The Queen Mary and Barts Health Tuberculosis Centre, funded by £4.63million from Barts Charity, will deliver “step-changes” in how TB is understood, diagnosed, and treated.
The charity says east London has the highest number of newly diagnosed TB cases in western Europe, often linked to social deprivation and particularly affecting people from south Asian and African backgrounds.
TB is an infectious disease caused by bacteria, which is predominantly spread by coughing.
The disease most commonly affects the lungs, but it can affect other parts of the body too, including the spine and the brain.
Delays in diagnosis can cause life-long issues for patients and have devastating physical effects that can also impact mental and cognitive wellbeing.
If TB is left untreated, the effects can be life-threatening.
Professor Adrian Martineau, clinical professor of respiratory infection and immunity at Queen Mary University of London, said: “TB is a major infectious disease that is particularly common in east London.
“Our vision is to provide step-changes in scientific understanding, diagnosis, and treatment of TB, that will be relevant not just to our diverse local community, but also to the ten million people who fall ill with TB around the world every year.”
The centre, which sees experts from Queen Mary and Barts Health NHS Trust join forces, will focus on developing a new blood test to detect TB infection.
It is also looking to understand why some patients have flare-ups of their symptoms after starting treatment, and investigating genetic factors that influence why people from south Asian backgrounds living in east London may be more likely to be infected by TB.
Dr Veronica White, respiratory consultant specialising in TB and deputy medical director of Whipps Cross Hospital, said: “The centre will allow us to diagnose and treat patients earlier.
“For patients with long-term problems, the post-TB services will mean being able to see not just doctors like myself, but physiotherapists and psychologists who can support them to return to a happier, healthier, and more productive life, faster.”
