The TB Drug Discovery Research Group, led by Tanya Parish, was established in 2007 and focuses on the development of the innovative genetic tools necessary to discover novel classes of more effective anti-tubercular drugs, as well as the use of those tools to aid the identification and validation of novel drug targets. Our primary aim is to identify and validate novel drug targets in Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb).

 

A number of approaches to target identification are being taken. In-house expertise in genetic manipulation, including construction of over- and under-expressing strains for target validation is available. Construction and testing of deletion mutants in various models will be accessible, including in vitro and in vivo systems (mice, guinea pigs).

 

Dedicated BL3 facilities for in vitro work with whole cell screens are under construction. Liquid handling, culture and growth/reporter readouts from whole cell assays will be available. In addition, target-based whole cell screens are under development and can be applied to novel targets.

 

The TDR group has extensive experience in handling M. tuberculosis cultures including running aerobic, hypoxic (Wayne and low oxygen models), starvation and macrophage infection models. Determination of MIC and MBC can be performed in-house, as well as kill kinetics and determination of resistance frequencies.

 

 

Staff pages:

Tanya Parish, Principal Investigator and Senior Scientist

David Roberts, Scientist I