National Hansen's Disease Program

Research Interests: Thomas P. Gillis

The major research focus of my lab is to better understand protective immunity in leprosy by studying immunological responses and their consequences in animal models of the disease with the ultimate aim of producing a vaccine capable of protecting humans against infection with Mycobacterium leprae. This research takes the form of designing, constructing and evaluating vaccines made from antigenic components of M. leprae and M. tuberculosis. Our current focus is on developing and testing DNA vaccines, recombinant BCG as well as auxotrophic mutants of M. tuberculosis.

Knowing who should receive a new leprosy vaccine requires a thorough understanding of the dynamics of leprosy within the community. To better understand this area we are working toward establishing a genotyping system for M. leprae that would allow tracking transmission of the bacteria. Short and intermediate length repeating DNA sequences, known as variable number tandem repeats, are being examined for their ability to differentiate strains of M. leprae with the goal of using these markers to define transmission patterns of leprosy in communities. Reaching the above goals will allow us to design better intervention strategies and tools for improving early diagnosis, minimizing transmission to individuals at risk for infection and provide reagents for vaccinating against infection.

Representative Publications

Scollard, D.M., Adams , L.B., Gillis, T.P., Krahenbuhl, J.L., Truman, R.T., and Williams, D.L. Leprosy. Continuing Challenges of Leprosy. Clinical Microbiology Reviews 19(2): 338-381, 2006

Truman, R.W. , Fontes, A.N., Miranda, A.B., Suffys, P.N., Gillis, T.P. ”Genotypic variation and stability of four variable number tandem repeats and the suitability for discriminating strains of Mycobacterium leprae. J. Clin. Microbiol. 42(6):2258-2565, 2004.

Williams, D.L., Torrero, M., Wheeler, P., Truman, R. W ., Yoder, M., Morrison, N., Bishai, W.R., Gillis, T.P . “Biological implications of Mycobacterium leprae gene expression during infection.” J. Mol. Microb. Biotech. 8:58-72, 2004.

Gillis, T.P. Is there a role for a vaccine in leprosy control? Lepr Rev 78:1-5, 2007

Job, C.K., Jayakumar, J., Kearney, M., Gillis, T.P. Transmission of leprosy: a study of skin and nasal secretions of household contacts of leprosy patients using PCR. Am J Trop Med and Hyg 78 (3): 10-14, 2008.