Specialization
CMV immunology, TB diagnosis, Blood virome analysis, CMV reinfection, CMV molecular diagnosis
Focus of research
I am passionate about basic and translational research especially in coinfection of TB and viruses other than HIV. Currently, I am assessing the association of exposure to cytomegalovirus and other viruses with tuberculosis susceptibility in children, TB presumptive adults and contacts to tuberculosis TB index cases under the Pre-FIT study as my PhD research.
My research will investigate participants that were or are being recruited from cross sectional and prospective study designs. We intend to address reverse causation in cross sectional study design between CMV and TB well as determining that CMV infection preceded TB disease will be easier in prospective study design.
Together with my supervisors, I am delighted to be working with Dr. Lia van der Hoek for blood virome analysis using VIDISCA method and Dr. William Britt for CMV reinfection assays using polymorphic epitopes. Anti-CMV IgG and IgM ELISAs will be used for determining previous and recent CMV infection respectively well as active infection will be detected using quantitative real-time PCR.
This research will provide an insight into how different viruses may affect the immunity to TB and hence influence of these viruses to TB disease outcome and TB vaccine candidates` efficacy, effectiveness and protection.