Karen R. Jacobson, MD, MPH
Associate Professor
Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine
Medicine
Infectious Diseases

MD, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
MPH, Harvard School of Public Health
BS, Yale University



Dr. Karen Jacobson is an Associate Professor of Medicine in the Section of Infectious Diseases, Chobanian and Avedisian School of Medicine, with a secondary appointment in the Department of Epidemiology, Boston University School of Public Health. Dr. Jacobson’s research focuses on the epidemiology of tuberculosis, including identification of biological and social determinants of and risk factors for tuberculosis infection and disease (including drug resistant tuberculosis) and approaches for improving tuberculosis outcomes in resource-limited settings. Dr. Jacobson is the Medical Director of the Boston Medical Center Tuberculosis Clinic and has established a highly productive collaboration with researchers in Cape Town, South Africa. Her work has particular emphasis in understanding how substance use impacts on tuberculosis transmission and response to therapy.

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility

I am an infectious disease physician and researcher committed to improving health outcomes for historically underrepresented populations in resource-limited high-burden settings and in our BMC community around Boston.

As a clinician, I serve as the Medical Director of the BMC Tuberculosis (TB) Clinic where I guide and provide direct patient care for a population primarily made up of recent immigrants from many parts of the world. I am part of a group of clinicians committed to offering and
developing standard operating procedures for cutting edge regimens and offering this to all who come for care.

As a researcher, my work focuses on the epidemiology of TB, including identification of biological and social determinants of and risk factors for TB infection and disease and approaches for improving TB outcomes in resource-limited, high-burden settings. Through two ongoing studies based in Worcester, South Africa, my team’s research has been able to investigate the interplay between illicit smoked substances and TB transmission and alcohol use and TB treatment outcomes, focusing on two key populations who are vulnerable to stigma and marginalization. I aim to treat our participants with respect and inclusion and to learn from them as partners.

My commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility is visible through my interest in training and mentoring new investigators in our BU/BMC community, including helping trainees and junior faculty identify their own niches and grow a diverse workforce committed to focusing on research that will improve healthcare outcomes and equity.

Associate Professor
Boston University School of Public Health
Epidemiology


Member
Boston University
Evans Center for Interdisciplinary Biomedical Research




Assessing the effects of HIV disease on TB and type 2 diabetes mellitus in a TB patient cohort in Western Cape Province, South Africa
01/01/2021 - 12/31/2021 (Key Person / Mentor)
Providence/Boston Center for AIDS Research NIH NIAID



Using care coordination to support vulnerable patients with risk of Tuberculosis Disease RENEWAL
07/01/2024 - 06/30/2027 (PI)
Massachusetts Dept. of Public Health / DPH


Using care coordination to support vulnerable patients with risk of Tuberculosis Disease
10/01/2023 - 06/30/2026 (PI)
Massachusetts Dept. of Public Health / DPH

Core L - The Providence/Boston Center for AIDS Research (CFAR) competitive renewal
07/01/2023 - 06/30/2026 (Subcontract PI)
PI: Karen R. Jacobson, MD, MPH
The Miriam Hospital NIH NIAID

An RNA nanosensor for the diagnosis of antibiotic resistance in M. tuberculosis
09/13/2023 - 08/31/2025 (Subcontract PI)
PI: Karen R. Jacobson, MD, MPH
Harvard Medical School NIH NIAID
1R01AI176498-01

Administrative Supplement to Transmission Of Tuberculosis Among illicit drug use Linkages (TOTAL)
08/01/2023 - 07/31/2025 (PI)
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases/NIH/DHHS
5R01AI147316-05

Transmission Of Tuberculosis Among illicit drug use Linkages (TOTAL)
08/01/2019 - 07/31/2025 (PI)
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases/NIH/DHHS
1R01AI147316-01

Investigating bacterial contributions to TB treatment response: a focus on in-host pathogen dynamics
09/22/2020 - 06/04/2025 (Subcontract PI)
PI: Karen R. Jacobson, MD, MPH
Harvard Medical School NIH NIAID
5R01AI155765-05

