Brooke Nichols, PhD

Associate Professor, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine

Biography

Brooke Nichols, PhD, MSc, is an infectious disease mathematical modeller and health economist specializing in transmission dynamics, implementation modeling, and optimal resource allocation for pathogens including HIV, tuberculosis, SARS-CoV-2, and other pathogens of pandemic potential. Her work seeks to minimize the health and economic impact of infectious diseases through innovative quantitative approaches.

Dr. Nichols leads a multi-continental research team of quantitative scientists and modellers who integrate insights from clinical science, epidemiology, health economics, and mathematical modeling to develop actionable, evidence-based strategies. Her team advances novel quantitative methods and adapts existing frameworks to design cost-effective, scalable interventions aimed at reducing transmission, morbidity, and mortality. Their work has significantly influenced national and global health policies across critical public health domains. This includes contributing to evidence to normative guidance on HIV prevention and care (e.g., optimizing pre-exposure prophylaxis, scaling up HIV self-testing, improving viral load monitoring, and enhancing differentiated service delivery models), informing global strategies for the optimal use of diagnostics during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic (spanning mitigation, treatment, and surveillance), and guiding the development of World Health Organization’s Target Product Profiles (TPPs) for innovative diagnostics.

Publications

  • Published 4/14/2027

    Phillips AN, Sikwese K, Cambiano V, Bansi-Matharu L, Smith J, Sibanda E, Johnson C, Nichols BE, Mudimu E, Cowan FM, Revill P. Sustaining progress in HIV care in Africa with a transition to enabled self-care: a modelling study. Lancet Glob Health. 2027 Apr 14; 103943. PMID: 42372774.

    Read at: PubMed

  • Published 6/19/2026

    You S, Kim HY, Phillips AN, Citron DT, Kaftan D, Platais I, Bansi-Matharu L, Cambiano V, Nichols BE, Jo Y, Braithwaite RS, Mudimu E, Bershteyn A. Cost-Effectiveness of Differentiated Service Delivery for HIV Treatment: A Combined Mathematical Modeling Study of Four African Settings. Open Forum Infect Dis. 2026 Jun; 13(6):ofag257. PMID: 42325653.

    Read at: PubMed

  • Published 2/9/2026

    de Nooy A, Omar SV, Ockhuisen T, Zwerling A, Shrestha S, Suresh A, Khan S, Colman RE, Uplekar S, Rodwell TC, Ismail N, Grantz K, Girdwood S, Nichols BE. Cost-effectiveness of Targeted Next-Generation Sequencing for Tuberculosis Drug-resistance Testing as an Alternative to the Standard of Care in South Africa. Clin Infect Dis. 2026 Feb 09; 82(1):e119-e125. PMID: 40920587.

    Read at: PubMed

  • Published 2/9/2026

    Bezuidenhout C, Long L, Nichols B, Meyer-Rath G, Fox MP, Theron G, Fourie B, Olifant S, Penn-Nicholson A, Ruhwald M, Medina-Marino A. Sputum and Tongue Swab Molecular Testing for the In-Home Diagnosis of Tuberculosis in Unselected Household Contacts: A Cost and Cost-Effectiveness Analysis. Clin Infect Dis. 2026 Feb 09; 82(1):49-57. PMID: 40705837.

    Read at: PubMed

  • Published 2/9/2026

    Chevalier JM, Hansen MA, Blumel B, Chuchu V, Gleeson B, Ferreyra C, Khan S, Nichols BE, Grantz KH. Modeling the Impact and Cost of a Culture-Dependent Molecular Test for Antimicrobial Resistance in Resource-Limited Settings. Clin Infect Dis. 2026 Feb 09; 82(1):25-32. PMID: 40350685.

    Read at: PubMed

View All 136 Publications:   View Full Profile in BUMC

Websites

Education

  • Erasmus Universiteit Rotterdam, PhD
  • University of Massachusetts Amherst, MS
  • Mount Holyoke College, BA

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