Mission of SwissTB
The aim of the SwissTB Foundation is to encourage research
against tuberculosis - a contagious disease caused
by Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Today, more
than one third of the world’s population is infected
with M. tuberculosis, and tuberculosis kills
two million men, women, and children every year. Multiresistant
tuberculosis has emerged as a life threatening disease
that is very difficult to treat, even in countries
with highly developed health care systems. Every one
of us should be concerned by the progression of these
multiresistant forms throughout the world and especially
by the alarming situation in the developing countries,
where the number of tuberculosis deaths is increasing
steadily.
The recent scientific advances in genetics, microbiology,
and immunology have opened the way to new preventive
and therapeutic approaches against infectious disease.
The complete genome sequence of M. tuberculosis,
which has recently been deciphered, makes it possible
to develop a range of vaccine candidates that should
be more efficient and safer than BCG and to design
novel antituberculous drugs. More precise understanding
of how M. tuberculosis infects, inhabits, and
destroys our body helps us to set up rational battle
plans to fight this killer pathogen.
We believe that Switzerland hosts excellent scientists,
who can decisively contribute to resolve the tuberculosis
problem. Research on tuberculosis has been neglected
in the past. Today, many tuberculosis research projects
receive limited funding from the Swiss Universities
or the Swiss National Research Foundation. However,
to accelerate the progress of research and to implement
the results, substantially more means are needed.
Therefore, SwissTB supports fundamental research into
better vaccines, drugs, and other efficient strategies
against M. tuberculosis.
