1997-2009

1997-1999 - CRDF, GN1-432Clinical and Molecular Epidemiology of TB in the Republic of Georgia – Emory

University, Atlanta, GA,USA 2000-2001-CRDF, GB2-2012Clinical and Molecular Epidemiology of Drug-Resistant TB in Georgia- Emory

University, Atlanta, GA,USA  2001-2003- ISTC/BTEP#12, G-610p –SUCCESS STORYClinical and Molecular Epidemiology of Drug-Resistant TB in Georgia and the

Caucasus- Emory University, Atlanta, GA,USA 2004-2007 -BTEP/ISTC A-998Development of Multiple Drug resistant Tuberculosis (MDR TB) Surveillance and

National TB program (NTP) evaluations, Republics of Armenia and Georgia” 2004, August 30 – September 1, - GA-XO-1059-TB-04Multiple –Drug Resistant Tuberculosis: Epidemiologic, Diagnostic, and Therapeutic

Research Opportunities 2006-2008 – CRDF # GEX1-002711-TB06 Determination of Susceptibility to some second-line drugs of Mycobacterium

tuberculosis strains isolated in Georgia –VA Hospital, Syracuse, NY, USA  2006-2008-CRDF# GEX1-002712-TB06Characterization of Mycobacterium Tuberculosis Gene Expression Patterns DuringGrowth in the Human Lung –university of Louisville, KY, USA 2007-2009 –CRDF# GEB1-002725-TB-07Role of Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) as a Risk Factor for Anti-tuberculosis Drug-induced

Hepatic Toxicity- Emory University, Atlanta, GA,USA

CRDF WorkshopMultiple –Drug Resistant Tuberculosis: Epidemiologic, Diagnostic, and Therapeutic Research Opportunities, 2004

Steroids from some plants of Georgian flora as a potent antimycobacterial agents

Total Amount Requested from CRDF – $100 000 FSU PI- Merlani, Maia; Senior Research ScientistKutateladze Institute of Pharmacochemistry,

Georgian Academy of SciencesP. Sarajishvili st. 36, Tbilisi, 0159, Georgia  US PI- Welch, John Thomas; Professor of Chemistry;

Dept of Chemistry, University at Albany, 1400 Washington Ave, Albany, NY 12222 USA

Clinical and Molecular Epidemiology of Extrapulmonary and Combined TB Cases in Georgia.

Total Amount Requested from CRDF - $99 379 FSU PI – Nana Kiria, Head of Advisory Board

of National Center of Tuberculosis and Lung Disease

National Center of Tuberculosis and Lung Diseases

50 Maruashvili Street, Tbilisi 0101, Georgia US PI - Barry Kreiswirth, Director, PHRI TB

CenterPublic Health Research Institute225 Warren Street, Newark, NJ 07103

Determination of susceptibility to some second-line drugs of Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains isolated in the Republic of Georgia.

Total Amount Requested from CRDF-$100 000 FSU PI -Vashakidze Lamara, Head of Phthisiology and

Pulmonology Chair of the Tbilisi State Medical University at the National Center of TB and Lung Diseases, MD,PH.D, Professor

National Center of Tuberculosis and Lung Diseases50 Maruashvili Street, Tbilisi 0101, Georgia  US PI- Cynamon, Michael, Henry, Professor of Medicine, SUNY

Upstate Medical University, Chief, Infectious Diseases VAMC Syracuse, New York

Central New York Research Corporation800 Irving AvenueSyracuse, NY 13210

TB Phage Total Amount Requested from CRDF -$99 700 FSU PI- Nonikashvili Marine, Assistant

Professor Phthisiology and Pulmonology Chair of the Tbilisi State Medical University at the

National Center of TB and Lung Diseases, MD,PH.D50 Maruashvili Street, Tbilisi 0101, Georgia US PI- NATALIA KUREPINA, Senior Scientist,

Public Health Research Institute TB Center, International Center for Public Health

225 Warren St, Room W210, Newark, NJ 07103, USA

Characterization of M.tuberculosis gene expression patterns during growth in the human lung

Total Amount Requested from CRDF - $96539 FSU PI- Sergo Vashakidze, Surgeon Service

CoordinatorNational Center of Tuberculosis and Lung Diseases50 Maruashvili Street, Tbilisi 0101, Georgia US PI- Graham, James, E.; Assistant ProfessorUniversity of Louisville School of Medicine;

