Genomic characterization and geographical insights into transmission dynamics of drug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis in Ethiopia
PhD Candidate: Chala Olana Muleta
Institution: Adama Science and Technology University, School of Applied Natural Sciences
Supervisors: Dr Ketema Tafess Tulu; Dr Yared Merid Asfaw
Mycobacterium tuberculosis is the number one cause of mortality from a single infectious agent worldwide, and the challenge has been intensified with the emerging drug-resistant strains. Despite advances in tuberculosis diagnostics, current tools remain limited in their ability to fully capture resistance patterns and transmission dynamics. As a result, the spread of multidrug-resistant and extensively drug-resistant TB continues to pose a major public health challenge in Ethiopia. This PhD project aims to better understand how drug-resistant tuberculosis (DR-TB) spreads across Ethiopia by combining genomic and geographical analyses.
The study will analyse approximately 500 drug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates collected from regional laboratories across the country. Using whole-genome sequencing (WGS), the project will identify resistance-associated mutations, characterize circulating bacterial lineages, and map their geographical distribution. These genomic data will be integrated with clinical and epidemiological information to investigate transmission patterns and clustering of resistant strains.
In addition, the project will assess the performance of WGS in comparison to commonly used diagnostic methods such as GeneXpert and phenotypic drug susceptibility testing. This will provide important insights into the added value of genomic approaches for TB diagnosis and surveillance.
The findings are expected to generate a comprehensive overview of DR-TB strain diversity and transmission in Ethiopia. By supporting the integration of genomic surveillance into national TB control programmes, the project aims to contribute to more targeted interventions, improved diagnostics, and the development of precision public health strategies to reduce the burden of DR-TB.