Fregenet Tesfaye Tegegn
Post-doctoral Researcher Armauer Hansen Research Institute (AHRI), Ethiopia Email: fregenettesfaye90@gmail.com
VALIDATE Role: Network Associate
Research Keywords: TB, Immunology, Pregnancy, Epidemiology
Biography: I am a postdoctoral researcher with a strong focus on the immunology of infectious diseases, particularly tuberculosis (TB). My research explores how the immune system responds to TB infection and how this response is influenced by factors such as pregnancy. My PhD research focused on the immunological aspects of TB infection during pregnancy, particularly how pregnancy influences immune control and may trigger progression of TB infection. We observed dynamic immune responses in pregnant women with TB infection, showing increased exposure to Mycobacterium tuberculosis in the later stages of pregnancy, suggesting transient reactivation of the infection. These findings offer valuable insights into the immune mechanisms involved in TB reactivation during pregnancy, highlighting the potential for developing biomarkers to improve diagnostics and enable early intervention. This research enhances our understanding of how immune modulation may influence disease progression. In collaboration with Lund University Sweden and Emory University, USA, I am expanding on these findings to study the phenotypic and functional characteristics of immune cells during TB infection. I aim to understand how pregnancy alters immune responses and contributes to the progression of TB infection, which could lead to the development of more targeted vaccines and therapeutic strategies. My broader research interests also include understanding the intersection of immunology and epidemiology to improve public health outcomes, particularly in underserved populations in low-resource settings.
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