Dr Leopold Tientcheu is an Assistant Professor in Immunology at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine and a Principal Investigator within the Vaccines and Immunity Theme at the MRC Unit The Gambia at LSHTM. His research focuses on host–pathogen interactions in tuberculosis, examining how human genetic diversity and Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex lineage variation influence immune responses, treatment outcomes, and host-directed therapies. He leads a multidisciplinary programme integrating immunology, genomics, and translational drug discovery, and is actively involved in postgraduate teaching, mentorship, and capacity building across Africa and internationally.
Leopold has nearly 20 years of research experience, starting with his MPhil in Biochemistry/Molecular Biology at the University of Yaoundé 1, Cameroon, in 2007. He earned his PhD in Immunology at LSHTM, United Kingdom, in 2013. His PhD research was the first to describe differences in treatment response between Mycobacterium africanum and M. tuberculosis-infected TB patients in The Gambia. The results have important public health implications, particularly in West Africa, where M. africanum causes up to half of the TB disease.
He did his postdoctoral training at the MRC Unit, The Gambia, the University of Cape Town, South Africa and Emory University in the USA.
Affiliations
Teaching
Dr Tientcheu contribute extensively to postgraduate teaching, supervision, and academic governance at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine. He teaches on the MSc Immunology of Infectious Diseases, delivering problem-solving and discussion-based sessions for Module 3120 (Immunology) and co-leading Module 3134/3144 (Advanced Immunology: Immunity to Tuberculosis and Other Bacterial Infections), where he develops and delivers lectures, curates key research papers, and facilitates small-group scientific discussions.
He also teaches on the Distance Learning MSc in Infectious Diseases, contributing to Module IDM502 (Tuberculosis) as a lecturer, tutor, and examiner. He led the revision of a Module Chapter and developed new assessment and examination materials aligned with current advances in TB research. In addition, He supervises MSc, MPhil, PhD, and postdoctoral researchers, serves on exam boards and programme committees, and acts as an examiner across postgraduate programmes, supporting high-quality, research-led and inclusive education
Research
Dr Tientcheu's research focuses on understanding how human host diversity and Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBC) genetic variation shape immune responses, disease progression, and treatment outcomes in tuberculosis. He is particularly interested in host–pathogen interactions, strain-specific immunopathology, and the development of host-directed therapies (HDTs), including the repurposing of tyrosine kinase inhibitors and antioxidant-based interventions. Using integrated immunological, mycobacteriological, genomic, and imaging approaches, his work aims to inform TB treatment and vaccine strategies relevant to African populations. He also has strong interests in post-TB lung disease, diagnostics, and building sustainable research capacity at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine and partner institutions in Africa.
Selected Publications
