Tuberculosis (TB) is a major global health issue, causing over 10 million infections and 1 million deaths each year. To better combat TB, we need to better understand the immune correlates of protection against Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the bacterium that causes TB. Research in the Nelson lab is focused on exploring the immune response to Mycobacterium tuberculosis, and other non-tuberculous mycobacterium (NTM). In the Nelson lab, we are particularly interested in the role that T cells play in the protective effects of vaccination and the pathogenic responses that lead to lung disease. Our goal is to better understand the mechanisms of T cell-mediated protection to develop new vaccines and treatments for TB to reduce the global health burden of this disease.