Sarah Fortune

Related Links

Biography

My laboratory focuses on the molecular basis of population heterogeneity in Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) and the extent to which differences between mycobacterial cells contribute to differences in disease and treatment outcomes. Our work combines bacterial genetic approaches with high throughput methodologies including population genomics, ssRNAseq and quantitative live cell imaging to define the molecular mechanisms by which Mtb generates diversity and how this diversity enables the bacterium to survive subsequent selective forces including antibiotics and immune selection. We further seek to understand the impact of host immune responses on the interaction of Mtb with the infected host, again working at both single cell and genomic levels.

Education and Training

• B.S., Biology
  Yale University
• M.D., Medicine
  Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons
• , Internship/Residency in Internal Medicine
  Brigham and Women’s Hospital
• , Fellowship in Infectious Diseases
  Massachusetts General Hospital and Brigham and Women’s Hospital
• Post Doctoral Fellow, Immunology & Infectious Diseases
  Harvard School of Public Health

Awards and Honors

• Adam Driks Memorial Lecturer, 2026
  Loyola University
• Carl Nathan MD Lectureship, 2026
  Dept of Microbiology and Immunology, Weill Cornell School of Medicine
• Highly Cited Researcher , 2025
  Clarivate Analytics
• Robert Moellering Lecturer, 2024
  Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
• Sydney Kustu Lecturer, 2024
  Dept of Plant and Molecular Biology, University of California Berkeley
• Highly Cited Researcher , 2024
  Clarivate Analytics
• Stanbury Scholar, 2023
  Massachusetts General Hospital
• Highly Cited Researcher , 2022
  Clarivate Analytics
• Distinguished Fellow, 2020
  American Academy of Microbiology
• Junior Faculty Mentoring Award, 2019
  Harvard School of Public Health
• John LaPorte Given Professor , 2017
  Harvard School of Public Health
• Alice B. Hamilton Award, 2013
  Harvard School of Public Health
• Investigator in the Pathogenesis of Infectious Diseases, 2012
  Burroughs Welcome Foundation
• Melvin and Geraldine Glimcher Associate Professorship, 2012
  Harvard School of Public Health
• Science and Public Leadership Fellow, 2010
  PopTech
• Clinical Scientist Development Award, 2010
  Doris Duke
• Early Career Award, 2007
  Hood Foundation
• Early Career Award, 2007
  Howard Hughes Medical Institute
• New Innovator Award, 2007
  National Institute of Health
• The Maxwell Finland Award for Excellence in Research, 2004
  Mass. Infectious Disease Society
• The Maxwell Finland Award for Excellence in Research, Mass. Infectious Disease Society, 2004
  The National Foundation for Infectious Diseases
• Teaching Award for Residents in Internal Medicine, 2001
  Harvard Medical School
• Alpha Omega Alpha, 1996
• Medical Student Fellowship for Return to Medical Studies, 1993
  Howard Hughes Medical Institute
• Medical Student Research Fellowship, 1993
  Howard Hughes Medical Institute
• Phi Beta Kappa, 1993
• B.S. Summa Cum Laude, 1990
  Yale
• Community Service Award, 1989
  Yale

Publications

• Metabolism as a missing link between diabetes, tuberculosis, and drug resistance?

  Brake J, Veeken LD, Lestari BW, van Ingen J, Fortune SM, Ehrt S, Gouzy A, van Crevel R. Lancet Microbe 2026 Sep 23

  PMID: 42777746

• The WhiA and WhiB2 transcription factors mediate the Mycobacterium tuberculosis cell cycle by regulating DNA replication and cell division.

  Marks F, Lilic M, Nalam P, Mclelland L, An X, Fortune SM, Campbell EA, Ehrt S. NAR Mol Med 2026

  PMID: 42602178

• Population-level genome sequencing reveals distinct Mycobacterium tuberculosis intrahost mutational trajectories in simian immunodeficiency virus-coinfected and antiretroviral treated non-human primates.

  Chao MC, Chase MR, Wakabayashi S, Vickers AJ, Roman B, Hopkins F, Culviner PH, Marin MG, Maiello P, Diedrich CR, Ambrose Z, Lin PL, Liu Q, Fortune SM. mSystems 2026 Aug 18

  PMID: 42505123

• Conference report: airway mucosal sampling and immune analysis.

  Rosenheim J, Bender B, Gilmour J, Jambo K, Jensen JUS, King D, Kløverpris H, Taylor S, Boaz M, Chiu C, Crotty S, Dahlke C, Dheda K, Fortune S, Higham SL, Holm M, Jochems SP, Krammer F, Lindestam Arlehamn CS, Mankouri HW, Marquart HV, McShane H, Mortensen R, Nemes E, Ordovas-Montanes J, Roberts PC, Ruhwald M, Schully KL, Thålin C, Thwaites RS, Wang TY, Juel HB. Vaccine 2026 08 13

  PMID: 42468226

• Integrated evaluation of antibody responses to mosquitoes and mosquito-borne pathogens using highly multiplexed serology.

  Anahtar M, Striplet D, Philbin E, Lacsina JR, Valenzuela JG, Johansson MA, Oliveira F, Willen L, Kamhawi S, Cote-L'Heureux A, Crompton PD, Tran TM, Fortune SM, Neafsey DE. Sci Adv 2026 Jun 12

  PMID: 42284414