Imagine dedicating your career to one of humanity's oldest enemies—tuberculosis—and realizing that unlocking the secrets of how our immune system combat bacteria could be the key to saving millions. But here’s where it gets controversial: many believe we already have effective vaccines and treatments, yet TB still claims over a million lives annually. So, what are we missing? And this is the part most people overlook—are our current strategies enough, or are we just scratching the surface of a much deeper challenge?
Enter Bryan Bryson, an inspiring scientist at MIT whose lifelong quest is to understand how immune cells eliminate bacteria, with a particular focus on TB. Since launching his laboratory in 2018, Bryson has dedicated himself to unraveling this complex process. He emphasizes that for breakthroughs to happen—be it better vaccines or treatments—we must first comprehend the immune system’s approach to recognizing and destroying the TB-causing bacterium, Mycobacterium tuberculosis.
Bryson states, “TB has likely caused more human suffering than any other pathogen in history, so the goal is to learn how the immune system perceives and kills it. If we manage to understand these mechanisms, we can develop novel therapies and more effective vaccines.” Currently, the only widely used vaccine, BCG, is a weakened strain of the bacteria found in cattle. While it is administered in many regions, it offers poor protection for adults, especially against the most contagious form—pulmonary TB. Despite available treatments, TB still results in over a million deaths each year.
Bryson believes that the road to an improved vaccine hinges on precise measurement. “Our lab focuses on creating innovative ways to measure immune responses,” he explains. “By developing new tools and concepts, we hope to accelerate the creation of an effective TB vaccine.” He is also associated with the Ragon Institute, a collaborative effort involving Mass General Brigham, MIT, and Harvard, which pushes the boundaries of infectious disease research.
From engineering roots to immunology
Bryson’s passion for engineering runs deep in his family genetics. His great-grandfather worked as an engineer on the Panama Canal, and his grandmother, with a natural talent for building, likely would have become an engineer had she been given the chance. Raised primarily by his mother and grandparents—who nurtured his curiosity—Bryson’s fascination with tinkering began early. By the age of three, he was already constructing robots from simple household items like Styrofoam cups and light bulbs.
His journey through education was shaped by a move from Worcester, Massachusetts, to Miami, Florida, at age seven, where he joined his school’s math team and continued exploring scientific interests. During his teenage years in Houston, Texas, he focused on biomedical engineering, dreaming of designing spacesuits and working in aerospace. Interestingly, MIT, his top choice for college, initially didn’t offer biomedical engineering as an undergraduate major, which prompted him to consider other options like electrical engineering or aeronautics.
A pivotal moment occurred after his first year at MIT when a mentor advised him: “Choose a major that offers many options—you never know how the world will change.” This advice led Bryson to switch his major to mechanical engineering with a bioengineering track in his sophomore year, opening new doors toward research.
While exploring research opportunities, he was captivated by a poster of Professor Linda Griffith’s work, which led to his first significant lab experience. There, he built microfluidic devices to grow liver tissue—an engineering challenge that deepened his interest in cells and their behaviors. This experience ultimately inspired him to pursue a PhD in biological engineering, working with Professor Forest White to study cell signaling—how cells communicate and how this communication goes awry in diseases like cancer and diabetes.
His curiosity then expanded to infectious diseases, prompting a transition to work with Harvard immunologist Sarah Fortune on TB. Under her mentorship, Bryson learned to investigate how TB bacteria interact with host cells and appreciated the need for transformative solutions—not just new antibiotics but strategies that could dramatically cut down infection rates through vaccination.
Pioneering vaccine research
At MIT, Bryson and his students have devised innovative methods to answer the fundamental question: how does the immune system kill bacteria? A crucial step involves immune cells recognizing bacterial proteins, specifically those displayed on infected cells. Mycobacterium tuberculosis produces thousands of proteins, but only a select few are presented to the immune system in infected cells—these are prime candidates for new vaccines.
Bryson’s team has developed techniques to identify these bacterial proteins, discovering that many fall within a category called type 7 secretion system substrates. The challenge, however, is that the specific proteins displayed vary among individuals, influenced by genetics. Through studying blood samples from diverse populations, his lab has identified the proteins presented in roughly half of the human population. He’s now working to identify the remaining proteins so he can develop a broadly effective vaccine that works for nearly everyone.
Once the ideal proteins are known, the team will design a vaccine and test it in animals, aiming for clinical trials within six years. Despite the hurdles, Bryson remains hopeful, largely inspired by his mother’s unwavering optimism and resilience, which instilled in him a positive outlook from a young age.
He praises MIT’s culture of “can-do” attitude, where engineers believe almost anything is possible if you find the right approach. “Infectious diseases, especially TB, are challenging problems that demand engineering ingenuity,” Bryson remarks.
Outside the lab, Bryson enjoys lightening the mood with ice cream social breaks at Simmons Hall, where he is an associate head of house. Using a beloved ice cream machine from 2009, he often makes gourmet flavors such as passion fruit or jalapeno strawberry for dorm residents, with fall-inspired flavors like cinnamon and pear sorbet adding seasonal flair. His passion for both science and community shines—reminding us that solving some of the world’s toughest problems also involves a bit of fun.
What do you think? Do current TB efforts sufficiently address the global crisis, or is there a need for a radical shift in approach? Could innovative engineering solutions really change the landscape of infectious disease control? Share your thoughts and join the conversation.
