# Host susceptibility to Mycobacterium tuberculosis recurrence in HIV-infected people

> **NIH NIH K23** · WEILL MEDICAL COLL OF CORNELL UNIV · 2021 · $192,780

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY / ABSTRACT
Candidate. Dr. Kathryn Dupnik is an Infectious Disease-trained physician-scientist committed to translational
research on mycobacterial diseases. She documented the transcriptome profile of the pathologic immune
reactions of leprosy and co-authored 20 peer-reviewed publications on infectious diseases of resource-limited
settings. As an investigator with the TB Research Unit, she established the infrastructure for enrollment and
monitoring of cohorts for study of Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection.
Career Development Plan. Dr. Dupnik’s long-term goal is to become an independent physician-scientist
conducting translational laboratory research on the host immune response to mycobacterial pathogens. Her
short- and long-term objectives are: 1. To gain skills in clinical epidemiology and the conduct of large clinical
cohort studies 2. To gain laboratory expertise in the study of human macrophages and M. tuberculosis 3. To
acquire skills in bioinformatics and statistical analysis of large transcriptional data sets 4. To transition to
independent investigator by preparing a R01 grant and gaining leadership and mentorship skills.
Environment. The proposed research and training will be at Weill Cornell Medical College (New York, NY) and
at GHESKIO centers (Port-au-Prince, Haiti). These institutions have a 35-year history of collaboration to provide
clinical care and conduct patient-oriented research on HIV, which Dr. Dupnik first joined in 2006.
Research. This research is an extension of Dr. Dupnik’s prior work on human immune response to mycobacterial
infection. TB recurrence risk is well-documented in the study population in Haiti. The aims of this grant are
designed to characterize this population at risk and to identify potential patient-oriented therapies.
Specific Aim 1. Characterize macrophages from HIV-infected people with history of at least 2 clinical episodes
of pulmonary TB. We will study macrophages derived from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) of 50
HIV-infected people with history of multiple episodes of TB and compare them to 50 HIV-infected people from
the same community who have had one episode of TB without recurrence. The primary hypothesis is that
mycobacterial load in macrophages after in vitro M. tuberculosis infection will be higher in people who had
TB recurrence. We will compare gene expression in the M. tuberculosis-exposed macrophages.
Specific Aim 2. Determine immune correlates for recurrent TB in a prospectively monitored cohort of HIV-
infected patients with TB. We will follow 500 HIV-infected patients with TB for 3 years after TB cure, anticipating
that 40 patients will have a reinfection with a new strain of M. tuberculosis. The primary hypothesis is that whole
blood from these 40 patients will have a transcriptome profile at cure of first TB which is distinct from people who
do not develop recurrent TB, which could be used to target secondary prophylaxis.
Significance. Patient oriented...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10065484
- **Project number:** 5K23AI131913-04
- **Recipient organization:** WEILL MEDICAL COLL OF CORNELL UNIV
- **Principal Investigator:** Kathryn M Dupnik
- **Activity code:** K23 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $192,780
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2018-01-25 → 2022-12-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10065484

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10065484, Host susceptibility to Mycobacterium tuberculosis recurrence in HIV-infected people (5K23AI131913-04). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10065484. Licensed CC0.

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