Joseph Edward Qualls, Ph.D.

One quarter of the world population is persistently infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb), resulting in more than 1.5 million deaths annually from active tuberculosis (TB). Considering the rapid development of resistance against common antibiotic therapies targeting Mtb, new approaches designed to augment the body’s immune defenses are urgently needed. Lactate (a substance produced during cell metabolism) and its synthesis are associated with Mtb infection, especially within macrophages—immune cells central to the body’s anti-TB response. We will examine the contribution of lactate synthesis during the body’s anti-TB immune response using experimental models of Mtb infection. We anticipate the results may lead to novel host-directed approaches aimed at supplementing current antibiotic therapies.