Department of Microbiology and ImmunologyHealth Sciences Ctr. Rm 316319 Abraham Flexner WayLouisville, KY 40292

Role of Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) as a Risk Factor for Antituberculosis Drug-induced Hepatotoxicity

Total Amount Requested from CRDF - $100 000 FSU PI- Lali Kupreishvili, Clinical DirectorNational Center of Tuberculosis and Lung Diseases50 Maruashvili Street, Tbilisi 0101, Georgia US PI- Henry M.Blumberg; Professor of Medicine

and Program Director, Division of Infectious Diseases

Emory University—Division of Infectious Diseases

Atlanta, GA 30303 USA

     Use of Mycobacterial Bacteriophage for Treatment and Prevention of Drug-Resistant Tuberculosis 2008-2009

Electrochemical Lysis as a Novel Method of Treatment for Tuberculosis-2009

Zalesky R, Abdullajev F, Khechinashvili G, Safarian M, Madaras T, Grzemska M, Englund E, Dittmann S, Raviglione M.

Tuberculosis control in the Caucasus: successes and constraints in DOTS implementation.

Int J Tuberc Lung Dis. 1999 May;3(5):394-401. Weinstock DM, Hahn O, Wittkamp M, Sepkowitz KA, Khechinashvili G,

Blumberg HM.Risk for tuberculosis infection among internally displaced persons

in the Republic of Georgia.Int J Tuberc Lung Dis. 2001 Feb;5(2):164-9. D. C. Richards, T. Mikiashvili, J. J. Parris, E. V. Kourbatova, J.CE Wilson, N.

Shubladze, T. Tertsvadze, G.Khechinashvili, C. del Rio, H. M Blumberg High Prevalence of Hepatitis C Virus Infection but not HIV co-

infection among Patients with Tuberculosis in the Republic of Georgia

Int. Journ. TB and Lung Disease, Vol.10, #4, April 2006, pp: 396-401(6) N.Mdivani, E.Zangaladze, N.Volkova, E. Kourbatova, T. Jibuti, N.Shubladze,

G.Khechinashvili, C.del Rio, A.Salakaia, and H.M. BlumbergHigh Prevalence of Multidrug-Resistant Tuberculosis in Georgia International Journal of Infectious Diseases (2008) 12, 635—644 Kuniholm Mark H; Mark Jennifer; Aladashvili Malvina; Shubladze N;

Khechinashvili G; Tsertsvadze Tengiz; del Rio Carlos; Nelson Kenrad ERisk factors and algorithms to identify hepatitis C, hepatitis B, and

HIV among Georgian tuberculosis patients.International journal of infectious diseases 2008;12(1):51-6.

Gegia M, Mdivani N, Mendes RE, Li H, Akhalaia M, Han J, Khechinashvili G, Tang YW.

Prevalence of and molecular basis for tuberculosis drug resistance in the Republic of Georgia: validation of a QIAplex system for detection of drug resistance-related mutations.

Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 2008 Feb;52(2):725-9. Epub 2007 Dec L Vashakidze,* A. Salakaia,* N. Shubladze,* M. Cynamon,† K.

Barbakadze,*M. Kikvidze,* L. Papitashvili,* M. Nonikashvili,* N. Solomonia,* N. Bejanishvili,* I. Khurtsilava*

Prevalence and risk factors for drug resistance among hospitalized tuberculosis patients in Georgia

INT J TUBERC LUNG DIS 2009;13(9):1–6 Lomtadze N, Aspindzelashvili R, Janjgava M, Mirtskhulava V, Wright

A, Blumberg HM, Salakaia A.Prevalence and risk factors for multidrug-resistant

tuberculosis in Georgia: a population based study. Int J Tuberc Lung Dis 2009; 13: 68–73. Mdivani N, Li H, Akhalaia M, Gegia M, Goginashvili L, Kernodle DS,

Khechinashvili G, Tang YW.Monitoring Therapeutic Efficacy by Real-Time Detection of

Mycobacterium tuberculosis mRNA in Sputum.Clin Chem. 2009 Jul 2. [Epub ahead of print]

CRDF , Emory Global Health Institute:

 Risk factors for extensively drug resistant tuberculosis and evaluation of the GenoType MTBDRplus assay for rifampin and isoniazid susceptibility rapid testing in country of Georgia PI-M.Leonard, E.Zangaladze, Co-PI-N.Tukvadze, N.Lomtadze

