Karen R. Jacobson, MD, MPH

Associate Professor, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine

Biography

Dr. Karen Jacobson is an Associate Professor of Medicine in the Section of Infectious Diseases, Chobanian and Avedisian School of Medicine, with a secondary appointment in the Department of Epidemiology, Boston University School of Public Health. Dr. Jacobson’s research focuses on the epidemiology of tuberculosis, including identification of biological and social determinants of and risk factors for tuberculosis infection and disease (including drug resistant tuberculosis) and approaches for improving tuberculosis outcomes in resource-limited settings. Dr. Jacobson is the Medical Director of the Boston Medical Center Tuberculosis Clinic and has established a highly productive collaboration with researchers in Cape Town, South Africa. Her work has particular emphasis in understanding how substance use impacts on tuberculosis transmission and response to therapy.

Publications

  • Published 7/23/2026

    Campbell JI, Brooks MB, Dankovchik J, Giebultowicz S, Falkenstein A, Angier H, Horsburgh CR, Tschampl CA, Haberer JE, Bressler J, Epstein RL, Jenkins HE, Jacobson KR. Uncovering Household Tuberculosis Infection Testing and Care Patterns Using a Novel Bioinformatics Linkage Strategy. Clin Infect Dis. 2026 Jul 23; 83(1):e167-e176. PMID: 41668263.

    Read at: PubMed

  • Published 6/19/2026

    Kulkarni SG, Marin MG, Mann BC, Rawoot N, Goodwin S, Cesare N, Warren RM, Jacobson KR, Farhat MR. Within-host pathogen population diversity predicts treatment response in Tuberculosis. medRxiv. 2026 Jun 19. PMID: 42369478.

    Read at: PubMed

  • Published 6/1/2026

    Murnane PM, Xia F, Afshar M, Brown JL, Chamie G, Cook RL, Couture MC, DiClemente RJ, Fatch R, Ferguson T, Francis JM, Haberer JE, Jacobson KR, Justice AC, Kapiga S, Kim TW, Krupitsky E, Marcus GM, Molina PE, Muyindike WR, Myers B, Page K, Phillips SA, Piano MR, Richards VL, So-Armah K, Stewart S, Sulkowski MS, Tien PC, Woolf-King S, Hahn JA. Exploring Phosphatidylethanol Cutoffs for Self-Reported Unhealthy Alcohol Use: An International Multi-Site Analysis. Alcohol Clin Exp Res (Hoboken). 2026 Jun; 50(6):e70361. PMID: 42345465.

    Read at: PubMed

  • Published 5/20/2026

    Wijk M, Denti P, Gausi K, Myers B, Carney T, White LF, Theron D, Parry CDH, Horsburgh CR, Rawoot N, Warren RM, Court R, Kulkarni SG, Farhat MR, Buys C, Malatesta S, Weber SE, Kulkarni S, McIlleron H, Jacobson KR, Kloprogge F. Insights into the Role of Rifampicin Exposure and Clinical Baseline Covariates on the Response to Pulmonary Tuberculosis Treatment. Clin Infect Dis. 2026 May 20; 82(5):e1014-e1022. PMID: 41133922.

    Read at: PubMed

  • Published 5/15/2026

    Campbell JI, Vachharajani O, Dubois MM, Martinez L, Christos PJ, Herlihy JM, Jenkins HE, Horsburgh CR, Jacobson KR, Powis KM. Tuberculosis in children who are HIV-exposed uninfected: A systematic review and metaanalysis. AIDS. 2026 May 15. PMID: 42138367.

    Read at: PubMed

View All 113 Publications:   View Full Profile in BUMC

Other Positions

  • Associate Professor, Epidemiology
    Boston University School of Public Health
  • Member, Evans Center for Interdisciplinary Biomedical Research
    Boston University

Websites

Education

  • Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, MD
  • Harvard School of Public Health, MPH
  • Yale University, BS

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