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



Transmission Of Tuberculosis Among illicit drug use Linkages (TOTAL)
08/01/2019 - 07/31/2024 (PI)
NIH-NIAID
1R01AI147316-01

Providence/Boston Center for AIDS Research(CFAR): HIV-TB SWG
07/01/2018 - 06/30/2023 (PI)
The Miriam Hospital National Institute o
5P30AI042853-23

MassCPR COVID biorepository work
10/01/2021 - 09/30/2022 (PI)
Harvard Medical School China Evergrande Gr

Investigating bacterial contributions to TB treatment response: a focus on in-host pathogen dynamics
09/22/2020 - 08/31/2022 (PI)
Harvard Medical School National Institutes

Deep sequencing of pathogens to precisely define transmissio
06/01/2021 - 05/31/2022 (PI)
Harvard School of Public Health National Institute o
5R01AI128344-05

an Evergrande COVID-19 Response Fund Award from the Massachusetts Consortium on Pathogen Readiness (“MassCPR”)
05/01/2020 - 04/30/2022 (PI)
Harvard Medical School China Evergrande Gr

Competitive Revision to Existing NIH Grants NIGMS - Predictive Models for the Spread of…
04/01/2020 - 03/31/2022 (PI)
Trustees of Boston University NIH-NIGMS

The impact of alcohol consumption on TB treatment outcomes
04/08/2016 - 03/31/2022 (PI)
NIH-NIAID
5R01AI119037-04

URBAN ARCH (3/5) Uganda Cohort- TB prevention therapy for HIV-infected alcohol drinkers in Uganda…
09/22/2016 - 08/31/2021 (PI)
The Regents of the University of California NIH-NIAAA

Biomarkers and Mechanisms of Paucibacillary and Latent Tuberculosis
11/01/2018 - 07/31/2021 (PI)
Rutgers The State University of New Jersey NIH-NIAID
5U19AI111276-08

Showing 10 of 16 results. Show All Results

Title


Yr Title Project-Sub Proj Pubs
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
2019 SWG1: HIV/TB Scientific Working Group 5P30AI042853-21-7401 905
Showing 10 of 20 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. Fofana AM, Moultrie H, Scott L, Jacobson KR, Shapiro AN, Dor G, Crankshaw B, Silva PD, Jenkins HE, Bor J, Stevens WS. Cross-municipality migration and spread of tuberculosis in South Africa. Sci Rep. 2023 Feb 15; 13(1):2674.View Related Profiles. PMID: 36792792; PMCID: PMC9930008; DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-29804-5;
     
  2. Bouton TC, Atarere J, Turcinovic J, Seitz S, Sher-Jan C, Gilbert M, White L, Zhou Z, Hossain MM, Overbeck V, Doucette-Stamm L, Platt J, Landsberg HE, Hamer DH, Klapperich C, Jacobson KR, Connor JH. Viral Dynamics of Omicron and Delta Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) Variants With Implications for Timing of Release from Isolation: A Longitudinal Cohort Study. Clin Infect Dis. 2023 Feb 08; 76(3):e227-e233.View Related Profiles. PMID: 35737948; PMCID: PMC9278204; DOI: 10.1093/cid/ciac510;
     
  3. Petros BA, Turcinovic J, Welch NL, White LF, Kolaczyk ED, Bauer MR, Cleary M, Dobbins ST, Doucette-Stamm L, Gore M, Nair P, Nguyen TG, Rose S, Taylor BP, Tsang D, Wendlandt E, Hope M, Platt JT, Jacobson KR, Bouton T, Yune S, Auclair JR, Landaverde L, Klapperich CM, Hamer DH, Hanage WP, MacInnis BL, Sabeti PC, Connor JH, Springer M. Early Introduction and Rise of the Omicron Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) Variant in Highly Vaccinated University Populations. Clin Infect Dis. 2023 Feb 08; 76(3):e400-e408.View Related Profiles. PMID: 35616119; PMCID: PMC9213864; DOI: 10.1093/cid/ciac413;
     
