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David
W.
Dowdy
,
MD

Executive Vice Dean for Academic Affairs
Professor
David Dowdy

Departmental Affiliations

Primary
Division
Infectious Disease Epidemiology
School of Medicine
Joint
Joint
Division
Global Disease Epidemiology and Control

David Dowdy, MD, PhD '08, ScM ’02, studies the implementation of interventions to fight tuberculosis, the world's most deadly infectious disease.

Contact Info

615 N. Wolfe Street, Room E6531
Baltimore
Maryland
21205
US        
410-614-0902

Research Interests

infectious diseases; tuberculosis; HIV; epidemiology; mathematical modeling; implementation science; infectious disease dynamics; health economics

Experiences & Accomplishments
Education
MD
Johns Hopkins School of Medicine
2008
PhD
Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
2008
ScM
Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
2002
BS
Duke University
1999
Overview

I am an infectious disease epidemiologist and general internist focused primarily on the epidemiology of tuberculosis (TB). My interdisciplinary research lies at the nexus of experimental and observational epidemiology, infectious disease modeling, health economics, and implementation science. 
My primary interests are:
(1) Dynamic modeling and economic evaluation of TB and TB/HIV: I combine methods from field-based epidemiology, cost-effectiveness analysis, and epidemic modeling with the aim of answering questions of relevance to patients and policy-makers. Many of my research projects focus on the process of case-finding and diagnosis, which remains one of the biggest gaps in TB control efforts worldwide. I am the director of the Bioinformatics, Modeling, and Biostatistics Core (BMBC) of the JHU Tuberculosis Research Advancement Center (JHU TRAC), and I am the PI/MPI of four NIH-funded clinical trials - of mobile chest X-ray focused case finding, contact investigation, screening, and preventive treatment. Most of my work is based in Malawi, as a core faculty member of the Uganda Tuberculosis Implementation Research Consortium (U-TIRC, u-tirc.org), and in South Africa, in collaboration with the Perinatal HIV Research Unit and Setshaba Research Centre. I also conduct research in Vietnam, Pakistan, Ghana, Mozambique, Tanzania, and the United States (among other countries). 
(2) Translational epidemiology: I have great interest in creating modeling frameworks that allow decision-makers to translate epidemiological data into effective decisions.  I welcome collaboration from researchers, clinicians, or students having expertise in any field, who hope to create models to translate epidemiological data into meaningful policy, practical, or clinical decisions.
(3) Implementation science: I am interested not only in how interventions operate in idealized settings, but also improving how they are implemented in the real world. I am particularly interested in the cost and cost-effectiveness of improving health systems in LMICs. I am a core faculty member of the HIV, Infectious Disease and Global Health Implementation Research Institute (HIGH IRI, https://sites.wustl.edu/highiri/) and the NHLBI-funded HLB-SIMPLe Alliance.
(4) Teaching and mentorship:  These are essential, and often-undervalued, skills in the field of epidemiology.  If our profession is to continue its record of success, I firmly believe that we need to train future leaders how to teach and mentor others, and also to do our best to serve as role models in that regard.

Honors & Awards

Awards since 2008:
2023 Strategic & Technical Advisory Group on Tuberculosis (STAG-TB), World Health Organization
2020 JHU Catalyst Award recipient
2018 Advising, Mentoring, and Teaching Recognition Award (AMTRA), JHSPH
2015 Excellence in Mentoring Award
2014 Golden Apple Teaching Award (large class)
2013 Advising, Mentoring, and Teaching Recognition Award (AMTRA), JHSPH
2012 B. Frank and Kathleen Polk Assistant Professor of Epidemiology
2012 Young Investigator Prize, International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease
2011  Tom Evans Teaching Award, Internal Medicine Residency Program, UCSF
2010  Diane Becker Award in Clinical Epidemiology and Prevention, Johns Hopkins GIM Housestaff Research Award
2010  Floyd Rector Clinical Science Research Award, Internal Medicine Residency Program, UCSF
2010  Teaching Excellence Award for Cherished Housestaff (TEACH), UCSF School of Medicine
2009  Julius Krevans Award for Outstanding Housestaff Service, San Francisco General Hospital
2008  Warfield T. Longcope Prize in Clinical Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
2008  David E. Rogers Award for Professionalism, Ethics, & Community, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
2008  Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Society
2008  Arthur M. Dannenberg, Jr. Award for Tuberculosis Research

