Skip to content
Home page - Centenary Institute Centenary Institute

Primary menu

  • Research
        • Research

          The latest medical research into our most complex health challenges across biomedical AI, cancer, cardiovascular diseases, inflammation, immunity, age-related, rare and infectious diseases.

          Learn more

        • Biomedical AI
        • Cancer Innovations
        • Cardiovascular Research
        • Healthy Ageing
        • Infection & Immunity
        • Inflammation
        • Rare Diseases & Gene Therapy
        • Laboratories
        • Diseases
        • Expertises
        • Breakthroughs
        • Technologies
          • Clinical Translation
  • Support us
        • Support us

          By supporting the Centenary Institute you can help improve human health through excellence in medical research

          Learn more

        • Workplace giving
        • Host or join a fundraiser
        • Gift in your Will
        • Donate in Memory
        • Community and research
  • Careers & students
        • Careers & Students

          Postdoctoral and postgraduate students can work alongside world-leading medical researchers within state-of-the-art research facilities.

        • Career Opportunities
        • Student Opportunities
  • Health hub
        • Health hub

          A range of practical information to assist in the possible preventions to disease through evidence-based research on how the body works.

          Learn more

        • Inflammation
        • The Good Gut Anti-Inflammatory Diet
          • Healthy Recipes
        • Ageing
        • Exercise Snack Program
  • News & events
        • News & Events

          Explore the latest research breakthroughs and ways you can take part in our series of digital and in-person events

        • News
        • Events
        • Media Hub
          • Statements
        • Real stories
  • About us
        • About us

          We are world-leading independent medical research institute that drives collaboration to accelerate and translate solutions to our most complex health challenges

          Learn more

        • Governance
        • Corporate information
        • Annual reports
        • Our researchers
          • Animals in research
        • Contact
  • Donate
    Centenary Institute > News > Study highlights new vaccine’s early effectiveness against TB

Study highlights new vaccine’s early effectiveness against TB

Date time 6 October, 2023
News Type News type Research News
A study by the Centenary Institute has revealed how a new mucosal (nasal delivered) vaccine can provide early protection against tuberculosis (TB) by drawing a particular type of immune cell into the lungs.

The discovery is set to aid the development of more potent vaccines to better fight TB, a contagious bacterial infection that primarily affects the lungs, and that causes approximately 1.5 million global deaths each year.

Professor Warwick Britton AO, senior study researcher from the Centenary Institute’s Centre for Infectious Diseases and Immunity, explained that mucosal vaccines are administered through the mucous membranes, such as those in the nose or mouth, targeting the lungs directly, a critical site for TB infection.

“Our earlier studies demonstrated the high protective potential of our mucosal TB vaccines in pre-clinical TB infection models,” said Professor Britton.

“In this investigation, we found that our mucosal vaccine initiated a strong immune response against TB by attracting T lymphocytes, a type of white blood cell crucial in fighting infections, into the lungs at the early stages of infection.”

Professor Britton said that the T lymphocytes possess a critical receptor called CXCR3 on their surface, enabling them to detect early signs of TB infection, enhancing the vaccine’s ability to combat TB.

“We need new, effective strategies to prevent the incredible suffering caused by TB. Our findings reinforce our belief that the development of new mucosal vaccines could be a real game-changer in terms of tuberculosis prevention and control,” said Professor Britton.

The study, conducted with mice, has been published in the scientific journal Vaccines.

Publication: CXCR3 Provides a Competitive Advantage for Retention of M. tuberculosis-Specific Tissue-Resident Memory T Cells following a Mucosal Tuberculosis Vaccine.

People

  • Professor Warwick Britton AO

    Faculty

Research Fields

  • Tuberculosis

Media enquires

For all media and interview enquiries, please contact Alison Mendel

Phone number Phone Number +61 434 629 469

Email Email a.mendel@centenary.org.au

Recent Stories

  • New platform to evolve proteins for better therapies

    Researchers from the Centenary Institute, in collaboration with the University of Sydney, have developed a powerful new tool to evolve proteins directly within mammalian cells, offering a more effective way to design medical treatments tailored to the human body.
    News Type: Media release
    Date 08 May 2025
  • Turning off protein may help prevent liver cancer

    New research from the Centenary Institute has found that switching off a specific protein in liver cells may help prevent the early development of liver cancer.
    News Type: Media release
    Date 16 Apr 2025
  • Event shines spotlight on genetic heart disease in young people

    The Centenary Institute has hosted a community event, titled ‘A Needle in a Haystack: Unlocking the Secrets of Genetic Heart Conditions’. The event aimed to advance understanding of inherited heart disease and sudden cardiac death in young people.
    News Type: Community
    Date 10 Apr 2025
  • Finding answers for sudden cardiac death in young people

    Each week in Australia, up to three young people die suddenly and unexpectedly from sudden cardiac death, often due to an undiagnosed genetic heart condition. These conditions typically go unnoticed until tragedy strikes, leaving families devastated and searching for answers.
    News Type: Media release
    Date 02 Apr 2025

Subscribe to receive news on
research updates and free events

Newsletter

The Centenary Institute is a world-leading independent Medical Research Institute.

We acknowledge the Gadigal of the Eora Nation, the traditional custodians of the Country on which the Centenary Institute stands.

About

  • About
  • Governance
  • Corporate information

Research

  • Our researchers
  • News
  • Media hub

Careers & studies

  • Career opportunities
  • Life at Centenary

Links

  • Contact
  • Privacy statement

Contact us

Building 93, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital
Missenden Rd
Camperdown NSW 2050 Australia
Telephone +61 2 9565 6100
Fax +61 2 9565 6101

Contact Privacy

Centenary Institute ABN 22 654 201 090 (DGR 1) • Centenary Institute Medical Research Foundation ABN 85 778 244 012 (DGR 2)
© 2017 Centenary Institute of Cancer Medicine and Cell Biology.

  • Linkedin
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Youtube
  • Instagram