Rein Houben

Rein Houben is Professor of tuberculosis epidemiology at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. He trained in epidemiology and spent three years running tuberculosis (TB) field studies in North Malawi during his PhD. He currently co-leads the LSHTM TB modelling group, where he combines empirical data with mathematical modelling tools to better address key scientific and policy questions, while providing opportunities for training and career development of individuals.

His research has focused on developing modelling tools for use and ownership by high-burden countries to inform the understanding of and response to their TB epidemic. In recent years he has contributed widely to thinking and quantification around the spectrum of TB disease, including asymptomatic TB, exploring the challenges and opportunities provided by these new insights to reduce the impact of TB on individuals and their communities. Together with partners in South Africa and Cambodia he also works on look to better map the many ways post-TB consequences affect TB survivors and their communities, and how we can provide post-TB care where it is needed. Another area of interest is how the many, and interrelated, structural determinants of TB, such as nutrition, climate health, incarceration and poverty affect TB epidemiology and interventions. His work has contributed extensively to national, regional and global policy decisions, and continues to do so.

For FAST-TB he leads the PACE track, working to understand the relative potential of different interventions and their combinations in the context of new natural history, and addressing cross-consortium and cross-track modelling questions that contribute to the wider FAST-TB vision.