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Dr David Lawrence

Clinical Research Physician

United Kingdom

My work spans multiple disciplines (clinical trials, epidemiology, diagnostics, health economics, anthropology) but is unified by an unwavering drive to reduce mortality and morbidity from advanced HIV disease.

I joined the Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases in 2017 and was based in Gaborone, Botswana for four years where I worked as the Lead Clinician for the AMBIsome Therapy Induction OptimisatioN (AMBITION) trial. AMBITION was a phase III randomised controlled trial of a single, high-dose liposomal amphotericin regimen for HIV-associated cryptococcal meningitis and recruited patients from six sites across five countries in Southern Africa.

I returned to the UK in 2021 and following the success of the trial I am co-investigator on a number of research and non-research grants aimed at maximising the impact of the AMBITION regimen in routine care settings and applying research advances in cryptococcal meningitis to other HIV-associated fungal infections.

Alongside research I work two-days a week for the NHS as a HIV and Sexual Health doctor.

Affiliations

Department of Clinical Research
Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases

Teaching

I am module organiser of HIV 3174 which is an intensive face-to-face module taking place in Term 3. I lead the HIV component of the Diploma in Tropical Medicine and Hygiene and am a distance learning tutor on the IDM 501 HIV/AIDS module. I supervise research projects conducted by MSc students and I am currently supervising three PhD students. I have completed Module 1 and Module 2 of the Postgraduate Certificate in Learning and Teaching and am a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.

Research

I am involved in a number of ongoing research projects including:

IMPRINT - an NIHR Global Health Research Group for HIV-associated fungal infections
SHARE-CM - an implementation project aimed at reducing mortality from cryptococcal meningitis in routine care
EFFECT - a clinical trial of combination anti-fungal therapy for cryptococcal antigenaemia
IMPALA - a clinical trial of injectable antiretroviral therapy for individuals with a history of challenges with adherence to oral treatment
Research Area
Clinical drug trials
Clinical trials
Diagnostics
Health economics
Medical anthropology
Anthropology
Implementation science
Disease and Health Conditions
HIV/AIDS
Sexually transmitted infections
Meningitis
Country
Botswana
Uganda
Malawi
Zimbabwe
South Africa
United Kingdom
Democratic Republic of the Congo
Mozambique
Guinea
Vietnam
Region
Sub-Saharan Africa (all income levels)

