO Global Ministerial 

Conference on TB, and the UN General Assembly High-Level Meeting on Ending TB. The NIAID Strategic 

Plan for Tuberculosis Research aligns with the global goals and supports the objectives delineated in the 

U.S. Government Global TB Strategy and the National Action Plan for Combating Multidrug-Resistant 

Tuberculosis. These reports and meetings highlight the importance of biomedical research as a critical 

component of a global strategy to end TB and underscore the need to continue efforts to improve

knowledge and tools to prevent, diagnose, and treat TB. NIAID aims to address these critical needs 

through a comprehensive scientific agenda and infrastructure expansion that are geared towards 

strengthening TB research. 

NIAID will leverage its existing portfolio of resources and investments in biomedical research to expand 

and modernize its TB research program. These efforts are expected to reinvigorate TB research and

accelerate the development and evaluation of new methods to diagnose, prevent, and treat TB. By 

advancing fundamental TB research, resource development, and training of the next generation of TB 

researchers, NIAID will expand the knowledge base and expertise critical for accelerating the 

development of a comprehensive toolkit to end TB. 
17

Appendices 

 Appendix 1. NIAID-Supported Clinical and Basic Research Resources 

Resources

Name Description

AIDS Reagent Program Acquires, develops, and produces state-of-the-art reagents and provides these 

reagents at no cost to qualified investigators throughout the world

BEI Resources Repository Central repository that supplies organisms and reagents to the broad community of 

microbiology and infectious diseases researchers

Bioinformatics Resource Centers Collect, archive, update, and integrate research data with user friendly interfaces 

and computational analysis tools

Cooperative Centers on Human 

Immunology

Translate immunology research into clinical applications in infectious disease

Genomic Centers for Infectious Disease 

Resources

Provide innovative application of genomic technologies and rapid, cost-efficient 

production of high-quality genome sequences for pathogens, hosts, etc.

HIV/AIDS Clinical Trials Networks Group of clinical trials networks addressing HIV scientific priorities, including 

therapeutics for co-infections

HIV, Opportunistic Infection and TB 

Therapeutics Database (ChemDB)

Extracts from the scientific literature structure/activity information on compounds 

tested against HIV, opportunistic infections, and TB

Human Immunology Project Consortium Uses modern tools to examine the human immune system before/after infection, 

vaccination, or adjuvant treatment

ImmPort Platform to share bioinformatic immunology data

Immune Epitope Database and Analysis 

Resource

Contains detailed information for more than 100,000 unique immune epitopes 

related to infectious and immune-mediated diseases

ImmuneSpace Powerful data management and analysis engine that enables integrative modeling 

of human immunological data

IMPAc-TB Targeted to increase knowledge of immune mechanisms and the predictive value of 

animal models to advance novel TB vaccine strategies

International Epidemiology Databases 

to Evaluate AIDS Cohort Consortium

Generates large, harmonized HIV/AIDS data sets from seven international regional 

data centers to help address high priority research questions

International Clinical Sciences Support 

Center

Provides support services, including consultation and protocol development, site 

assessment, and data management for clinical investigators supported by DMID1

In-Vitro Assessment for Antimicrobial 

Activity Program

Tests for antimicrobial activity of products against microbial pathogens and vectors; 

strains and panels include those derived from clinical specimens

NIH Tetramer Core Facility Produces and distributes major histocompatibility complex (MHC) tetramers and 

related reagents to the research community

PATRIC (Bacterial Bioinformatics 

Resource Center)

Information system that integrates bacterial pathogen information with rich data 

and analysis tools to support work on infectious diseases

Phase I Clinical Trial Units for 

Therapeutics

Support design, development, implementation, and conduct of Phase I clinical trials

Preclinical Models of Infectious Disease 

Program

Provides development, screening, and efficacy testing in pre-clinical infectious 

diseases models, including traditional lab species, NHPs, and non-traditional models

Structural Genomics Centers for 

Infectious Diseases Resources

Applies state-of-the-art technologies/methodologies to characterize 3-D atomic 

structures of molecules to support infectious disease research

TB Portals Web-based, open-access repository of drug-resistant TB patient data with linked 

physical samples and advanced analytical tools

1 Division of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, NIAID
18

Appendix 1, Continued. NIAID-Supported Clinical and Basic Research Resources 

Resources

Name Description

Therapeutic Development Services: 

Biopharmaceutical Development 

Services

Offers services for biotechnology products, such as planning, product 

characterization, process development, formulation, GMP manufacturing and CMC 

documentation

Therapeutic Development Services: 

