Genetically encoded transcriptional plasticity underlies stress adaptation in Mycobacterium tuberculosis.
Bei C, Zhu J, Culviner PH, Gan M, Rubin EJ, Fortune SM, Gao Q, Liu Q.
Nat Commun. 2024 Apr 10. 15(1):3088. PMID: 38600064
John LaPorte Given Professor of Immunology and Infectious Diseases
Immunology and Infectious Diseases
Chair, Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases
Immunology and Infectious Diseases
Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
My laboratory focuses on the molecular basis of population heterogeneity in Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) and the extent to which differences between mycobacterial cells contribute to differences in disease and treatment outcomes. Our work combines bacterial genetic approaches with high throughput methodologies including population genomics, ssRNAseq and quantitative live cell imaging to define the molecular mechanisms by which Mtb generates diversity and how this diversity enables the bacterium to survive subsequent selective forces including antibiotics and immune selection. We further seek to understand the impact of host immune responses on the interaction of Mtb with the infected host, again working at both single cell and genomic levels. My work engages a broad network of collaborators including experts in technologies to assess single cell behavior at MIT and MGH, experts in sequencing methodologies at the Broad Institute and experts in human immunology at the Ragon Institute, where I am the outgoing Director of the TB Program.
B.S., 1990, Biology
Yale University
M.D., 1996, Medicine
Columbia University, College of Physicians and Surgeons
2000, 3years Internship/Residency in Internal Medicine
Brigham and Women’s Hospital
2001, 1year Clinical Fellowship in Infectious Diseases
Brigham and Women’s Hospital
Post Doc, 2006, Immunology & Infectious Diseases - 5years Postdoctoral Fellow
HSPH
Junior Faculty Mentoring Award
Harvard School of Public Health
John LaPorte Given Professor
Harvard School of Public Health
Alice B. Hamilton Award
Harvard School of Public Health
Investigator in the Pathogenesis of Infectious Diseases
Burroughs Welcome Foundation
Melvin and Geraldine Glimcher Associate Professorship
Harvard School of Public Health
Science and Public Leadership Fellow
PopTech
Clinical Scientist Development Award
Doris Duke
Early Career Award
Hood Foundation
Early Career Award
Howard Hughes Medical Institute
New Innovator Award
National Institute of Health
The Maxwell Finland Award for Excellence in Research
Mass. Infectious Disease Society
The Maxwell Finland Award for Excellence in Research, Mass. Infectious Disease Society
The National Foundation for Infectious Diseases
Teaching Award for Residents in Internal Medicine
Harvard Medical School
Alpha Omega Alpha
Phi Beta Kappa
Medical Student Fellowship for Return to Medical Studies
Howard Hughes Medical Institute
Medical Student Research Fellowship
Howard Hughes Medical Institute
B.S. Summa Cum Laude
Yale
Community Service Award
Yale
Bei C, Zhu J, Culviner PH, Gan M, Rubin EJ, Fortune SM, Gao Q, Liu Q.
Nat Commun. 2024 Apr 10. 15(1):3088. PMID: 38600064
Fortune SM.
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2024 Apr 02. 121(14):e2403321121. PMID: 38527210
Ganchua SK, Maiello P, Chao M, Hopkins F, Mugahid D, Lin PL, Fortune SM, Flynn JL.
Infect Immun. 2024 Apr 09. 92(4):e0053523. PMID: 38514467
Spatola M, Nziza N, Irvine EB, Cizmeci D, Jung W, Van LH, Nhat LTH, Ha VTN, Phu NH, Nghia HDT, Thwaites G, Lauffenburger DA, Fortune S, Thuong NTT, Alter G.
Brain. 2024 Mar 05. PMID: 38442687
Stanley S, Wang X, Liu Q, Kwon YY, Frey AM, Hicks ND, Vickers AJ, Hui S, Fortune SM.
PLoS Pathog. 2024 Feb. 20(2):e1012050. PMID: 38422159
Ganchua SK, Maiello P, Chao M, Hopkins F, Mugahid D, Lin PL, Fortune SM, Flynn JL.
bioRxiv. 2024 Feb 24. PMID: 38187678
Ryan C, Martins MCI, Healy K, Bejder L, Cerchio S, Christiansen F, Durban J, Fearnbach H, Fortune S, Friedlaender A, Koski WR, Miller C, Rodríguez-González FM, Segre PS, Urbán R J, Vivier F, Weir CR, Moore MJ.
Biol Lett. 2024 Jan. 20(1):20230479. PMID: 38290551
Bromley JD, Ganchua SKC, Nyquist SK, Maiello P, Chao M, Borish HJ, Rodgers M, Tomko J, Kracinovsky K, Mugahid D, Nguyen S, Wang D, Rosenberg JM, Klein EC, Gideon HP, Floyd-O'Sullivan R, Berger B, Scanga CA, Lin PL, Fortune SM, Shalek AK, Flynn JL.
bioRxiv. 2023 Dec 21. PMID: 38187598
Wang X, Su H, Wallach JB, Wagner JC, Braunecker B, Gardner M, Guinn KM, Klevorn T, Lin K, Liu YJ, Liu Y, Mugahid D, Rodgers M, Sixsmith J, Wakabayashi S, Zhu J, Zimmerman M, Dartois V, Flynn JL, Lin PL, Ehrt S, Fortune SM, Rubin EJ, Schnappinger D.
bioRxiv. 2023 Nov 19. PMID: 38014062
Deng MZ, Liu Q, Cui SJ, Fu H, Gan M, Xu YY, Cai X, Sha W, Zhao GP, Fortune SM, Lyu LD.
bioRxiv. 2023 Oct 26. PMID: 37961690
Researchers have discovered a new form of altered drug susceptibility—dubbed antibiotic resilience—that enables Mycobacterium tuberculosis to survive antibiotic treatment.
To mark World TB Day, March 24, Harvard Chan School's Sarah Fortune, a TB expert, discusses the state of the disease worldwide, obstacles to fighting it, and the latest research.
Several countries have authorized second booster shots of COVID-19 vaccine, but concerns have recently been raised about whether this is a useful approach.
Kizzmekia Corbett, assistant professor of immunology and infectious diseases at Harvard Chan School, was named one of the 2021 Bostonians of the Year by the Boston Globe for her pioneering research aimed at developing a COVID-19 vaccine and…
Quick updates about the latest public health news from across the School and beyond.