  4. Briggs J, Takahashi S, Nayebare P, Cuu G, Rek J, Zedi M, Kizza T, Arinaitwe E, Nankabirwa JI, Kamya M, Jagannathan P, Jacobson K, Rosenthal PJ, Dorsey G, Greenhouse B, Ssewanyana I, Rodríguez-Barraquer I. Seroprevalence of Antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 in Rural Households in Eastern Uganda, 2020-2022. JAMA Netw Open. 2023 Feb 01; 6(2):e2255978. PMID: 36790811; PMCID: PMC9932849; DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2022.55978;
     
  5. Muyindike WR, Fatch R, Cheng DM, Emenyonu NI, Forman L, Ngabirano C, Adong J, Linas B, Jacobson KR, Hahn JA. Unhealthy Alcohol Use Is Associated With Suboptimal Adherence to Isoniazid Preventive Therapy in Persons With HIV in Southwestern Uganda. J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr. 2022 Dec 15; 91(5):460-468.View Related Profiles. PMID: 36044285; PMCID: PMC9649866; DOI: 10.1097/QAI.0000000000003082;
     
  6. Malatesta S, Weir IR, Weber SE, Bouton TC, Carney T, Theron D, Myers B, Horsburgh CR, Warren RM, Jacobson KR, White LF. Methods for handling missing data in serially sampled sputum specimens for mycobacterial culture conversion calculation. BMC Med Res Methodol. 2022 Nov 19; 22(1):297.View Related Profiles. PMID: 36402979; PMCID: PMC9675206; DOI: 10.1186/s12874-022-01782-8;
     
  7. Turcinovic J, Schaeffer B, Taylor BP, Bouton TC, Odom-Mabey AR, Weber SE, Lodi S, Ragan EJ, Connor JH, Jacobson KR, Hanage WP. Understanding Early Pandemic Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Transmission in a Medical Center by Incorporating Public Sequencing Databases to Mitigate Bias. J Infect Dis. 2022 Nov 11; 226(10):1704-1711.View Related Profiles. PMID: 35993116; PMCID: PMC9452097; DOI: 10.1093/infdis/jiac348;
     
  8. Forman LS, Lodi S, Fatch R, Emenyonu NI, Adong J, Ngabirano C, Jacobson KR, Gerona R, Reckers AR, Gandhi M, Muyindike WR, Hahn JA. Agreement Between Measures of Adherence to Isoniazid Preventive Therapy Among People With HIV in Uganda. Open Forum Infect Dis. 2022 Oct; 9(10):ofac516.View Related Profiles. PMID: 36320196; PMCID: PMC9605696; DOI: 10.1093/ofid/ofac516;
     
  9. Briggs J, Takahashi S, Nayebare P, Cuu G, Rek J, Zedi M, Kizza T, Arinaitwe E, Nankabirwa JI, Kamya M, Jagannathan P, Jacobson K, Rosenthal PJ, Dorsey G, Greenhouse B, Ssewanyana I, Rodríguez-Barraquer I. Reconstructing the SARS-CoV-2 epidemic in eastern Uganda through longitudinal serosurveillance in a malaria cohort. medRxiv. 2022 Sep 21. PMID: 36172117; PMCID: PMC9516854; DOI: 10.1101/2022.09.20.22280170;
     
  10. Barocas JA, Savinkina A, Lodi S, Epstein RL, Bouton TC, Sperring H, Hsu HE, Jacobson KR, Schechter-Perkins EM, Linas BP, White LF. Projected Long-Term Impact of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Pandemic on Hepatitis C Outcomes in the United States: A Modeling Study. Clin Infect Dis. 2022 Aug 24; 75(1):e1112-e1119.View Related Profiles. PMID: 34499124; PMCID: PMC8522427; DOI: 10.1093/cid/ciab779;
     
Showing 10 of 65 results. Show More

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

Bar chart showing 65 publications over 15 distinct years, with a maximum of 13 publications in 2021

YearPublications
19992
20021
20101
20111
20122
20133
20152
20162
20173
20189
20195
20206
202113
202211
20234
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):
  • Advisor
  • Career Mentor
  • Project Mentor
  • Research / Scholarly Mentor
Contact for Mentoring:

771 Albany St
Boston MA 02118
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