Select Publications

Major first/senior author publications in 2023 (all senior-author papers are first-authored by primary trainees):

  • Brümmer LE, Thompson RR, Malhotra A, Shrestha S, Kendall EA, Andrews JR, Phillips P, Nahid P, Cattamanchi A, Marx FM, Denkinger CM, Dowdy DW. Cost effectiveness of low-complexity screening tests in community-based case-finding for tuberculosis. Clin Infect Dis. 2023 Aug 25:ciad501. doi: 10.1093/cid/ciad501

  • Ryckman T, Weiser J, Gombe M, Turner K, Soni P, Tarlton D, Mazhidova N, Churchyard G, Chaisson RE, Dowdy DW. Impact and cost-effectiveness of short-course tuberculosis preventive treatment for household contacts and people with HIV in 29 high-incidence countries: a modelling analysis. Lancet Glob Health. 2023 Aug;11(8):e1205-e1216. doi: 10.1016/S2214-109X(23)00251-6.

  • Thompson RR, Nalugwa T, Oyuku D, Tucker A, Nantale M, Nakaweesa A, Musinguzi J, Reza TF, Zimmer AJ, Ferguson O, Turyahabwe S, Joloba M, Cattamanchi A, Katamba A, Dowdy DW, Sohn H. Multicomponent strategy with decentralised molecular testing for tuberculosis in Uganda: a cost and cost-effectiveness analysis. Lancet Glob Health. 2023 Feb;11(2):e278-e286. doi: 10.1016/S2214-109X(22)00509-5.

  • Hanrahan CF, Nonyane BAS, Lebina L, Mmolawa L, Siwelana T, West NS, Albaugh N, Martinson N, Dowdy DW. Household- Versus Incentive-Based Contact Investigation for Tuberculosis in Rural South Africa: A Cluster-Randomized Trial. Clin Infect Dis. 2023 Apr 3;76(7):1164-1172. doi: 10.1093/cid/ciac920.

  • Migliori GB, Dowdy D, Denholm JT, D'Ambrosio L, Centis R. The path to tuberculosis elimination: a renewed vision. Eur Respir J. 2023 Jun 15;61(6):2300499. doi: 10.1183/13993003.00499-2023. 

Projects
Impact of Hotspot-Targeted Vaccine Strategies
TB Modelling and Analysis Consortium (TB-MAC)
A User-Friendly Epidemic-Economic Model of Diagnostic Tests for Tuberculosis
Comparative Cost-Effectiveness of TB Contact Tracing in Geographic
Comparative Effectiveness of Rapid TB Diagnostics in Uganda
Comparative Effectiveness of TB Diagnostics in Uganda
Comparative Effectiveness/Implementation of TB Case Finding in Rural South...
Epidemiological Impact of Geographically Targeted Strategies
Impact of TB Prevention in New York City
Modeling the public health impact, affordability and cost-effectiveness of HIV
Modeling the Reproducibility of Blood Assays for TB Infection
Pathways to Private-Sector TB Diagnosis in India
UCSF-GIVI Center for AIDS Research
User-Friendly Models of TB Diagnostic Strategies
WO 10: Modeling Impact for Novel TB Drug Regimens
Kharituwe: Innovative Contact Tracing Strategies for Mobile Populations in South Africa
STOMP TB: An evaluation of TB transmission in urban Uganda
Modeling TB hotspots and transmission potential in Dhaka
Modeling the laboratory network for diagnosis of infectious diseases in Ghana
3HP Options: A trial of options for TB preventive therapy in Uganda
Simulation of HIV Epidemic among Baltimore’s MSM
Cost-effectiveness of comparing two Intervention Mapping implementation approaches for improving ART adherence among PWID in Vietnam.
Ultra Curto TB