Interventional Agent Development 

Services

Facilitates development of therapeutics including lead identification and 

development, chemistry and manufacturing, toxicology and pharmacokinetics

Tuberculosis Research Units Network Integrates scientific and clinical research disciplines to study aspects of human TB in 

endemic countries, including TB latency and persistence

Vaccine Adjuvant Development Program Aims to advance novel vaccine adjuvants toward licensure for human use

Vaccine Adjuvant Discovery Program Identifies novel adjuvant candidates that may augment vaccine efficacy

Vaccine and Treatment Evaluation Units Support efforts to develop new and improved vaccines and therapies against 

infectious diseases

Vaccine Development Services: Vaccine 

Manufacturing Services

Provide services including product development plans, process development, 

release and potency assays, pilot and cGMP manufacturing, audits, regulatory 

support

Vaccine Development Services: Vaccine 

Testing Services

Support assay development, immunogenicity and efficacy studies, clinical and nonclinical sample testing, and safety/toxicity testing 
19

Appendix 2. NIAID Tuberculosis Research Strategic Plan Working Group Members 

Last Name First Name Position Division 

Boggiano Cesar Program Officer, Vaccine Clinical Research Branch DAIDS2

Church Elizabeth Deputy Director, Therapeutics Research Program DAIDS

Dieffenbach Carl Director DAIDS

Hafner Richard Chief, Tuberculosis Clinical Research Branch DAIDS

Jayashankar Lakshmi Scientific Officer, Tuberculosis Clinical Research Branch DAIDS

Jean-Philippe Patrick Chief, Maternal, Adolescent, and Pediatric Research Branch DAIDS

Kim Peter Director, Therapeutics Research Program DAIDS

Palmer Robert Health Specialist DAIDS

Read Sarah Deputy Director DAIDS

Rustomjee Roxana Medical Officer, Tuberculosis Clinical Research Branch DAIDS

Augustine Alison Chief, Basic Immunology Branch DAIT3

Hackett Charles Deputy Director DAIT

Hauguel Travis Health Specialist DAIT

Leitner Wolfgang Chief, Innate Immunity Section DAIT

Ramachandra Lakshmi Program Officer, Immunoregulation Section DAIT

Schneider Johanna Director, Office of Program Planning, Operations, and Scientific Information DAIT

Grace Beth Senior Operations Officer DCR4

McNay Laura Director, Office of Planning and Operations Support DCR

Shaffer Meredith Assistant Director for Policy and Communications DIR5

Boyce Jim Program Officer, TLMDS6 DMID

Eichelberg Katrin Program Officer, TLMDS DMID

Embry Alan Chief, Respiratory Diseases Branch DMID

Erbelding Emily Director DMID

Glowinski Irene Deputy Director DMID

Lacourciere Karen Program Officer, TLMDS DMID

Laughon Barbara Senior Scientist, Respiratory Diseases Branch DMID

Leyva Francisco Medical Officer, TLMDS DMID

Makhene Mamodikoe Medical Officer, TLMDS DMID

Miers Sarah Program Analyst, OSCPO7 DMID8

Mulach Barbara Director, OSCPO DMID

Schuster Claire Health Specialist, OSCPO DMID

Sizemore Christine Chief, TLMDS9 DMID

Caviston Juliane Health Science Policy Analyst, SPEB10 OD11

Eisinger Robert Special Assistant for Scientific Projects OD

Folkers Gregory Chief of Staff, Immediate Office of the Director OD

Parker Marie Acting Director, Office of Strategic Planning, Initiative Development, and Analysis OD

Robinson Daphne Policy Analyst, SPEB OD

Schwetz Tara Chief, SPEB OD

Taylor Brandie Chief, Evaluation Section, SPEB OD

Walsh Elizabeth Health Science Analyst, SPEB OD

Daucher Marybeth Associate Director of Management and Operations VRC12

2

 Division of AIDS 

3 Division of Allergy, Immunology, and Transplantation

4 Division of Clinical Research

5 Division of Intramural Research

6 Tuberculosis, Leprosy, and Other Mycobacterial Diseases Section, Respiratory Diseases Branch

7 Office of Scientific Coordination and Program Operations

8 Division of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases

9 Director, Division of International Relations, Fogarty International Center as of September 2018

10 Strategic Planning and Evaluation Branch

11 NIAID Office of the Director

12 Vaccine Research Center
20

Appendix 3. Portfolio Analysis Results 

As an essential first step in the strategic planning process, NIAID staff conducted a critical analysis of the current NIAID 

TB research portfolio. These data, summarized below, provide an overview of the NIAID research portfolio and establish 

a foundation for NIAID TB experts to develop a new strategic research agenda by identifying opportunities for 

innovation and areas where more focused research efforts may be needed. 

