NEW VOICES IN TB RESEARCH

Dr. Simon Mendelsohn, physician-scientist and Senior Researcher at SATVI, brings a deep commitment to advancing Tuberculosis (TB) care with cutting-edge clinical research and real-world public health experience. Before joining SATVI, Dr. Mendelsohn managed the care of persons with TB and HIV in South Africa’s public health system and led HIV/TB programming in Malawian prisons with Médecins Sans Frontières. Such experiences fueled his mission to make TB prevention and treatment strategies more effective and scalable in low- and middle-income countries.

Within his role as a clinical investigator, Dr. Mendelsohn has contributed to more than 30 trials of TB vaccines, therapeutics, and diagnostics. His current work focuses on the development and validation of non-sputum-based diagnostic tools and biomarker-guided interventions to detect asymptomatic or persistent TB infections. With the use of blood-based transcriptomic signatures and molecular technologies, he aims to identify individuals at high risk and deliver targeted interventions faster and more cost-effectively.

Looking forward, Dr. Mendelsohn is focused on translating TB research into policy. Through opportunities with RICC, he hopes to refine his skills in complex grant writing, cross-sector communication, and engaging policymakers, ensuring that innovations in TB research reach the communities that need them most.

Since joining SATVI in 2021, Dr. Awany has led biomathematical approaches to TB research, leveraging machine learning to bridge the gap between human and animal data. With a background in physics and mathematical sciences, his work focuses on the identification of biomarkers and gene expression patterns relevant to vaccine development and human TB pathology.

Dr. Awany’s current projects include a collaboration in which the focus is on animal organisms to bridge data with humans to understand if it is possible to get relevant data with a machine learning framework, and looking at gene expression to apply to vaccine studies, as well as RNA messenger sequencing research for biomarker development. Dr. Awany underscores the importance of adapting to fast-evolving research technologies and prioritizing mentorship. “It is critical to find mentors who align with your goals, and sometimes that means more than one,” he advises young researchers starting in the field. Furthermore, he discusses the role AI plays in the ever-evolving field of TB research and notes how it can be a useful tool when applied to areas that may not be apparent for research initially.

While collaboration has been key to his progress, he also notes the digital divide that limits some institutions’ access to high-performing computing and data tools. Denis explains how funding is important to allow for valuable research and data collection, and how mentorship and training or workshops for smaller institutions through RePORT International can be beneficial. His vision includes extending training and support to under-resourced researchers, ensuring that TB research grows more inclusive and globally connected.

Dr. Muchiri brings a sharp eye for data quality and a background in medical statistics to his role as an analytics specialist. His focus spans TB vaccine dosing, treatment outcomes, and epidemiological trends, and research on what factors can be predictive for TB, especially within the intersection of HIV and TB. His previous HIV modeling work has supported national strategies in South Africa and across eight African countries.

As TB research embraces new technologies, Dr. Muchiri has seen a shift from relying solely on physicians to interpreting imaging, to possibly having machines primarily do the same work of reading imagery like chest x-rays. However, he also notes that such advancing technologies will have benefits too, like having the ability to summarize large quantities of literature for better understanding and efficiency. He stresses the value of exposure across disciplines and encourages young investigators to seek feedback and mentorship. “Feedback on a manuscript, for example, can open your eyes to things you hadn’t considered before and can be informative,” he says.

Dr. Muchiri discusses the unique and beneficial angle RePORT international has with various sites and locations, which allows researchers to connect from many places to network, for instance, at conferences. Through the RICC network, conferences, and training workshops, Evans sees a growing opportunity to foster the next generation of TB researchers while staying at the forefront of data-driven public health innovation.

Ms. Vania combines cutting-edge data science with global health priorities, focusing her efforts on tuberculosis (TB) research through advanced modeling and machine learning. As a research data scientist, she played a pivotal role in the development and optimization of an app that analyzes TB medication toxicity and efficacy, incorporating clinician feedback and real-world data.

Ms. Vania is especially driven by the potential of artificial intelligence to ease the burden of TB in high-incidence regions like India and Brazil. With guidance and direction from strong mentors, she found her niche within the broad field of TB research. “There is still a lot of stigma and under-prioritization surrounding TB,” she notes, “but seeing the burden firsthand has only deepened my commitment.”

Ms. Vania emphasizes the importance of local perspectives and multidisciplinary conversations, and she envisions a future where AI further empowers counties to make data-driven public health decisions. She encourages young researchers to understand where passion stems from when working in TB research and explains that although it is a taboo topic in many locations, the work is a high priority, especially when considering the burden such diseases have.