Summary & Significance

• TB remains a global health challenge, with a high burden in South Africa

• Understanding the genetic factors influencing the progression from LTBI to active TB is crucial for developing effective interventions

• This research project aims to bridge the gap between genetic variation and protein expression in TB by mapping pQTLs in a South African cohort

• This study will compare cytokine profiles and identify distinct pQTLs among individuals with LTBI, Active TB, and healthy controls

• A combination of genetic and immunological analyses will be employed, including whole-genome sequencing and 27 plex Luminex assays ato quantify cytokine levels

• This project has completed the analysis of sputum and blood samples to determine TB infection status using GeneXpert and IGRA assays.