Michael Marks
@drmichaelmarks.bsky.social
NIHR Research Professor
Professor of Medicine at LSHTM.
Lead for Integrated Academic Training at LSHTM.
Consultant in Infectious Diseases at UCLH.
Syphilis & STIs, Neglected Tropical Diseases, Emerging Infectious Diseases, Group A Strep, Pragmatic Trials
Professor of Medicine at LSHTM.
Lead for Integrated Academic Training at LSHTM.
Consultant in Infectious Diseases at UCLH.
Syphilis & STIs, Neglected Tropical Diseases, Emerging Infectious Diseases, Group A Strep, Pragmatic Trials
Fabulous meeting in Zimbabwe @thruzim.bsky.social for PROMISE Trial
Investigating STI screening in 12,000 women in antenatal care thruzim.org/hiv-srh-1/promise
Great team across clinical, stats, economics, social science, genomics & basic science to allow us to tackle a wide range of questions
Investigating STI screening in 12,000 women in antenatal care thruzim.org/hiv-srh-1/promise
Great team across clinical, stats, economics, social science, genomics & basic science to allow us to tackle a wide range of questions
November 13, 2025 at 1:51 PM
Fabulous meeting in Zimbabwe @thruzim.bsky.social for PROMISE Trial
Investigating STI screening in 12,000 women in antenatal care thruzim.org/hiv-srh-1/promise
Great team across clinical, stats, economics, social science, genomics & basic science to allow us to tackle a wide range of questions
Investigating STI screening in 12,000 women in antenatal care thruzim.org/hiv-srh-1/promise
Great team across clinical, stats, economics, social science, genomics & basic science to allow us to tackle a wide range of questions
Partner notification is a key part of STI care but uptake in many LMIC settings is low.
Our RCT in Zimbabwe tried to improve uptake via financial incentives.
Results out in Lancet Global Health.
tl;dr Answer was no. Possibly as incentive only averted indirect costs of care & that wasn't enough.
Our RCT in Zimbabwe tried to improve uptake via financial incentives.
Results out in Lancet Global Health.
tl;dr Answer was no. Possibly as incentive only averted indirect costs of care & that wasn't enough.
Financial incentives to improve uptake of partner treatment for sexually transmitted infections in antenatal care: a cluster randomised trial in Zimbabwe
Financial incentives did not address barriers to index participants informing partners,
and ultimately did not improve partner attendance for STI treatment. Multifaceted
packages addressing barriers f...
www.thelancet.com
November 13, 2025 at 8:03 AM
Partner notification is a key part of STI care but uptake in many LMIC settings is low.
Our RCT in Zimbabwe tried to improve uptake via financial incentives.
Results out in Lancet Global Health.
tl;dr Answer was no. Possibly as incentive only averted indirect costs of care & that wasn't enough.
Our RCT in Zimbabwe tried to improve uptake via financial incentives.
Results out in Lancet Global Health.
tl;dr Answer was no. Possibly as incentive only averted indirect costs of care & that wasn't enough.
Reposted by Michael Marks
Registration is open for Strep GBI 2026, bringing together ECRs and experts to highlight cutting-edge research focused on crucial aspects of Streptococcal biology.
📌 Durham
🗓️ March 30/31 2026.
🌐 strepgbi.wixsite.com/strep-gbi.
Registration and abstracts
👉 pay.durham.ac.uk/event-durham...
📌 Durham
🗓️ March 30/31 2026.
🌐 strepgbi.wixsite.com/strep-gbi.
Registration and abstracts
👉 pay.durham.ac.uk/event-durham...
November 12, 2025 at 9:10 AM
Registration is open for Strep GBI 2026, bringing together ECRs and experts to highlight cutting-edge research focused on crucial aspects of Streptococcal biology.
📌 Durham
🗓️ March 30/31 2026.
🌐 strepgbi.wixsite.com/strep-gbi.
Registration and abstracts
👉 pay.durham.ac.uk/event-durham...
📌 Durham
🗓️ March 30/31 2026.
🌐 strepgbi.wixsite.com/strep-gbi.
Registration and abstracts
👉 pay.durham.ac.uk/event-durham...
UK Infection & related specialty clinicians - we would like your views on the design of RCTs to optimise treatment of Enterococcal bacteraemia.
Relevant for ID, microbiology, cardiologists etc.
Relevant for ID, microbiology, cardiologists etc.
Treatment of ENterococcus Trial (TENT) clinical attitudes and equipoise survey
Take this survey powered by surveymonkey.com. Create your own surveys for free.
www.surveymonkey.com
November 10, 2025 at 12:55 PM
UK Infection & related specialty clinicians - we would like your views on the design of RCTs to optimise treatment of Enterococcal bacteraemia.
Relevant for ID, microbiology, cardiologists etc.
Relevant for ID, microbiology, cardiologists etc.
