Claire Bristow, PhD, MPH, MSc

Claire C. Bristow, PhD, MPH, MSc is an epidemiologist focused on prevention, diagnostics and genomics for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) including HIV. She utilizes advanced quantitative and molecular methods to reveal the underlying mechanisms driving the spread of infections. Dr. Bristow is now working to improve technology to detect antimicrobial resistant Neisseria gonorrhoeae and ways to halt the epidemic of resistance. Dr. Bristow received a master’s degree in Global Health and Development from the Institute for Child Health at University College London. She completed her master’s in public health and PhD in epidemiology at University of California Los Angeles. From 2009 – 2012, Dr. Bristow was a senior research associate for the U.S. Centers for Disease Control in the Division of Tuberculosis Elimination and the Global AIDS Program in South Africa. More recently, Dr. Bristow’s research focused on dual elimination of HIV and syphilis and she co-founded dualelimination.org. In this work, Dr. Bristow has conducted comprehensive evaluations of dual rapid tests for the simultaneous detection of HIV infection and syphilis. In addition, Dr. Bristow is committed to improving point-of-care diagnostics for other STIs as well as implementing multiplex molecular diagnostic approaches in global settings. Dr. Bristow co-authored a textbook chapter for the American Society for Microbiology Press Molecular Microbiology: Diagnostic Principles and Practice textbook entitled “Diagnostic Approaches to Genitourinary Tract Infections”. In 2020, Dr. Bristow was presented with the prestigious Young Investigator Award from the American Sexually Transmitted Diseases Association (ASTDA). The ASTDA Young Investigator Award is presented to a person engaged in outstanding work in the field of sexually transmitted diseases.