Spatial transcriptomics of tuberculosis lung tissue
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Spatial transcriptomics of tuberculosis lung granulomas collected during the pre-antibiotic era
IRAS ID
360083
Contact name
Josephine M Bryant
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Wellcome Sanger Institute
Duration of Study in the UK
3 years, 0 months, 1 days
Research summary
This research study aims to improve our understanding of how tuberculosis (TB) affects the lungs by examining rare lung tissue samples collected from people who died of TB between 1930 and 1950, before antibiotics were widely used. These preserved samples provide a unique insight into how TB naturally progresses without the influence of modern treatments.
TB is caused by bacteria called Mycobacterium tuberculosis, and when it infects the lungs, the body forms structures called granulomas—clusters of immune cells—to contain the bacteria. Our study will use genomic analysis techniques, which allow us to precisely examine gene activity in both human cells and TB bacteria within these granulomas. Recent work from our team has confirmed that these methods can detect gene activity even in old preserved samples, helping us understand the interactions between human immune cells and bacteria. Our collaborators have already established that these historical samples are well-preserved and display a wider variety of disease patterns compared to modern samples. This indicates that antibiotic treatment may mask important aspects of the disease, limiting our understanding of how TB behaves and progresses naturally. By studying these historical samples, we hope to uncover crucial insights into why the body's immune response sometimes effectively controls TB, and why it sometimes fails.
Sponsored by the Wellcome Sanger Institute, this study will analyse up to 100 lung tissue samples from approximately 30 individuals. Over three years, findings from this research will significantly enhance our knowledge of TB and potentially lead to improved diagnostic methods and treatments, benefiting future TB management and patient care.REC name
North of Scotland Research Ethics Committee 1
REC reference
25/NS/0080
Date of REC Opinion
4 Jul 2025
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion