The Tuberculosis Research Section (TBRS) is a multidisciplinary group composed of chemists, microbiologists, veterinarians, imaging scientists, and clinicians with a shared objective of improving chemotherapy for tuberculosis (TB) patients. TBRS projects span chemical biology, medicinal chemistry, host-pathogen interactions, animal models of experimental chemotherapy, and experimental medicine clinical studies in TB patients. TBRS is highly interactive with the global community involved in rejuvenating TB drug discovery, and TBRS scientists were part of the team that discovered Pretomanid, recently FDA approved for multidrug-resistant (MDR) TB treatment.
TBRS led the clinical effort to evaluate linezolid for the treatment of extensively drug-resistant (XDR) TB disease, an effort that ultimately led to the global usage of this agent for highly drug-resistant TB. TBRS, working in partnership with Merck & Co., recently completed the preclinical development of a safer, TB-selective analog of linezolid for use in drug-sensitive disease, and this agent is in Phase 1 safety studies. TBRS has been part of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation-funded TB Drug Accelerator (tbdrugaccelerator.org) since its inception. TBRS has many collaborators across the globe and, as a result, is the most highly cited research group working in the field of TB, according to Thomson-Reuters (https://archive.sciencewatch.com/ana/st/tub/09augSTTubBarr/). TBRS has over 300 publications in the scientific literature on TB.
TBRS is team-led by Dr. Barry and three highly talented staff scientists. TBRS’ clinical activities take place mostly in South Africa, enabled by Dr. Barry’s honorary appointment to the Institute for Infectious Diseases and Molecular Medicine at the University of Cape Town. TBRS’ clinical studies are underpinned by attempting to better understand disease in TB patients through the application of PET-CT imaging and comparisons of lesion types with nonhuman primate models of disease where we have developed the capacity to conduct similar PET-CT studies.

Tuberculosis Research Section, 2022. Front Row (left to right): Manny Dayao, Veterinary Research Scientist; Cassandra Jordan, Postbaccalaureate Fellow (former member), Esther Lee, Postbaccalaureate Fellow (former member); Sangmi Oh, Staff Scientist; Danielle Weiner, Senior Research Associate; Veena Devi, Postdoctoral Fellow (departed April 2023), Postdoctoral Fellow; Clif Barry, TBRS Section Chief; Veronica Gantert, Laboratory Manager. Middle Row (left to right): Michaela Piazza, Veterinary Research Associate (former member); Emily Yin, Postbaccalaureate Fellow (former member); Lena Trifonov, Postdoctoral Fellow; Neha Malhotra, Postdoctoral Fellow; Jose Santinni Roma, Project Manager. Back Row (left to right): Becky Sloan, Veterinary Research Associate; Lila Berle, Postbaccalaureate Fellow (departed May 2023), Brock Brethour, Postbaccalaureate Fellow (former member); Michael Goodwin, Chemist; Joel Vincent, Clinical Trials Specialist; Nicholas Mnyambwa, Postdoctoral Fellow; Vee (Yang) Tan, Project Manager (former member); Jacqueline Gonzales, Veterinary Research Associate (former member); Shawn Yu, Clinical Data Manager; Laura Via, Associate Staff Scientist; Ray Chen, Clinical Physician (former member); Helena Boshoff, Staff Scientist; Naseer Khan, Postdoctoral Fellow; Peter Finin, Clinical Fellow.
Clifton Barry III, Ph.D.
Chief, Tuberculosis Research Section
Contact: For contact information, search the NIH Enterprise Directory.
Education:
Ph.D., 1989, Cornell University

Ayan Abdi, B.Sc.
PET/CT Research Associate
Contact: For contact information, search the NIH Enterprise Directory.
Education:
B.Sc., Medical Radiation Science, 2006, University of Toronto, Canada
B.Sc., Biotechnology, 2001, Brock University, St. Catharines, Canada
Alfred Agbekudzi, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Fellow
Contact: For contact information, search the NIH Enterprise Directory.
Education:
B.S., Biochemistry Cell and Molecular Biology, 2015, University of Ghana, Legon
Ph.D., Biological Sciences, 2023, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg
Languages Spoken: Twi, Ewe

Dennis Steve Benavides Argueta, AALAS
Contact: For contact information, search the NIH Enterprise Directory.
Education:
Languages Spoken: Spanish
Rohin Biswas, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Fellow
Contact: For contact information, search the NIH Enterprise Directory.
Education:
Ph.D., 2025, Rutgers University-New Brunswick, New Jersey
B.Sc. (Research), 2017, Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bangalore
Languages Spoken: Bengali, Hindi
Michael B. Boden, B.S.
Postbaccalaureate IRTA Fellow
Contact: For contact information, search the NIH Enterprise Directory.
Education:
B.S., 2024, St. Mary’s College of Maryland, St. Mary’s City, MD

Helena Ingrid Boshoff, Ph.D.
Associate Scientist / Staff Scientist (core)
Contact: For contact information, search the NIH Enterprise Directory.
Education:
Ph.D., 2000, University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa
Languages Spoken: English, Afrikaans, Swedish, Dutch

Aidan Thomas Boving, B.S.
Postbaccalaureate IRTA Fellow
Contact: For contact information, search the NIH Enterprise Directory.
Education:
B.S., 2023, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI

Alexandra Bozan, B.S.
Postbaccalaureate Fellow
Contact: For contact information, search the NIH Enterprise Directory.
Education:
B.S., Biotechnology, 2023, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ
Languages Spoken: Spanish

Emmanuel K. Dayao, D.V.M.
Veterinary Research Scientist
Contact: For contact information, search the NIH Enterprise Directory.
Education:
D.V.M., 1983, De La Salle Araneta University, Metro Manila, Philippines
Maurine Fan, B.S.
Postbaccalaureate IRTA Fellow
Contact: For contact information, search the NIH Enterprise Directory.
Education:
B.A., 2023, Colgate University, Hamilton, NY
Languages Spoken: Chinese, Mandarin

Peter A. Filbrandt, B.A.
Postbaccalaureate Research Fellow
Contact: For contact information, search the NIH Enterprise Directory.
Education:
B.A., 2023, Albion College, Albion, MI

Peter M. Finin, M.D.
Clinical Fellow
Contact: For contact information, search the NIH Enterprise Directory.
Education:
M.D., 2016, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI
Infectious Diseases Fellowship, 2021, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Bethesda, MD
Internal Medicine Residency, 2019, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA
Languages Spoken: Swahili

Veronica Gantert, M.Sc.
Laboratory Manager
Contact: For contact information, search the NIH Enterprise Directory.
Education:
M.Sc., 2014, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD
B.Sc., 2009, University of Tennessee-Knoxville, Knoxville, TN
Languages Spoken: German, Tagalog, Cebuano

Michael Brendan Goodwin, M.S.
Chemist
Contact: For contact information, search the NIH Enterprise Directory.
Education:
M.S., Chemistry, 1996, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA
B.S., Chemistry, 1993, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA

Sarah E. Hanson, B.A.
Predoctoral Fellow
Contact: For contact information, search the NIH Enterprise Directory.
Education:
Currently pursuing Ph.D., Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD
B.A., 2020, Emory University, Atlanta, GA
Languages Spoken: French

Naseer Khan, D.Phil.
Postdoctoral Fellow
Contact: For contact information, search the NIH Enterprise Directory.
Education:
D.Phil., 2020, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
M.Sc., 2007, King’s College London, United Kingdom
B.Sc. Hons., 2006, University of Greenwich, United Kingdom
Languages Spoken: Urdu
Sohee Angela Kim
Summer/Fall Intern
Contact: For contact information, search the NIH Enterprise Directory.
Education:
Currently pursuing B.A., 2025, Colgate University, Hamilton, NY
Languages Spoken: Korean

