Dr. Jordan Holl, an Association of Public Health Laboratories (APHL) Fellow conducting original research under the mentorship of Dr. Anil Ojha in the Wadsworth Center’s Division of Genetics, presented his work during APHL’s Fellowship & Internship Project Presentation Webinar Series on September 17, 2026. Jordan’s Dr. Holl’s presentation, “Enhanced Zinc Availability Suppresses Ribosomal Remodeling in Mouse Models of TB,” was attended remotely by participants from APHL host laboratories and programs across the country. The webinar provided an opportunity to share his research with a broad public health science audience.
Dr Holl’s research examines ways to disrupt physiological processes in Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb), the bacterium that causes tuberculosis. The Ojha laboratory is investigating how the host immune response limits zinc availability to Mtb. Zinc starvation can inhibit protein synthesis by Mtb ribosomes, contributing to a hibernation-like state that may increase the organism’s tolerance to drug treatment. Dr Holl presented findings showing that neutrophil-dependent zinc limitation can induce zinc-starvation responses in Mtb. He also shared data indicating that these responses can be suppressed by depleting neutrophils from the lungs or by altering calprotectin, a zinc-binding protein produced by neutrophils.
His work explores the potential of delivering aerosolized zinc directly to the lungs to prevent Mtb hibernation and increase its sensitivity to antibiotics. This approach could potentially support shorter and more effective tuberculosis treatment. Dr Holl’s selection to present this potentially high-impact work reflects the quality of Wadsworth’s research and training environment.