Molly Forrest Franke, SD

Dr. Franke is a global health researcher whose work brings the rigor of epidemiology to intractable infections (tuberculosis [TB], cholera, HIV, SARS-CoV-2) and chronic diseases (diabetes, hypertension depression) that disproportionately affect the poor or socially-marginalized. Her work has spanned a range of settings including Peru, Haiti, Rwanda, Mexico, Papua New Guinea, and the United States.

Franke’s current work has two broad objectives. The first is improve the health of children and adolescents affected by TB and HIV. She is the PI of a Peru-based pediatric tuberculosis diagnostic study that aims to identify the best non-sputum-based specimens from which to detect TB in children. She also leads intervention work in Peru that aims to improve the health and well-being of adolescents and young adults living with HIV through the provision of health navigation and social support and through youth-friendly modalities, such as music videos (https://vimeo.com/280933246).

The second objective of her work is to ensure that care and treatment of health conditions that disproportionately affect the poor and socially marginalized is guided by the highest possible quality of evidence. To this end, she seeks to identify and apply the best epidemiologic methods for addressing critical knowledge gaps related to interventions and treatment.  Her past work has included the development and validation of questionnaires; design of studies to assess the effectiveness of cholera interventions, including vaccination; and assessment of community-based programs for care and treatment of HIV, tuberculosis, mental health, diabetes and hypertension. Franke currently holds funding from the National Institutes of Health to improve the evidence base guiding treatment of drug-resistant TB through the application and adaptation of statistical methods commonly used in other fields.