Departmental Affiliations
Center & Institute Affiliations
David Dowdy, MD, PhD ’08, ScM ’02, studies the implementation of interventions to fight tuberculosis, the world's most deadly infectious disease.
Contact Info
Research Interests
infectious diseases; tuberculosis; HIV; epidemiology; mathematical modeling; implementation science; infectious disease dynamics; health economics
Additional Links
Experiences & Accomplishments
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.