Selected Publications

Fluconazole plus flucytosine versus fluconazole alone for adults with HIV-associated cryptococcal antigenaemia identified through screening: a multi-centre phase III randomised-controlled trial.
Murphy, K; Nel, JS; Moosa, M-Y; Wilson, DP; Tsitsi, M; Mfinanga, S; Kivuyo, S; Kyazze, D; Alam, N; Meintjes, G; Eriksson, M; Adams, J; Menezes, C; Variava, E; Black, J; Bremer, M; Dat, VQ; Le, T; Schutz, C; Loyse, A; Wake, RM; LAWRENCE, DS; Wang, D; Jaffar, S; JARVIS, JN; ... Govender, NP.
2026
Trials
Recurrence of HIV-associated cryptococcal meningitis in pregnancy and the post-partum period.
Hull, T; Quinn, K; Hamlyn, E; Poulton, M; Nic Fhogartaigh, C; Chandra, J; LAWRENCE, DS;
2026
International journal of STD & AIDS
Liposomal antimicrobials in the fight against bacterial and fungal pathogens: Clinical successes and development challenges.
Kenaan, HT; Duncan, RM; Al-Jamal, WT; Jones, DS; Andrews, GP; Gilmore, B; YARDLEY, V; Farrington, N; Stott, KE; LAWRENCE, D; JARVIS, JN; Harrison, TS; Robinson, S; Ribeiro, I; Hope, W; Tian, Y;
2025
International Journal of Pharmaceutics: X
Valganciclovir for cytomegalovirus viraemia in advanced HIV disease: a phase 2b randomized placebo-controlled trial of valganciclovir for cytomegalovirus viraemia in adults and adolescents with advanced HIV disease.
ELLIS, J; Nsangi, LJ; Rassool, M; Musaazi, J; LAWRENCE, DS; Skipper, C; Boulware, DR; Meya, DB; Wasserman, S; JARVIS, JN; Boyles, T;
2025
Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci
Reducing HIV incidence and mortality: two sides of the same coin in the approach to ending AIDS.
JARVIS, JN; Ehrenkranz, P; LAWRENCE, DS; Keene, CM; Reid, MJ; Katz, IT; Shodell, D; Pérez-Casas, C; Mupeli, K; Sivile, S; Couto, AM; Doherty, M; Rangaraj, A; Ford, N;
2025
The lancet. HIV
Diagnostic accuracy of the WHO clinical staging system for detection of immunologically defined advanced HIV disease: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
Twabi, HH; Ueno, A; Ives, J; Murtagh, R; MUKOKA, M; Mortazavi, SA; LAWRENCE, DS; Choko, AT; Semphere, R; Balakasi, K; Rangaraj, A; Ford, N; JARVIS, JN; MacPherson, P;
2025
HIV Medicine
Epstein-Barr virus and cytomegalovirus co-infections and mortality risk in patients with HIV-associated cryptococcal meningitis: a post-hoc analysis of a prospective nested cohort in the AMBITION-cm randomised controlled trial.
ELLIS, J; Groppelli, E; Doyle, R; LAWRENCE, DS; Meya, DB; Boulware, DR; Mwandumba, HC; Kanyama, C; Hosseinipour, MC; Meintjes, G; Muzoora, C; Mosepele, M; Ndhlovu, CE; Harrison, TS; JARVIS, JN; AMBITION Study Group,;
2025
The Lancet HIV
Personalised risk-prediction tools for cryptococcal meningitis mortality to guide treatment stratification in sub-Saharan Africa: a prognostic modelling study based on pooled analysis of two randomised controlled trials.
Samuels, TH A; Molloy, SF; LAWRENCE, DS; Loyse, A; Kanyama, C; Heyderman, RS; Lai, WS; Mfinanga, S; Lesikari, S; Chanda, D; Kouanfack, C; Temfack, E; Lortholary, O; Hosseinipour, MC; Chan, AK; Meya, DB; Boulware, DR; Mwandumba, HC; Meintjes, G; Muzoora, C; Mosepele, M; Ndhlovu, CE; Youssouf, N; Harrison, TS; JARVIS, JN; ... Gupta, RK.
2025
The Lancet Global Health
Relative Contribution of Pharmacokinetics and Immune Signatures to Clinical Outcomes in Patients With HIV-associated Cryptococcal Meningitis.
Stott, KE; Tembo, D; Kajanga, C; Ahmadu, A; Namakhwa, D; Kolamunnage-Dona, R; Sarker, C; Moyo, M; Gondwe, E; Chimang'anga, W; Chasweka, M; Shah, RV; LAWRENCE, DS; Harrison, TS; JARVIS, JN; Lalloo, DG; Hope, W; Mwandumba, HC; AMBITION Study Group,;
2025
Open Forum Infectious Diseases
Efficacy and Safety of Long-acting Injectable Cabotegravir and Rilpivirine in Improving HIV-1 Control in sub-Saharan Africa: Protocol for a Phase 3b Open-Label Randomized Controlled Trial (IMPALA).
Tumusiime, VB; RUZAGIRA, E; Norcross, C; Eshun-Wilsonova, I; Kitonsa, J; Bahemuka, UM; GRINT, D; Kimbugwe, G; Kakande, A; LAWRENCE, DS; Mwendia, F; Van Solingen, R; Van Eygen, V; Addo Boateng, F; CRESSWELL, F; IMPALA study team,;
2025
Wellcome open research
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