Globally, more than 50 governments fund TB research. NIAID, the largest funder of TB research in the world, accounted 

for nearly 30 percent of all TB research support in 2016. Other funders in 2016 included philanthropic organizations (19

percent—with 90 percent from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation), and the private sector (23% from pharmaceutical 

and biotechnology companies, and international multilateral organizations, such as Unitaid, that mostly fund drug 

development efforts).

The FY 2013–FY 2017 NIAID TB 

research portfolio included basic 

science and epidemiology studies 

as well as efforts for the discovery 

and development of diagnostics, 

prevention strategies, and 

therapeutics. NIAID funding for TB 

research increased nearly 50 percent during that time, up to $299 million in FY 2017. Basic, epidemiology, and 

therapeutics topics received the largest proportional increases in support, reflecting NIAID’s renewed commitment to 

accelerate improved TB treatments and fundamental understanding of TB that may inform future advances in diagnosis, 

prevention, and treatment. In FY 2017, the majority (70 percent) of the research portfolio focused on basic research and 

therapeutics. 

Projects involving human subjects represented nearly half of the NIAID TB research portfolio in FY 2017, and more than 

half of these projects focused on basic and therapeutics research. From FY 2013 to FY 2017, NIAID funded 47 TB clinical 

studies listed in clinicaltrials.gov. Other NIH institutes supported 12 additional clinical studies and the FDA funded two. 

Therapeutics studies made up the largest proportion of clinical trials, whereas the other studies focused on natural 

history, prevention and diagnostics. Phases 1 and 2 clinical trials for TB products dominated the development pipeline, 

with fewer studies in Phases 3 and 4.

Analysis of the NIAID TB research portfolio examined projects related to immunology, latency, biomarkers, antimicrobial 

resistance (AMR), and bioinformatics and functional genomics. Funding for immunology increased from FY 2013 to FY 

2017 and represented more than one quarter of the total TB portfolio budget in FY 2017. Most immunology projects 

were basic research projects, with a strong emphasis on innate immunity projects. A significant proportion of 

immunology projects linked to prevention and vaccine development. 

Additional NIAID funding increases from FY 2013 to FY 2017 supported TB biomarker identification (ten-fold increase), 

TB latency (nearly four-fold increase), antimicrobial resistance (AMR, greater than two-fold increase), and bioinformatics 

and functional genomics projects (two-fold increase). The dramatic increase in research on TB biomarkers reflected 

NIAID’s effort to capitalize on existing studies by adding TB research to ongoing clinical research activities in other areas, 

such as projects within the Human Immunology Project Consortium. The increase in funding for TB latency projects 

correlated with increased support for basic and therapeutics research, including projects that incorporated people living 

with HIV (PLWH). Some TB AMR clinical projects examined treatment and prevention of TB in PLWH, whereas others 

focused on AMR mechanisms, epidemiology, transmission, and diagnosis. Although NIAID initiatives for clinical trial 

networks, research centers, or omics research supported many bioinformatics and functional genomics projects, the 

portfolio also contained several investigator-initiated projects. These data and the extensive knowledge of NIAID TB 

experts informed the development of a strategic plan to strengthen TB research and better address this urgent global 

health problem.

Box 7. TB Portfolio Analysis Summary

• NIAID is the largest funder of TB research (~30% of global funding)

• NIAID TB research funding increased nearly 50% from FY 2013 to FY 2017

• Basic, epidemiology, and therapeutics research received largest NIAID TB

funding increases from FY 2013 to FY 2017

• Nearly 50% FY 2017 NIAID TB research projects included human subjects
21

Appendix 4. Abbreviations 

Abbreviation Definition

ART Antiretroviral therapy

BCG Bacillus Calmette–Guérin vaccine

BSL3 Biosafety level 3

DR Drug-resistant 

DS Drug-sensitive

HDT Host-directed therapy

HHS Department of Health and Human Services

HIV/AIDS Human immunodeficiency virus/Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome

HIV-CTN HIV/AIDS Clinical Trials Networks

IMPac-TB Immune Mechanisms of Protection Against Mycobacterium Tuberculosis Center

INH Isoniazid

MDR-TB Multidrug-resistant TB 

Mtb Mycobacterium tuberculosis

NGS Next-generation sequencing

NIAID National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases

NTM Nontuberculous mycobacteria

PET/CT Positron emission tomography/computed tomography

PLWH Persons living with HIV

RePORT Regional Prospective Observational Research in Tuberculosis

RIF Rifampin

TB Tuberculosis

U.S. United States

VRC Vaccine Research Center

WHO World Health Organization

XDR-TB Extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis