2026-27 Project (Clark & White)

How should countries deliver new TB vaccines when risk factors are considered?

SUPERVISORY TEAM

Supervisor

Dr Rebecca Clark at LSHTM
Faculty of Epidemiology & Population Health, Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology and Dynamics
Email: rebecca.clark@lshtm.ac.uk

Co-Supervisor

Professor Richard White at LSHTM
Faculty of Epidemiology & Population Health, Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology and Dynamics
Email: richard.white@lshtm.ac.uk

PROJECT SUMMARY

Project Summary

How should countries deliver new TB vaccines when risk factors are considered? TB is the leading cause of death from a single infectious agent globally, and new TB vaccines have the potential to reduce this burden. The risk of TB infection and disease is increased due to risk factors impacting the immune system, such as undernutrition, diabetes and HIV, but it is unknown how vaccine effectiveness could vary based on risk factors, and how the country-specific prevalence of risk factors could alter the estimated vaccine impact. Countries need easily accessible tailored information regarding potential vaccine impact and cost-effectiveness in their settings to know how to prioritise vaccine delivery. The project will use mathematical modelling to explore the interaction between TB vaccines and underlying risk factors, and how that interaction affects overall country-specific estimated impact from vaccination.

Project Key Words

Tuberculosis; Vaccines; Modelling; Impact; Risk Factors

MRC LID Themes

  1. Infectious Disease
  2. Health Data Science
  3. Global Health

Skills

MRC Core Skills

  1. Quantitative skills
  2. Interdisciplinary skills

Skills we expect a student to develop/acquire whilst pursuing this project:

We would expect the student to develop/acquire skills in:

  • Data analysis, synthesis
  • Mathematical modelling, including model design, parameterisation, and fitting
  • Programming (e.g., R)
  • Stakeholder engagement and contribution to vaccine implementation policy

Routes

Which route/s are available with this project?

  • 1+4 = Yes
  • +4 = Yes

Possible Master’s programme options identified by supervisory team for 1+4 applicants:

  • LSHTM – MSc Control of Infectious Diseases
  • LSHTM – MSc Epidemiology
  • LSHTM – MSc Health Data Science
  • LSHTM – MSc Immunology of Infectious Diseases
  • LSHTM – MSc Medical Statistics

Full-time/Part-time Study

Is this project available for full-time study? Yes
Is this project available for part-time study? Yes

Location & Travel

Students funded through MRC LID are expected to work on site at their primary institution. At a minimum, all students must meet the institutional research degree regulations and expectations about onsite working and under this scheme they may be expected to work onsite (in-person) more frequently. Students may also be required to travel for conferences (up to 3 over the duration of the studentship), and for any required training for research degree study and training. Other travel expectations and opportunities highlighted by the supervisory team are noted below.

Day-to-day work (primary location) for the duration of this research degree project will be at: LSHTM – Bloomsbury, London

Travel requirements for this project: There will be no essential travel required, but the student will be encouraged to attend international conferences and visit with international collaborators.

Eligibility/Requirements

Particular prior educational requirements for a student undertaking this project

  • Minimum standard institutional eligibility criteria for doctoral study at LSHTM
  • The student would ideally have a background in quantitative data analysis (e.g., an MSc in Epidemiology, Control of Infectious Diseases, Public Health) or a mathematical background (e.g., a degree in maths, physics, engineering)
  • Previous research experience in programming (particularly in R), mathematical modelling, and/or TB is desired and would be advantageous, but is not essential.

Other useful information

  • Potential Industrial CASE (iCASE) conversion? = No

PROJECT IN MORE DETAIL

Scientific description of this research project

Tuberculosis (TB) is the leading single cause of infectious disease mortality, resulting in over 1.4 million deaths annually. The risk of TB infection and disease is increased due to risk factors impacting the immune system, such as undernutrition, diabetes and HIV. A new TB vaccine that can prevent disease in adolescents and adults would be useful to reduce the burden. There are numerous TB vaccine candidates in late-stage trials, with the potential for licensure and delivery by the end of the decade, but it is unknown how vaccine effectiveness could vary based on risk factors, and how the country-specific prevalence of risk factors could alter the estimated vaccine impact. To maximise the potential impact from vaccination, countries will need easily accessible tailored information regarding potential vaccine impact and cost-effectiveness in their settings to know how to prioritise vaccine delivery.

Aim:
The project will use mathematical modelling to explore the interaction between TB vaccines and underlying risk factors, and how that interaction may affect overall country-specific estimated impact from vaccination.

Project objectives:
The proposed objectives for the project are:

  1. Systematically review the literature on the impact of risk factors on vaccine effectiveness – How do risk factors which increase the risk of TB affect vaccine effectiveness (e.g., efficacy, durability)?
  2. Generate models to underlie a publicly available interactive tool (“VaxTB”) for countries to use to estimate the impact of vaccination strategies of various groups, accounting for potential interactions between risk factors and vaccines – What could the impact (measured as cases/deaths averted, cost effectiveness, and budget impact) of different strategies for vaccination be?
  3. Generate more detailed country-specific models for key high burden countries, including key risk groups, to estimate the impact of vaccination strategies – How can countries maximise vaccine delivery and impact accounting for potential reductions in vaccine effectiveness in risk groups?     

Techniques:
The project will involve data analysis and synthesis, the development and extension of dynamic transmission models, and model calibration using Bayesian methods and history matching with emulation.

Confirmed availability of any required databases or specialist materials:
The project will primarily use existing publicly available data sources. Access to high performance computing resources will be available for model calibration and results generation.

Potential risks:
The project aims will be achievable with existing data, and therefore there are no significant risks anticipated.

Further reading

Relevant preprints and/or open access articles:
(DOI = Digital Object Identifier)

Other pre-application materials: None

Additional information from the supervisory team

The supervisory team has provided a recording for prospective applicants who are interested in their project. This recording should be watched before any discussions begin with the supervisory team.

Clark & White Recording

MRC LID LINKS

To apply for a studentship: MRC LID How to Apply
Full list of available projects: MRC LID Projects
For more information about the DTP: MRC LID About Us

Comments are closed.