Ashish Kumar, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Fellow
Contact: For contact information, search the NIH Enterprise Directory.
Education:
Ph.D., 2024, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, India
M. Tech., Biotechnology, 2015, Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University, Delhi, India
B. Tech., Biotechnology, 2013, Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University, Delhi, India
Languages Spoken: Hindi
Neha Malhotra, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Fellow
Contact: For contact information, search the NIH Enterprise Directory.
Education:
Ph.D., 2017, CSIR-Institute of Microbial Technology, Chandigarh, India
Languages Spoken: Hindi

Nicholaus P. Mnyambwa, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Fellow
Contact: For contact information, search the NIH Enterprise Directory.
Education:
Ph.D., 2019, Nelson Mandela African Institution of Science and Technology, Arusha, Tanzania
Languages Spoken: Swahili

Nilesh Mukundan, B.S.
Postbaccalaureate IRTA Fellow
Contact: For contact information, search the NIH Enterprise Directory.
Education:
B.S., 2024, University of California San Diego, San Diego, CA
Languages Spoken: Tamil

Sangmi Oh, Ph.D.
Staff Scientist
Contact: For contact information, search the NIH Enterprise Directory.
Education:
Ph.D., 2010, Chemistry Department, Seoul National University, Korea
M.S., 1997, Chemistry Department, Ewha Womans University, Korea
B.S., 1995, Chemistry Department, Ewha Womans University, Korea
Languages Spoken: Korean

Partha Paul, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Fellow
Contact: For contact information, search the NIH Enterprise Directory.
Education:
Ph.D., 2023, CSIR-Institute of Microbial Technology (IMTECH), Chandigarh, India
M.Sc., 2016, Tezpur University, Tezpur, India
Languages Spoken: Hindi, Bengali, Assamese
Neha Quadir, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Fellow
Contact: For contact information, search the NIH Enterprise Directory.
Education:
Ph.D., 2022, Jamia Hamdard, New Delhi, India
M.Sc., 2012, Integral University, Lucknow, India
B.Sc., 2010, Mody Institute of Technology and Science, Rajasthan, India
Languages Spoken: Hindi, Urdu

Jose Santinni O. Roma, B.S.
Project Manager
Contact: For contact information, search the NIH Enterprise Directory.
Education:
B.S., 2014, University of Richmond, Richmond, VA
Languages Spoken: Tagalog

Becky Y. Sloan
Veterinary Research Associate
Contact: For contact information, search the NIH Enterprise Directory.
Education:
HSD, 1992

Elena Trifonov, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Fellow
Contact: For contact information, search the NIH Enterprise Directory.
Education:
Ph.D., 2019, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel
Languages Spoken: Russian, Hebrew

Laura Ellen Via, Ph.D.
Associate Staff Scientist
Contact: For contact information, search the NIH Enterprise Directory.
Education:
Ph.D., 1993, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA
B.S., 1984, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA

Joel P. Vincent, M.P.H.
Clinical Trials Specialist
Contact: For contact information, search the NIH Enterprise Directory.
Education:
M.P.H., 2015, Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, New Orleans, LA
B.S., 2012, University of Georgia, Athens, GA

Danielle M. Weiner, B.S.
Senior Research Associate
Contact: For contact information, search the NIH Enterprise Directory.
Education:
B.S., Animal Sciences, 2007, University of Maryland, College Park, MD
Xiang (Shawn) Yu, Ph.D.
Clinical Data Manager
Contact: For contact information, search the NIH Enterprise Directory.
Education:
Ph.D., 2007, Pharmacology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD
M.S., 2017, Applied Statistics, Pennsylvania State University, World Campus
B.A., 2000, Biochemistry, Hampshire College, Amherst, MA
Languages Spoken: Mandarin, Shanghainese

