IGTP coordinates European project TB-SPECTRUM to advance understanding of the tuberculosis disease spectrum
TB-SPECTRUM meeting
The Germans Trias i Pujol Research Institute (IGTP) has launched the European project TB-SPECTRUM, funded under the Horizon Europe programme through the MSCA Staff Exchanges scheme and coordinated by IGTP. A kick-off meeting held online on Wednesday, 28 January brought together researchers, clinicians, and representatives from academic and non-academic institutions across Europe, Africa, and the United States, alongside members of the project's External Scientific and Ethics Advisory Boards.
TB-SPECTRUM is embedded within the institute's strong tuberculosis (TB) research portfolio, particularly within the Innovation in Respiratory Infections and Tuberculosis Group, a consolidated research team at IGTP dedicated to understanding host-pathogen interactions and improving translational approaches to respiratory infections and TB.
The meeting was opened by Irene Latorre Rueda, project coordinator and member of the group, who underlined the multidisciplinary and intersectoral nature of TB-SPECTRUM. She emphasised the project's focus on advancing knowledge across the full clinical and immunological spectrum of TB, as well as the central role of training and international staff mobility to foster scientific excellence and capacity building.
Over four years, TB-SPECTRUM will bring together nine partner institutions with complementary expertise in clinical TB management, immunology, microbiology, genomics, and diagnostic innovation. The project aims to characterise systemic and local immune responses, analyse mycobacterial strain diversity, and develop innovative immunological assays to identify biomarkers associated with disease progression.
A cornerstone of the project is its structured training programme, implemented through intersectoral secondments among partner institutions, designed to strengthen international, multidisciplinary and translational research skills. The kick-off also addressed the clinical study planned within the consortium and detailed the secondments and training activities central to the MSCA Staff Exchanges scheme.
The meeting concluded by highlighting the importance of sustained collaboration and effective communication among partners to maximise scientific and societal impact. With its integrated approach combining research, training, and mobility, TB-SPECTRUM aims to generate new insights into TB pathogenesis and support the development of improved strategies for global TB control.
The research group is leading European network ADVANCE-TB, a COST Action granted by the European Commission and involving partners from over 50 countries.
