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Leadership for good: united to end TB

24 March 2026

TB remains the leading infectious diseases killer on the planet

At the University of Sydney, world-leading researchers are united to protect communities here in Australia, and across our region against TB

World Tuberculosis Day, held on 24 March, raises public awareness about the devastating health, social and economic impact of TB, an ancient but curable diseases that continues to claim a life every 20 seconds.

At the University of Sydney, we lead with science, partnership and purpose. “Ending TB is possible but it will only happen if we advance innovative science and work in deep partnership with the communities most affected", said Professor Mark Scott, Vice‑Chancellor and President of the University of Sydney.

Our partnerships, our science and our people are showing what leadership for good looks like: translating discovery into impact across Australia and our region.

Professor Mark Scott, Vice‑Chancellor and President, University of Sydney

University of Sydney researchers: united to end TB

Our partnerships

Together with Sydney Infectious Diseases Institute (Sydney ID), Sydney South East Asia Centre (SSEAC) and the Sydney Vietnam Institute (SVI), the University brings a collaborative, world‑leading approach that spans discovery science, clinical trials, health systems, and community‑led implementation. We host the NHMRC Centre of Research Excellence in TB (TB‑CRE) and a WHO Collaborating Centre in Tuberculosis, and we deliver an expansive regional research program across Vietnam, Cambodia and the Pacific.

Our science

and our people behind the science

Tackling TB transmission in Australia and across the region

Eliminating TB in Australia

Eliminating TB in Australia starts with understanding how it spreads and using the latest genomic insights to identify and stop transmission.

A deep understanding of local TB transmission dynamics, using the latest genomic insights, is essential to guide TB control efforts in Australia.

NSW became the first jurisdiction in the world to implement routine whole genome sequencing in 2016, led by Professor Vitali Sintchenko. Our researchers Dr Xiaomei Zhang and PhD student Ellen Donnan (Head of the NSW TB control program) have been at the forefront of this implementation research.

Careful consideration of TB elimination progress and challenges in NSW identified the rapid termination of local transmission as the best strategy to keep people safe. This was followed by a detailed spatio-temporal analysis of local TB transmission in NSW to guide better targeted public health responses, published in The Lancet Regional Health Western Pacific.

Early TB detection in Cambodia

Active case finding means meeting people where they are. In Cambodia we are testing the most innovative strategies to diagnose TB to prevent its spread within the communities.

The Strengthening Health Systems through Integrated Risk Factor Intervention and Tuberculosis Case-Finding (SHIFT-TB) initiatives in Cambodia, led by our researchers Dr Alvin Teo and Dr Emily Maclean, aims to detect TB in people who are unable to produce sputum for testing, or are unaware that they are ill.

In an influential regional review our researchers discuss the important elements of an effective active TB case-finding strategy, including effective social mobilisation and community engagement, using sensitive screening tools that can be used at scale, and embracing population-wide screening in high-incidence (‘hot spot’) areas.

Universal 'test and treat' in Kiribati

On remote Pacific islands we test and treat communities to break the transmission cycle and keep children safe

Kiribati is a remote Pacific Island Country in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. The capital South Tarawa is one of the most densely populated areas in the Pacific, with exceptionally high rates of tuberculosis and leprosy.

To reduce this excessive disease burden, the PEARL Project (led by Professor Ben Marais) works closely with the Kiribati Ministry of Health and Medical Services (MHMS) and the Pacific Leprosy Foundation (PLF) to ‘test & treat’ the whole population of South Tarawa for both diseases.

In a recent The Lancet Global Health paper our researchers Dr Emily Maclean, Associate Professor Sarah Bernays and Professor Ben Marais reframes tuberculosis through a complex systems lens highlighting the array of decision makers who, by action or inaction, have a shared responsibility to end tuberculosis as a global pandemic.

From the lab to new vaccines and treatments

Back to the basics - TB pathology

TB bacteria are airborne and settle in the lungs when inhaled. Understanding how the lung gets damaged is important to guide vaccine development and treatment.

With their recent NHMRC Ideas Grant success “Unravelling stromal-immune cell crosstalk in chronically inflamed lymph nodes”, our researchers Dr Carl Feng and Dr Lina Daniel will uncover how tuberculosis reprograms cellular organisation within lymphoid organs, providing insights that may inform the development of new immune-boosting therapies.

In Nature Communications our researchers reveal that Mtb can use a metabolite to manipulate host responses and promote its intracellular survival.

Vaccines

A better TB vaccine that provides strong, durable protection can change everything. We are working with industry and government partners to advance next‑generation vaccines using the latest technological innovations.

Supported by a recent NSW RNA Pipeline grant, Dr Claudio Counoupas, Associate Professor Megan Steain and Professor Jamie Triccas are advancing next‑generation multiplex mRNA vaccines. Their work focuses on delivering multiple pathogen antigens within a single lipid nanoparticle, offering the potential for broader immune coverage against complex infectious diseases.

In Microbiology Australia our researchers Hannah Lukeman and Professor Jamie Triccas explore the potential of lipid nanoparticle (LNP)-encapsulated mRNA vaccines to generate protective immune responses against TB. Looking at recent advances in the field, including promising preclinical studies, the team highlight key knowledge gaps that must be addressed before mRNA vaccines can be considered a viable option for TB control.

New treatment drugs

Our researchers are designing molecules that kill TB using novel mechanisms. Then we translate those discoveries into safe, effective treatments.

Rising drug-resistance makes the search for new treatments increasingly urgent. Our researchers have discovered how a promising novel class of antibiotics kills TB, paving the way for urgently needed new treatments. Learn more.

In a study published in Nature Communications, the team investigated how three naturally occurring antibiotic compounds – ecumicin, ilamycin and cyclomarin – act on a vital protein degradation machine inside Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the bacterium that causes TB.

Learn more about Prof Richard Payne and Dr Isabel Barter

Ending TB in Vietnam

Large clinical trials seek safer and shorter and more effective treatments to prevent and cure TB. The University’s trials team in Vietnam partners with global research networks to drive breakthroughs in ending TB.

The University of Sydney Vietnam Institute’s collaborative approach to research benefits both individuals and communities.

Ending tuberculosis requires finding TB early, at scale, and in the community, alongside developing safer, shorter, and more effective prevention and treatment. To support the National Tuberculosis Program of Vietnam our researchers Professor Greg Fox, Professor Thu-Anh Nguyen, and Professor Guy Marks are conducting high-quality research, translating evidence into practice, and building local research capacity and global impact.

Visit the Sydney VIetnam Institute to discover the research projects and clinical trials currently underway.

Community, policy and impact

Community engagement

We work alongside TB‑affected communities, ensuring their voices shape the solutions they want and need.

Our researchers, Associate Professor Sarah Bernays and Dr Neha Faruqui, support community engagement in TB prevention, treatment and care. The team works to uncover and challenge the structural factors that perpetuate inequity, TB vulnerability and exclusion from TB services. By valuing community expertise through initiatives such as Community Advisory Boards, lived‑experience research and iterative community-led adjustment of intervention delivery, they are reshaping how knowledge is generated to support more effective and equitable health outcomes.

Global strategy and impact

We synthesise evidence that informs national and global policies, turning research into real‑world impact across the region.

Our researchers, Dr Tasnim Hasan and Professor Greg Fox, synthesise the evidence that inform WHO drug-resistant TB treatment guidelines. Working with colleagues Dr Emily Maclean and Professor Thu-Anh Nguyen they documented the long term outcomes of people treated for rifampicin‑resistant and multidrug‑resistant tuberculosis (RR/MDR‑TB) in Vietnam, published in Clinical Infectious Diseases.