TB CRE Research Objectives​

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The goal of the “CRE to End TB on both sides of the border” is to fill the key evidence gaps in the drive to finally end TB as a global health problem. We will achieve this goal by developing and evaluating new strategies to detect, treat and prevent TB in Australia and across the Indo-Pacific region.

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We are fulfilling our mission by accomplishing six key objectives:

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1. Enhance the diagnosis of TB, focusing on early TB. We will generate new knowledge about the biology of early ‘subclinical’ TB and extend this to mass screening strategies in high-burden settings. 

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2. Improve the safety, duration and tolerability of TB treatment. We will develop new safer and shorter treatment through pre-clinical studies, pharmacokinetic analysis and clinical trials for drug resistant and drug susceptible TB, including individualized therapies. 

 

3. Prevent the development of TB. We will develop new vaccines and evaluate them in clinical trials in the region. We will also conduct Phase 2 & 3 trials of new TB preventive treatments. New preventive strategies were among top regional research priorities.

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4. Translate new evidence into national and global policy and practice. Working with national, regional and global bodies we will develop new global policies and conduct research to overcome barriers to scale-up in Australia and the region.

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5. Strengthen regional capacity in TB research. Building upon our national and regional training networks, we will develop the next generation of TB research leaders through mentoring and skills training at well-supported research sites in Australia and high TB-burden settings.

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6. Facilitate collaboration. We will leverage our extensive national, regional and global networks of researchers, clinicians and policy-makers to lead collaborative multi-centre studies, and engage in global trials network