Professor Shabbar Jaffar

Chair of Epidemiology

Joined LSTM on 1st July 2015. Previously Professor of Epidemiology at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM).

Lived in The Gambia (3-years), Uganda (6 months), South Africa (12 months – on sabbatical) and Malawi (6 months).

  • FRCP (2011, Edinburgh) (non-clinical fellow)
  • PhD Epidemiology (2001, LSHTM)
  • MSc Biometry (1990, Reading University)

Background in global health trials of management strategies for HIV-infection and associated co-infections. Currently focussed on studies on the prevention and management of HIV-infection, diabetes and hypertension, funded by the NIHR and EU.

Research grants:

NIHR. Controlling chronic diseases in Africa: development and evaluation of an integrated community-
based management for HIV-infection, diabetes and hypertension in Tanzania and Uganda. £4.0m.
Role: Principal Applicant joint with Prof Moffat Nyirenda, MRC/UVRI/LSHTM in Uganda. 2020-2024

Joint Global Health Trials Scheme (MRC/WT/DFID/NIHR). Fluconazole plus flucytosine vs fluconazole alone for cryptococcal antigen-positive patients identified through screening: A randomised trial. £4.5m. Role: Co-applicant (Principal Applicants: Dr Nelesh Govender, Wits University South Africa, and Dr Sile Molloy, St Georges University of London). 2021-2025

EDCTP. Preventing and delaying the development of diabetes in Africa: a randomised placebo controlled double-blind phase III trial of metformin in HIV-infected persons with pre-diabetes. £3.5m. Role: Principal Applicant. [This programme involves a large donation of investigational medicinal product from Merck Pharma]. £3.5m 

Horizon 2020. Integrating and decentralising diabetes and hypertension services in Africa. £4.0m. Role: co-ordinator. 2018 – 2022      

NIHR Global Health Research Group on prevention and management of non-communicable diseases and HIV-infection in Africa. Role Director. £2m. 2016 – 2021

Wellcome Trust Malawi Epidemiology and Intervention Research Unit: addressing public health research. priorities through partnership. £5,000,000. 2012 to 2016. Strategic Award (co-applicant).

EDCTP (European and Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership). Approximately £3m. Reduction of early mortality among HIV-infected subjects starting antiretroviral therapy in Tanzania and Zambia: a randomised trial (The REMSTART trial). co-PI. 2011 – 2015

UK Medical Research Council. A phase III randomised controlled trial of oral fluconazole plus flucytosine versus amphotericin B-based therapy for one or two weeks for initial treatment of HIV-associated cryptococcal meningitis. Approx £3.0m. Role: co-applicant (PI Prof Tom Harrison, St Georges Medical School University of London).   2011-2017

Other relevant expertise, professional memberships etc.:

Panel member, Global Health (UF-5), Swedish Research Council (2015 -

Chair, EDCTP Scientific Advisory Committee (2008-2013).

Joint Editor, Tropical Medicine and International Health (2004 – 2015)

Selected publications