The Center for Tuberculosis aims to improve the lives of tuberculosis (TB) patients globally by training the next generation of scientists and advancing TB research, practice and policy.
As the operational hub of the UCSF-UC Berkeley Tuberculosis Research Advancement Center (UC TRAC), the Center for Tuberculosis provides a collaborative academic environment for over 45 affiliated faculty members and provides mentorship, resource and infrastructure support to early-stage investigators in TB research at UCSF, UC Berkeley and affiliated partners.
With expertise spanning various disciplines, the Center for Tuberculosis seeks to overcome challenges to global TB elimination and unifies experts in TB bench and clinical sciences, global health delivery, economics and diplomacy to enhance patient care through research, education, technical assistance and advocacy.
Current Work
UC TRAC
The UC San Francisco-Berkeley Tuberculosis Research Advancement Center (UC TRAC) is an NIH/NIAID-funded P30 core center grant that aims to accelerate innovative and multidisciplinary TB research across various disciplines. The program provides services, resources, funding opportunities, consultation, mentorship programs and access to a Community Advisory Board specifically tailored to early-stage and new-to-TB investigators from UCSF and UC Berkeley.
Funding: NIAID P30AI168440 Nahid/Cox
Administrative Core
The administrative core facilitates leadership and programmatic direction for UC TRAC.
Developmental Core
The Developmental Core facilitates TB RAMP, the UC TRAC Global Fellowship, and the Mentored Scientist Award in Tuberculosis.
Clinical Science and Population Health Core
The Clinical Science and Population Health Core facilitates UC TRAC’s Community Advisory Board, Clinical Consultation Service, and Data Catalogue.
Basic Science Core
The Basic Science Core facilitates UC TRAC’s Accelerator Award in TB Basic Science and the Basic Science Consultation Service.
TB RAMP
The TB Research and Mentorship Program (TB RAMP) is a mentorship program serving early-stage investigators in TB research at UCSF and UC Berkeley. It aims to develop the next generation of TB researchers by providing educational, training, and mentoring activities while facilitating collaborations across disciplines. The program focuses on enhancing research skills, professional development, grant writing support, and sustaining mentoring activities for advanced doctoral students, fellows, postdocs, and junior faculty.
Funding: NIAID R25AI147375 Fair/Nahid and NIAID P30AI168440 Nahid/Cox
SMART4TB
The Supporting, Mobilizing and Accelerating Research for Tuberculosis Elimination (SMART4TB) project, funded by USAID and led by Johns Hopkins Medicine, aims to expedite the development of new TB diagnostics, treatments, and containment strategies, improve research dissemination, shape policies, and engage regional partners. Over a dozen Center for Tuberculosis investigators lead technical areas in this $200 million consortium, along with partners TAG, KNCV, EGPAF, and five regional hubs in two dozen high-burden TB countries, including UCSF-affiliated WALIMU in Uganda and VICTORY in Vietnam.
Funding: USAID 7200AA22CA00005
- Senior Research Advisor: Payam Nahid, MD, MPH (UCSF)
- Diagnostics: Adithya Cattamanchi, MD (UC Irvine); Claudia Denkinger (Heidelberg University); Devan Jaganath, MD, MPH (UCSF)
- Therapeutics: Gustavo Velásquez, MD, MPH (UCSF); Patrick Phillips, PhD, MS, MA (UCSF); Rada Savic, PhD (UCSF)
- Operational/Implementation Research: Priya Shete, MD, MPH (UCSF); Devan Jaganath, MD, MPH (UCSF)
- Transmission Prevention: Carina Marquez, MD (UCSF); Gabe Chamie, MD (UCSF)
- Vaccine Preparedness: Andrew Kerkhoff, MD, PhD (UCSF)
- Capacity Strengthening: Phil Hopewell, MD (UCSF); Lisa Chen, MD (UCSF)
- Policy Translation: Eric Goosby, MD (UCSF); Priya Shete, MD, MPH (UCSF)
- Project Manager: Sarah Hutchinson (UCSF)
DEIAB Initiative
The Center’s Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Accessibility and Belonging Initiative employs four strategic directions to fulfill its mission and values. Investigators and their teams are committed to: 1) building local and global community; 2) ensuring the Center’s sustainability; 3) decolonizing TB research and practice; and 4) supporting underrepresented researchers in TB science. The Center’s DEIAB Committee oversees the implementation of these strategies.
Maternal and Childhood TB Initiative
The Center’s Maternal and Childhood TB Initiative aims to advance research, education, and clinical care for TB in pregnancy and childhood. This initiative provides UCSF investigators, their teams, and global partners with resources including research on maternal and childhood TB, education and mentorship programs, clinical conferences, and public health resources.
Bay Area TB Science (BATS)
Bay Area TB Science (BATS) is a dynamic platform for knowledge sharing and collaboration in TB research. BATS facilitates monthly TB talks and an annual symposium, bringing together investigators from UCSF, UC Berkeley, UC Davis, Stanford University, and the SF Department of Public Health. BATS showcases the work of established and early-stage TB investigators, fostering collaboration and building a strong research community.
World TB Day Symposium
World TB Day is a worldwide annual day of TB advocacy. The UCSF World TB Day event, co-hosted by the UCSF Center for Tuberculosis and UCSF Curry International Tuberculosis Center, is organized by early-stage investigators. The program highlights the experiences of TB patients, advocates, primary care practitioners, early-stage investigators, and global partners from high-burden TB countries. UCSF’s World TB Day is one of the most well-attended in the U.S., typically attracting over 300 virtual and 100 in-person participants.
Learn more
Visit the Center for Tuberculosis site.
Additional Leadership
Babak Javid, MB, PhD
Associate Professor, Medicine
Co-Director, Center for Tuberculosis
Rada Savic, PhD
Professor, Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences
Co-Director, Center for Tuberculosis
Patrick Phillips, PhD, MS, MA
Associate Professor, Medicine
Core Director, Center for Tuberculosis Biostatistics
Priya Shete, MD, MPH
Associate Professor, Medicine
Core Director, Center for Tuberculosis Population Health
Gustavo Velásquez, MD, MPH
Assistant Professor, Medicine
Initiative Director, Center for Tuberculosis Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Accessibility and Belonging
Midori Kato-Maeda, MD
Professor, Medicine
Initiative Co-Director, Center for Tuberculosis Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Accessibility and Belonging
Devan Jaganath, MD, MPH
Assistant Professor, Pediatrics
Initiative Director, Center for Tuberculosis Maternal & Childhood TB