Bibhuti Mishra

Job Description

We are interested in investigating the host-pathogen interactions that determine the protective vs pathological immunity during Tuberculosis infection. Tuberculosis is a serious infectious disease caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis, which usually infects the lungs but can also infect the kidney, spine, brain, and other parts of the body. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, the number of TB cases reported in the United States increased for the first time in over ten years in 2015, after having declined from 1993-2014. Despite having screening and treatment for TB, the emergence of drug resistance in the tuberculosis bacterial strains has once again made it a significant threat in the United States and worldwide. The development of preventive measures for TB as well as treatments for drug-resistant strains is, therefore, imperative to prevent the global spread of drug-resistant TB. However, there are still major aspects of the disease’s progression that are not fully understood, which inhibits such innovations. To design novel therapies and prevention methods, we must first understand the fundamental process of the bacteria-host interactions, and the differences in these interactions that lead to disease progression as opposed to its containment by the host immune system. We strive to understand these fundamental questions of TB pathogenesis. Our overarching goal is to uncover novel therapeutic nodes of intervention in human TB and identifying reliable biomarkers that can predict the risk of developing disease.