“Prevalence and risk factors for extensively drug resistant tuberculosis (XDR TB) and evaluation of the GenoType MTBDRplus assay for rifampin and isoniazid susceptibility rapid testing in a population based study in Tbilisi, country of Georgia”, Year awarded: 2008. PIs Nino Lomtadze, Michael Leonard

Emory International Training & Research Programs

 In country training grant funded by National Institutes of Health/Fogarty International Center (D43 TW007124 and D43 TW01042):

Evaluation of performance and feasibility of implementation of the GenoType MTBDRplus assay for rapid multidrug resistant tuberculosis detection in country of Georgia PI-N.Tukvadze

“Prevalence and Risk Factors for Extensively Drug Resistant TB (XDR-TB): A Population Based Study”, Year awarded: 2007. PI. Nino Lomtadze

“Prevalence and Risk factors for latent Tuberculosis infections among health care workers in Georgia”. Year awarded: 2007. PI. Veriko Mirtskhulava

Emory Global Health institute:

“Impact of Vitamin D Supplementation on Host Immunity to Mycobacteriumtuberculosis and Response to Treatment: Building Translational Research Capacity in Nutrition and Infectious Diseases in the Republic of Georgia”, Year awarded: 2008. PI. Thomas Ziegler, Archil Salakaia; Georgian Co-Is: Nestan Tukvadze, Veriko Mirtskhulava, Nino Lomtadze

Henry M. Blumberg, Professor Department: Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Emory University

TB epidemiology research

 

Carlos del Rio, Professor and Chair of the Hubert Department of Global Health at the Rollins School of Public Health and Professor of Medicine in the Division of Infectious Diseases at the Emory University School of Medicine. He is also Vice Chair in the Department of Medicine and Chief of the Emory Medical Service at Grady Memorial Hospital and Co-director for the Clinical Science and International Research Core of the Emory Center for AIDS Research.

HIV and TB epidemiology

Kenrad Nelson-Dept. of Medicine, Div. of Infectious DiseasesJohns Hopkins School of Medicine

TB epidemiology research

Gary Magnant –CEO Sage Science, Inc. CEO at Sage Science

Founder of Sage Science, Inc. a biotechnology tools company. Co-inventor.

President at ActivBiotics (formerly Merlin)

Co-founder. Co-inventor. CEO at ThermoCeramiX, Inc. Co-founder. Co-inventor. VP at MJ Research, Inc. Business development. Sales

management. CEO of Genesys division.

CEO at Owl Scientific Co-founder. Inventor. Co-inventor.

Partner search

Michael Cynamon -University Hospital Upstate Medical University

New compounds, animal studies, TB epidemiology

James Graham – Associate Professor , University of Louisville

Identifying factors produced by Mycobacterium tuberculosis bacteria when growing in human blood cells and lung tissues

Characterizing how pathogenic bacteria change to allow growth in different specific environments during infection

Natalia Kurepina-Assistant Professor, Public Health Research Institute TB Center, International Center for Public Health

TB phage research, DNA fingerprinting

Evgenia Rainina –senior research scientist, the US DOE Pacific Northwest National Laboratory

TB phage-lysogenic properties

William Bishai- Professor, Co-Director, Center for Tuberculosis ResearchDept. of Medicine, Div. of Infectious DiseasesJohns Hopkins School of Medicine

Surgery resectates research

Alexander Pasechnikov, MSF-South Caucasus and Mid-Asia –TB epidemiology

Kamal Aliev, Azerbaijan-Regional TB epidemiology proposal

Olga Lovacheva-Научный секретарь редколлегии журнала «Проблемы туберкулеза» и редактор журнала «Новые лекарственные препараты»

Eka Zangaladze, NCDC of Georgia, Molecular Epidemiology laboratory-TB molecular research(RFLP, spolygotyping, MIRU-VNTR, sequencing, PFGE)

Zemfira Alavidze, Amiran Meipariani, Tamar Berishvili-Eliava Bacteriophage Institute- phage detection, propagation, description

Tengiz Tsertsvadze-AIDS Center Maia Merlani-Kutateladze Pharmacochemistry

Institute-new compounds for TB drugs.

New approach to rapid MDR-XDR case detection.

Depression TB phage Electrochemical lysis in TB treatment