Tuberculosis (TB) is caused by mycobacteria belonging to the Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTb) complex. One third of the world's population is infected with MTb and new infections occur at a rate of one per second (World Health Organization Report, 2008). Even more frightening is the rapid emergence of Multi-Drug-Resistant (MDR) and Extensively-Drug-Resistant (XDR) strains along with the dangerous liaison between the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and MTb. In Sub-Saharan Africa, MTb is the number one killer of HIV-infected individuals.

The goal of the SysteMTb project is to establish a Systems Biology framework to understand key features of MTb and its interactions with the host which in turn will provide new insights and a solid (model based) knowledge for the development of novel and cost-effective strategies to combat tuberculosis.

Objectives

• Generate and integrate quantitative data sets of MTb.
• Development of computer models at different appropriate levels of system complexity.
• Identify new possible targets for therapeutic intervention based on a Systems Biology analysis of the bacterium.

The SysteMTb project integrates the critical mass of excellence in Europe, encompassing expertise from systems biology, modelling, “-omics”, bioinformatics, biochemistry and structural biology to classical MTb biology.