Evaluating the tuberculosis epidemic in South Africa using a novel ten year national cohort
04/13/2020 - 03/31/2025 (Multi-PI)
PI: Karen R. Jacobson, MD, MPH
DMMH - A Division of WITS Health Consortium NIH NIAID
1R01AI152126-01

MassCPR COVID biorepository work
10/01/2021 - 12/31/2024 (Subcontract PI)
PI: Karen R. Jacobson, MD, MPH
Harvard Medical School China Evergrande Gr


An RNA Based Phenotypic Assay for the Diagnosis of Antibiotic Resistance in M. Tuberculosis
09/13/2023 - 09/12/2024 (Subcontract PI)
PI: Karen R. Jacobson, MD, MPH
Harvard Medical School NIH NIAID
1R01AI176498-01

Showing 10 of 23 results. Show All Results

Title


Yr Title Project-Sub Proj Pubs
2023 Transmission Of Tuberculosis Among illicit drug use Linkages (TOTAL) 5R01AI147316-05
2022 Transmission Of Tuberculosis Among illicit drug use Linkages (TOTAL) 5R01AI147316-04
2022 SWG1: HIV/TB Scientific Working Group 5P30AI042853-24-7401
2021 Transmission Of Tuberculosis Among illicit drug use Linkages (TOTAL) 5R01AI147316-03
2021 SWG1: HIV/TB Scientific Working Group 5P30AI042853-23-7401 905
2020 Transmission Of Tuberculosis Among illicit drug use Linkages (TOTAL) 5R01AI147316-02
2020 The impact of alcohol consumption on TB treatment outcomes 5R01AI119037-05 3
2020 SWG1: HIV/TB Scientific Working Group 5P30AI042853-22-7401 905
2019 Transmission Of Tuberculosis Among illicit drug use Linkages (TOTAL) 1R01AI147316-01
2019 The impact of alcohol consumption on TB treatment outcomes 5R01AI119037-04 3
Showing 10 of 21 results. Show All Results

Publications listed below are automatically derived from MEDLINE/PubMed and other sources, which might result in incorrect or missing publications. Faculty can login to make corrections and additions.

iCite Analysis       Copy PMIDs To Clipboard

  1. Campbell JI, Brooks MB, Dankovchik J, Giebultowicz S, Falkenstein A, Angier H, Horsburgh CR, Tschampl CA, Haberer JE, Bressler J, Epstein RL, Jenkins HE, Jacobson K. Uncovering household tuberculosis infection testing and care patterns using a novel bioinformatics linkage strategy. Clin Infect Dis. 2026 Feb 11.View Related Profiles. PMID: 41668263; DOI: 10.1093/cid/ciag079;
     
  2. Tabackman A, Acuña-Villaorduña C, Canning M, Karoly M, Dauphinais MR, Michaud R, Bouton TC, Bourque DL, Reifler KA, Sabharwal V, Traber K, Gupte AN, Jacobson KR, Sinha P. Low TB1 and TB2 antigen-nil is associated with increased QuantiFERON Gold Plus reversions. Int J Tuberc Lung Dis. 2026 Jan 30; 30(2):88-89.View Related Profiles. PMID: 41618115
     
  3. Mann BC, Loubser J, Omar S, Glanz C, Ektefaie Y, Jacobson KR, Warren RM, Farhat MR. Systematic review and meta-analysis of protocols and sequencing yield for whole genome sequencing of Mycobacterium tuberculosis directly from sputum samples. Tuberculosis (Edinb). 2026 Mar; 157:102743. PMID: 41633150
     
  4. Carney T, Mpisane N, Magidson JF, Drainoni ML, Niemand N, Weber S, Meade CS, Jacobson KR, Myers B. "They Call Us Amaphara (Junkies)": Intersectional Tuberculosis, Alcohol, and Drug Stigma in South Africa. Stigma Health. 2025 Dec 15.View Related Profiles. PMID: 41693957; PMCID: PMC12900165; DOI: 10.1037/sah0000670;
     
