Unravelling the resistance mechanism of pyrazinamide, the unique sterilising drug against tuberculosis

Patricia will study the molecular aspects of the mechanism of action and resistance to pyrazinamide in Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB). Pyrazinamide is one of the most important drugs in tuberculosis treatment. Patricia will study the effect of mutations in metallochaperones and will search the gene encoding the pyrazinoic acid efflux pump that participates in the action mechanism. Finally, she will develop a sensitive and fast assay for detection of pyrazinamide resistance based in the quantitation of extracellular pyrazinoic acid. This study will significantly contribute to the basic understanding of pyrazinamide resistance in MTB and to efforts to control tuberculosis.

This grant was awarded under the scheme's previous name of Intermediate Fellowships in Public Health and Tropical Medicine.