EMD student spotlight series: Tejaswini DV

This series highlights the amazing students in the Yale School of Public Health’s Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases (EMD) program. This month we’re focusing on students who are studying tuberculosis (TB). In this spotlight, Tejaswini (Teju) DV, MPH ’24, tells us about the program and some of her exciting research.

Tell us a little about yourself and what inspired you to pursue an MPH in EMD?

Teju: I was trained in health economics at the London School of Economics and worked in consultancy for a while where I was involved in projects analyzing the cost-effectiveness of various health interventions and advising governments on optimal resource allocation strategies. Through this work, I realized the need to delve deeper into the epidemiological aspects of infectious diseases like TB and HIV to make a lasting impact on population health. The MPH program at Yale's School of Public Health caught my attention due to its multidisciplinary approach integrating various aspects of infectious diseases. The opportunity to work with renowned faculty, tailor my coursework, and combine my economics background with advanced epidemiological training drew me to Yale. Ultimately, my passion stems from a desire to contribute to the global fight against devastating diseases like TB through impactful research informing evidence-based policies and interventions.

What is the current focus of your research?

The COVID-19 pandemic caused widespread disruptions to TB programs, more in some countries than others. However most countries saw substantial reductions in the number of patients being diagnosed and started on treatment. For my MPH thesis, I’m looking to understand which factors are associated most strongly with the reductions in TB notifications across countries.

What are some of the most significant findings or innovations from your TB research?

The intensity with which countries responded to the pandemic, in terms of the stringency of the lockdown measures they implemented, had a much stronger association with TB service disruptions than the intensity of the pandemic itself (in terms of COVID-related mortality). Countries with better functioning TB programs saw bigger disruptions as they probably had more to lose. These impacts also vastly differ within different WHO regions, which makes it even more interesting to see which factors were protective versus disruptive for a given country.

Which emerging trends or technologies in TB research do you find most exciting?

There’s so much novel and exciting research emerging in the field that it’s hard to pick. However, I think the recent innovations in diagnostics are very promising. Currently, about 40% of people who are living with TB are untreated and undiagnosed. While most countries with a high TB burden are making great strides in screening for TB, rapid and accurate methods of diagnosing TB (especially drug-resistant TB), are critical for effective treatment and control of the disease. The progress in the development of TB diagnostics ranges from biomarker-based assays to computer-aided detection for digital chest radiography — but the success of these innovations is highly dependent on these tools being accessible to neglected communities in need.

Where do you see TB research heading in the next few years, and what role do see yourself playing in that future?

I hope my research will help guide planning the resilience of TB programs against future health system shocks, especially pandemics. I’m working on identifying countries (and subsequent economic, social, and policy factors) that were able to cope with the pandemic without seeing subsequent disruptions to other health programs. Using a ‘lessons learned’ approach, we could use these insights to inform how we approach future pandemics and health system shocks to prevent any further health program disruptions.

How has the EMD Department supported your research and academic goals?

The EMD Department organizes regular seminars where leading researchers present their work, exposing students to novel research methodologies and findings. We also have the opportunity to pursue a summer internship, where I began preliminary research on my thesis topic with a fantastic team of TB modelers at Imperial College London. Students are also encouraged to assist professors with their ongoing research projects, allowing for hands-on experience with advanced techniques and data analysis methods. The department's commitment to providing diverse learning opportunities, access to renowned faculty, and exposure to cutting-edge research has enriched my academic journey.

What advice would you give to prospective students considering applying to the EMD training programs at Yale?

One of the biggest pieces of advice I have would be to take advantage of the low student-to-faculty ratio and seek out mentorship opportunities with the distinguished EMD faculty. The close-knit community fosters excellent guidance and support. I think it’s also key to explore the diverse learning opportunities beyond coursework and gain experiences tailored to your interests.

It’s also really helpful that the program has a multidisciplinary approach to integrating ecological, clinical, cellular, immunologic, and molecular aspects of infectious diseases, which truly provides a holistic understanding of the field. You also can take advantage of the flexibility to tailor your coursework and research focus to align with your specific goals, whether it's disease modeling, molecular epidemiology, implementation science, or other areas.

Overall, the EMD programs at Yale School of Public Health offer a unique opportunity to gain advanced training in infectious disease epidemiology from world-class faculty, while benefiting from a supportive community and tailored learning experiences. Prospective students should be prepared for a rigorous yet rewarding academic journey.