I am an epidemiologist, with a focus on neglected tropical diseases (primarily trachoma) and sexually transmitted infections (STIs).
I obtained both my MSc (Control of Infectious Diseases) and PhD ("Trachoma control and elimination: Field studies in The Gambia and Senegal") from LSHTM, and led the field studies for the Partnership for the Rapid Elimination of Trachoma (PRET) trial in The Gambia. I also have experience of infectious disease surveillance, having been the Senior Enhanced Surveillance Scientist for CJD at Public Health England, and then a Principal Scientist in PHE's HIV/STI department. I was Senior Trials Coordinator for the eSTI2 Consortium, led by St George's, University of London, and subsequently the Programme Manager and Epidemiology Lead for the Applied Diagnostic Research and Evaluation Unit (ADREU), where I conducted several diagnostic evaluations to assess the performance, clinical and public health impacts of novel diagnostic technologies for STIs.
I returned to LSHTM in November 2017 as an Associate Professor and Chief Scientist for Tropical Data (www.tropicaldata.org), supporting national programmes to collect scientifically robust and standardised neglected tropical disease (NTD) prevalence data, allowing interventions for disease elimination to be targeted and prioritised. Through this role, I support research to improve survey and diagnostic methods, with an increasing focus on integrated surveys. I also continue to be involved in STI-related research.
I am an elected member of the Trachoma Expert Committee member, supporting the International Trachoma Initiative (ITI) with its trachoma elimination programme and the stewardship of the Pfizer azithromycin donation, and of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) Strategic Advisory Group on Diseases Elimination. I represent Tropical Data as an observer of the International Coalition for Trachoma Control (ICTC). I am a member of the NNN "Conflict and Humanitarian Emergency" working group, and the NNN "WASH" working group. I am co-director of LSHTM's STI Research Interest Group (https://www.lshtm.ac.uk/research/centres-projects-groups/stirig), Bristol Health Partners Sexual Health Improvement Programme (https://www.bristolhealthpartners.org.uk/health-integration-teams/sexua…), and LSHTM's WHO Collaborating Center for STIs (https://www.lshtm.ac.uk/research/centres-projects-groups/whocc-sti).
Affiliations
Centres
Teaching
I also lecture on trachoma and mapping on several MSc modules, am a personal tutor for the Control of Infectious Diseases MSc, and supervise MSc summer projects.
I am an Associate Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.
Research
My research interests are focused on the epidemiology of neglected tropical diseases (NTDs), with a particular focus on trachoma, to inform the achievement and maintenance of disease elimination. This includes working with health ministries whose trachoma prevalence surveys have been supported by the Global Trachoma Mapping Project (GTMP) and Tropical Data, to explore questions relating to what factors are associated with achievement of elimination criteria, and development of methodologies for post-elimination validation surveillance. In addition, I work on developing survey methods to enable greater integration of multiple diseases, with a view to make surveys more cost-effective and sustainable.
I also have a Sexually Transmitted Infection (STI) epidemiology research focus, and have a particular interest in diagnostics. I am a member of the British Association for Sexual Health and HIV (BASHH) and its Bacterial Special Interest Group (BSIG, https://www.bashh.org/bashh-groups/special-interest-groups/bacterial/). A particular area of interest is ensuring that all patients receive appropriate STI care and management, irrespective of the provider that is offering the service.
I am interested in exploring the commonalities between ocular and genital C. trachomatis, including the impact of mass drug administration on disease prevalence and antimicrobial resistance. I am a member of LSHTM's AMR Centre.
I supervise research degree students, currently:
- Kristen Renneker: How can alternative indicators be used to measure the prevalence of trachoma post-validation of elimination in a way that guides programme decision-making?
- Katja Siling: Improving STI testing access and surveillance in Germany
- Juliana Amanyi-Enegela: Conflict, Flight, and the Fight Against Disease: Strategies for Resilient Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) Control in Fragile Contexts in Yobe State, Nigeria
Students who have completed their research degrees:
- Kristin Sullivan: Optimising SAFE strategy components for trachoma elimination
- Clara Burgert: Exploratory Geospatial Analysis and Modelling to Support Trachoma Elimination and Surveillance
- Becca Handley (https://www.lshtm.ac.uk/aboutus/people/handley.rebecca): Evaluating Novel Diagnostic Strategies to Support Yaws Eradication
I am interested in supervising doctoral students working on:
- The diagnosis, epidemiology and elimination of trachoma and other diseases, including integrated surveys and post-elimination validation surveillance methodologies.
- The epidemiology of sexually transmitted infections (STIs), evaluation of diagnostics for STIs and their public health impact.
Selected Publications