  5. Malatesta S, Jacobson KR, Horsburgh CR, Farhat M, Carney T, Gile KJ, Kolaczyk ED, White LF. An Integrated Data-Driven Model for Clinical Phenotyping of Tuberculosis Disease Severity. medRxiv. 2025 Nov 27.View Related Profiles. PMID: 41358303; PMCID: PMC12676405; DOI: 10.1101/2025.11.25.25341018;
     
  6. Wijk M, Denti P, Gausi K, Myers B, Carney T, White LF, Theron D, Parry CDH, Horsburgh CR, Rawoot N, Warren RM, Court R, Kulkarni SG, Farhat MR, Buys C, Malatesta S, Weber SE, Kulkarni S, McIlleron H, Jacobson KR, Kloprogge F. Insights into the Role of Rifampicin Exposure and Clinical Baseline Covariates on the Response to Pulmonary Tuberculosis Treatment. Clin Infect Dis. 2025 Oct 24. PMID: 41133922; DOI: 10.1093/cid/ciaf586;
     
  7. Malatesta S, Carney T, Niemand Wolhuter N, Overbeck V, Theron D, Weber SE, Meade CS, Thomson S, Bouton TC, Farhat M, Myers B, Wood R, Ratangee F, Horsburgh CR, White LF, Warren RM, Jacobson KR. Tuberculosis Disease Prevalence Among People Who Smoke Illicit Drugs: A Respondent- Driven Sampling Study in the Western Cape, South Africa. J Infect Dis. 2025 Oct 08.View Related Profiles. PMID: 41060285; DOI: 10.1093/infdis/jiaf481;
     
  8. Cohodes M, Fernandez A, Ashkin D, Reed C, Park S, Banaei N, Fung M, Jacobson K, Goswami ND. Curated cases from the TB expert network: Unplugged! Series: Use of plasma microbial cell-free DNA metagenomic sequencing to diagnose Mycobacterium tuberculosis. J Clin Tuberc Other Mycobact Dis. 2025 Dec; 41:100563. PMID: 41049022; PMCID: PMC12495230; DOI: 10.1016/j.jctube.2025.100563;
     
  9. Niemand N, Rooney JA, Malatesta S, Rawoot N, Bouton TC, Ragan EJ, Carney T, White LF, Farhat M, Horsburgh CR, Myers B, Warren RM, Jacobson KR. Contamination rates in serially sampled sputum specimens obtained during tuberculosis treatment to capture culture conversion. Microbiol Spectr. 2025 Oct 07; 13(10):e0096925.View Related Profiles. PMID: 40879468; PMCID: PMC12502799; DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.00969-25;
     
  10. Martins MF, Teran Plasencia JM, Jacobson KR, Bouton TC, Traber KE, Canning M, Bourque DL, Sabharwal V, Michaud R, Sinha P, Acuña-Villaorduña CJ. Rifampin versus isoniazid completion rates for TB infection. Int J Tuberc Lung Dis. 2025 Aug 29; 29(9):425-427.View Related Profiles. PMID: 40883884; DOI: 10.5588/ijtld.25.0237;
     
Showing 10 of 103 results. Show More

This graph shows the total number of publications by year, by first, middle/unknown, or last author.

Bar chart showing 103 publications over 18 distinct years, with a maximum of 15 publications in 2025

YearPublications
19992
20021
20101
20112
20122
20133
20152
20162
20173
20188
20195
20206
202112
202211
202313
202412
202515
20263
In addition to these self-described keywords below, a list of MeSH based concepts is available here.

alcohol
drug resistant tuberculosis
global health
spatial mapping
tuberculosis

Available to Mentor as: (Review Mentor Role Definitions):
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Contact for Mentoring:

771 Albany St
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