Former Research Group Members
- Yumi Park, Postdoctoral Fellow, Konyang Univ. COM, Daejeon, Korea
- Marlene Espinoza, Postdoctoral Fellow, Icahn School of Medicine, Mount Sinai, New York
- Yong Mo Ahn, Postdoctoral Fellow, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, NCATS/NIH
- Yingda L. Xie , Clinical Fellow, Assistant Professor, Division of Infectious Diseases, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School
- Gareth Prosser, Postdoctoral Fellow, Resident Scientist, Drug Discovery Unit, University of Dundee, UK
- Katharina Kolbe, Postdoctoral Fellow, Medical Student, University of Lübeck, Germany
- Qinglan Wang, Postdoctoral Fellow, Assistant Professor, Sichuan University, Chongqing, China
- Hee-Jeong Yang, Postdoctoral Fellow, Imaging Analyst, Laulima Goverment Solutions, IRF, Frederick, Maryland
- Andaleeb Sajid, Postdoctoral Fellow, National Cancer Institute, Laboratory of Cell Biology
- Michael Richardson, Veterinary Pathology Fellow, Veterinary Pathologist, IDEXX Reference Laboratories, Westbrook, Maine
- M. Daben Libardo, Postdoctoral Fellow, Senior Scientist (Infectious Diseases), Merck & Co., West Point, Pennsylvania
- Azeeza Shaik, Postdoctoral Fellow, Scientific Manager, Novick Biosciences, Hyderabad, India
- Gail Louw, Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Cape Town, IDM, Cape Town, RSA
- Garth Abrahams, Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Rhodes University, RSA
- Gwendolyn Marriner, Postdoctoral Fellow, MPI Research, Translational Imaging Center, Mattawan, Michigan
- Hyeeun Bang, Postdoctoral Fellow, Yonsei University, Seoul, South Korea
- Nitin Pal Kalia, Postdoctoral Fellow, Lee Kong Chian SOM, Singapore
- Sri Kumar Veleti, Postdoctoral Fellow, INTEL Corporation, Hillsboro, Oregon
- Surendra Jonnala, Postdoctoral Fellow, Keerthana Labs, Hyderabad, India
- Yoshitaka Tateishi, Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Bacteriology, Niigata University SOM, Niigata, Japan
- Jenna Andrews, Postbaccalaureate Fellow, Ph.D. Student, Yale University
- Jessica Medrano, Postbaccalaureate Fellow, M.D./Ph.D. student, University of Pittsburgh
- Alice Bell, Postbaccalaureate Fellow, Medical Student, Georgetown University
- Jonathan Nicklas, Postbaccalaureate Fellow, Ph.D. Student, NIH Graduate Partnerships Program, NHGRI/Georgetown
- He Eun Chun, Postbaccalaureate Fellow, Clinical Research Coordinator, University of Maryland, Baltimore
- K. Jesse Lopez, Postbaccalaureate Fellow, Medical Student, George Washington University
- Nelson R. Perez, Postbaccalaureate Fellow, Medical Student, San Juan Bautista SOM, Caguas, Puerto Rico
- Caroline Duncombe, Postbaccalaureate Fellow, Ph.D. Student, University of Washington, Seattle
- Ana La O Vazquez, Postbaccalaureate Fellow, Medical Student, Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine, Bradenton, Florida
- Gloria Kim, Postbaccalaureate Fellow, Law Student, University of North Carolina Law
- Caitlyn Sebastian, Postbaccalaureate Fellow, Ph.D. Student, University of Alabama, Birmingham
- Emily Wolf, Postbaccalaureate Fellow, Nursing Student, Central Carolina Technical College
- Brock Brethour, Postbaccalaureate Fellow, Ph.D. Student, University of Maryland, Baltimore
- Cassandra Jordan, Postbaccalaureate Fellow, Ph.D. Student, Uniformed Services University
- Lila Foley Berle, M.D. candidate, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland