Biomarkers for tuberculosis: new questions, new tools

描述（由申请人提供）：尽管在鉴定M.尽管结核病感染和疾病之间的关系日益密切，但仍有许多工作要做，以开发更有效的诊断方法和替代标记物，以评估抗结核病（TB）药物和疫苗的开发。2010年在贝塞斯达举行的NIH/StopTB联合会议将缺乏替代标记物确定为结核病研究面临的最紧迫问题之一。我们计划举行一次关于结核病生物标志物的会议，这将是2008年在美国举行的一次国际会议的后续会议。计划于2013年举行的会议的目标是介绍通过关于新型生物特征及其作为结核病控制工具的基础、转化和临床研究所产生的知识进展。为了实现这一目标，会议将汇集结核病生物学、流行病学、诊断开发和使用以及临床和基础研究方面的领导者，以（i）讨论潜在表达的生物学事件， 感染状况的标志），（二）找到解决办法，在解释非常 大型数据集，（iii）确定转化研究机会，（iii）提出创新的新检测技术，以及（iv）定义测试开发的临床前和临床阶段的挑战。会议计划将不同但互补的领域的领导人聚集在一起，讨论有望产生协同作用但很少在同一论坛上提出的工作。为确保参与者的多样性，广告将包括针对少数群体的内容。申请的资金将用于支持初级调查人员的参与，特别是来自结核病流行的发展中国家的调查人员。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Despite some progress in the identification of biomarkers of M. tuberculosis infection and disease, much more remains to be done to develop more effective diagnostics, and surrogate markers to evaluate development of drugs and vaccines against tuberculosis (TB). A joint NIH/StopTB meeting in Bethesda in 2010 identified the lack of surrogate markers as one of the most pressing problems facing TB research. We plan to hold a conference on TB biomarkers, which will be the follow-up to an international conference held in 2008 in the US. The objective of the conference planned for 2013 is to present advances in knowledge generated through basic, translational and clinical research on novel biosignatures and their utilization as tools for TB control. To achieve this, the conference will bring together leaders in TB biology, epidemiology, diagnostic development and use, and in clinical and basic research to (i) discuss the biological events underlying expression of potential markers of infection status), (ii) find solutions to the challenges faced in interpretation of very large datasets, (iii) identify translational research opportunities, (iii) present innovative new assay technologies, and (iv) define challenges at the preclinical and clinical stages of test development. The conference is planned to bring together leaders in different but complementary fields to discuss work that holds the promise of synergy but that only rarely is presented at the same forum. To ensure a diverse pool of participants, advertising will include components targeted to minorities. The requested funding will be used to support participation of junior investigators, particularly those from developing, TB-endemic nations.