Targeting the fat bugs in TB

Tuberculosis is one of the world's deadliest lung infections and takes at least 6 months to treat. This is very demanding for patients and carers alike. A faster, more effective treatment would significantly assist in the control of the disease.

By studying people with TB, Professor Barer and his team have found that around one fifth of the bacteria that cause the disease are surrounded by fat droplets in the lungs and they believe that these 'fat bugs' are not affected by antibiotics normally used to treat TB.

During this study, the researchers intend to take samples of sputum from TB patients and look at the numbers of bacteria surrounded by fat droplets and those that are not. They will then look at how these bacteria respond to treatment with antibiotics to see if the 'fat bugs' are resistant to treatment. If this is the case, these 'fat bugs' will become a target for the development of new drugs which will be able to tackle TB more effectively.

Amount awarded: £63,808
Relevant disease area(s): Tuberculosis
Relevant age group(s): All