404. Research laboratory
Head: Szilvia Bősze, Ph.D.
Address: Budapest, Pázmány P. sétány 1/A, 404.
Telefon: 06-1-372-2500
Fax: 06-1-372-2620
Members:
Szilvia Bősze, PhD; Research Associate Professor
Kata Horváti, PhD, Research Assistant Professor
Zsuzsa Baranyai, Research Assistant
Gergely Kohut, PhD student
Lilla Horváth, PhD student
M.Sc. students:
Anna Lőrincz
B.Sc. students:
Aysa Dormaeva
Dóra Illik
Zsófia Szabó
Gergely Réti
Despite five decades of control and research programs tuberculosis (TB) remains the first cause of mortality due to a single pathogen. A third of the world population is believed to be latently infected with TB. Latent TB (LTBI) is an asymptomatic phase of the disease during which the bacilli persist within their hosts. The risk of developing active TB can be higher among newborns, seniors, HIV-positive patients, people with diabetes, cancer patients, organ transplant recipients, people undergoing treatment for autoimmune diseases. Therefore there is an urgent need to develop new diagnostics and agents active against TB.
The long-term aim of our research project is to improve the immunodiagnosis of LTBI, using peptide-based synthetic antigens. A detailed study of the promising synthetic antigens would be advantageous in order to make progress towards differentiating not only between TB infection and BCG vaccination, but also between LTBI and the early stage of active TB.
The futher aim of our research is the preparation and evaluation of new potential antimycobacterial agents. Considering that mycobacteria can survive in host cell its elimination could be more efficient with host cell directed delivery of chemoterapetic agents. To enhance the cellular uptake and the host cell specificity of the new and recently used chemotherapeutic agents different approaches will be developed. Due to the optimised and selective cellular uptake more effective therapy can be achieved.
The long-term aim of our research project is to improve the immunodiagnosis of LTBI, using peptide-based synthetic antigens. A detailed study of the promising synthetic antigens would be advantageous in order to make progress towards differentiating not only between TB infection and BCG vaccination, but also between LTBI and the early stage of active TB. The futher aim of our research is the preparation and evaluation of new potential antimycobacterial agents. Considering that mycobacteria can survive in host cell its elimination could be more efficient with host cell directed delivery of chemoterapetic agents. To enhance the cellular uptake and the host cell specificity of the new and recently used chemotherapeutic agents different approaches will be developed. Due to the optimised and selective cellular uptake more effective therapy can be achieved.
