Programme of events

Tuesday May 2nd 2006

'The AIDS epidemic - whose problem is it?'

Jim Todd, The London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine

About us

Links

FAQS

Title: Senior Lecturer

Disciplines: Epidemiology, Statistics.

Research areas: HIV/AIDS, Infectious disease, Sexually transmitted disease, Statistical methods, Surveillance.

Background

I came to epidemiology through an unconventional route, having dropped out of school at 15. After travel, joining and leaving a religious commune, I obtained a degree in Maths and a PGCE to teach Maths at Secondary school level. I worked as a teacher in Tanzania for three years, where I met my wife, and came back to do the MSc in Biometry at Reading University. I gained practical experience in Tropical Epidemiology during 3 years working in the MRC Labs in the Gambia and 7 years with the different projects in Mwanza, Tanzania. I am still actively involved in sustainable development, and support for activities in Tanzania. I am also the Secretary of the local association of AUT within the School.

Teaching

I teach on several different study units in the School, and organise a linear unit in Term 1, Analysis and Design of Research Studies. I also organise a study unit in Term 2, Data Processing and Analysis, which highlights the importance of data management in research studies. In 2004 I am organising the 23rd European Course in Tropical Epidemiology, which will run from 9th-24th Sept 2004 at LSHTM. I am the Research Degrees Co-ordinator for the Infectious Disease Epidemiology Unit.

Research

My current research interests are the epidemiology and control of HIV and STD. I am involved in statistical aspects for the design and analysis of public health interventions against several other infectious diseases. I also collaborate on projects looking at malaria immunology, and recently I have joined the editorial board of Parasite Immunology. I am proud to be part of the highly-regarded MRC Tropical Epidemiology Group in LSHTM. Since 2002, I have been the research degree coordinator for the Infectious Disease Epidemiology unit.

Selected publications

• Todd J, Changalucha J, Ross DA, Mosha F, Obasi AIN, Plummer M, Balira R, Grosskurth H, Mabey DCW, Hayes R. The sexual health of pupils in years 4 to 6 of primary schools in rural Tanzania. Sexually Transmitted Infections 2004;880:35-42.
• Todd J, Carpenter L, Li X, Nakiyingi J, Gray R, Hayes R. The effects of alternative study designs on the power of community randomized trials: evidence from three studies of HIV prevention in East Africa. International Journal of Epidemiology 2003;32:755-762.
• de Souza B, Todd J, Krishegowda G, Gowda DC, Kwiatkowski D, Riley EM. Prevalence and boosting of antibodies to Plasmodium falciparum glycosylphosphatidylinositols and evaluation of their association with protection from mild and severe clinical malaria. Infection and Immunity 2002;70:5045-5051.
• Todd J, Munguti K, Grosskurth H, Mngara J, Changalucha J, Mayaud P, Mosha F, Gavyole A, Mabey D, Hayes R. Risk factors for active syphilis and TPHA seroconversion in a rural African population. Sex. Transm. Inf. 2001;77:37-45.
• Todd J, Balira R, Grosskurth H, Mayaud P, Mosha F, ka-Gina G, Klokke A, Gabone R, Gavyole A, Mabey D, Hayes R. HIV-associated adult mortality in a rural Tanzanian population. AIDS 1997,11:801-807.
• Grosskurth H, Mosha F, Todd J, Mwijarubi E, Klokke A, Senkoro K, Mayaud P, Changalucha J, Nicoll A, ka-Gina G, Newell J, Mugeye K, Mabey D, Hayes R: Impact of improved treatment of sexually transmitted diseases on HIV Infection in rural Tanzania: randomised controlled trial. The Lancet 1995; 346: 530-36.