Two syphilis/STI related UK PhD Studentships with our group:
Evaluating near-patient syphilis tests with @uclglobalhealth.bsky.social inyurl.com/aw9sapma deadline 5th Dec 2025
Mathematical models to understand partner notification tinyurl.com/2re7xasj deadline 14th Jan 2026
Please do share
Evaluating near-patient syphilis tests with @uclglobalhealth.bsky.social inyurl.com/aw9sapma deadline 5th Dec 2025
Mathematical models to understand partner notification tinyurl.com/2re7xasj deadline 14th Jan 2026
Please do share
November 10, 2025 at 9:52 AM
Two syphilis/STI related UK PhD Studentships with our group:
Evaluating near-patient syphilis tests with @uclglobalhealth.bsky.social inyurl.com/aw9sapma deadline 5th Dec 2025
Mathematical models to understand partner notification tinyurl.com/2re7xasj deadline 14th Jan 2026
Please do share
Evaluating near-patient syphilis tests with @uclglobalhealth.bsky.social inyurl.com/aw9sapma deadline 5th Dec 2025
Mathematical models to understand partner notification tinyurl.com/2re7xasj deadline 14th Jan 2026
Please do share
Reposted by Michael Marks
PhD position (London, UK)
Develop a model of sexually transmitted infections and understand impact of partner notification on transmission of STIs.
with @dr_michaelmarks
at LSHTM
More details: http://iddjobs.org/jobs/2390
Develop a model of sexually transmitted infections and understand impact of partner notification on transmission of STIs.
with @dr_michaelmarks
at LSHTM
More details: http://iddjobs.org/jobs/2390
November 5, 2025 at 6:40 PM
PhD position (London, UK)
Develop a model of sexually transmitted infections and understand impact of partner notification on transmission of STIs.
with @dr_michaelmarks
at LSHTM
More details: http://iddjobs.org/jobs/2390
Develop a model of sexually transmitted infections and understand impact of partner notification on transmission of STIs.
with @dr_michaelmarks
at LSHTM
More details: http://iddjobs.org/jobs/2390
Reposted by Michael Marks
I'm doing a 10K run for charity in November on World AIDS day raising money for @thelovetankcic.bsky.social a fabulous UK sexual health community organisation.
Final call for any and all donations to a very worthwhile cause which are gratefully received!
Final call for any and all donations to a very worthwhile cause which are gratefully received!
2025 World AIDS Day RED RUN - PrEPster
Help Michael Marks raise money to support Positive East
www.justgiving.com
October 29, 2025 at 6:13 PM
I'm doing a 10K run for charity in November on World AIDS day raising money for @thelovetankcic.bsky.social a fabulous UK sexual health community organisation.
Final call for any and all donations to a very worthwhile cause which are gratefully received!
Final call for any and all donations to a very worthwhile cause which are gratefully received!
Want to do a PhD on syphilis diagnostics? In collaboration with @uclglobalhealth.bsky.social & @ukhsa.bsky.social we have a funded studentship available via the Health Protection Research Unit on Blood Borne & Sexually Transmitted Infections.
Deadline for applications: Friday 5th December 2025.
Deadline for applications: Friday 5th December 2025.
UCL – University College London
UCL is consistently ranked as one of the top ten universities in the world (QS World University Rankings 2010-2022) and is No.2 in the UK for research power (Research Excellence Framework 2021).
www.ucl.ac.uk
November 5, 2025 at 7:23 PM
Want to do a PhD on syphilis diagnostics? In collaboration with @uclglobalhealth.bsky.social & @ukhsa.bsky.social we have a funded studentship available via the Health Protection Research Unit on Blood Borne & Sexually Transmitted Infections.
Deadline for applications: Friday 5th December 2025.
Deadline for applications: Friday 5th December 2025.
Want to come and do a PhD on mathematical modelling & sexually transmitted infections?
Apply for an MRC funded PhD to come to @lshtm.bsky.social and work on understanding STI transmission dynamics in low resource settings & how we can optimise partner notification as a public health intervention.
Apply for an MRC funded PhD to come to @lshtm.bsky.social and work on understanding STI transmission dynamics in low resource settings & how we can optimise partner notification as a public health intervention.
2026-27 Project (Marks & Garnett) - MRC London Intercollegiate Doctoral Training Partnership Studentships
Mathematical modelling to optimise partner notification for sexually transmitted infections in low income settings SUPERVISORY...
mrc-lid.lshtm.ac.uk
November 4, 2025 at 2:59 PM
Want to come and do a PhD on mathematical modelling & sexually transmitted infections?
Apply for an MRC funded PhD to come to @lshtm.bsky.social and work on understanding STI transmission dynamics in low resource settings & how we can optimise partner notification as a public health intervention.
Apply for an MRC funded PhD to come to @lshtm.bsky.social and work on understanding STI transmission dynamics in low resource settings & how we can optimise partner notification as a public health intervention.
I'm doing a 10K run for charity in November on World AIDS day raising money for @thelovetankcic.bsky.social a fabulous UK sexual health community organisation.
Final call for any and all donations to a very worthwhile cause which are gratefully received!
Final call for any and all donations to a very worthwhile cause which are gratefully received!
2025 World AIDS Day RED RUN - PrEPster
Help Michael Marks raise money to support Positive East
www.justgiving.com
October 29, 2025 at 6:13 PM
I'm doing a 10K run for charity in November on World AIDS day raising money for @thelovetankcic.bsky.social a fabulous UK sexual health community organisation.
Final call for any and all donations to a very worthwhile cause which are gratefully received!
Final call for any and all donations to a very worthwhile cause which are gratefully received!
Kicking off day 3 Shanghai Syphilis Symposium.
There is still a huge amount we can learn from the historic studies to inform our understanding of syphilis immunology and vaccine development.
There is still a huge amount we can learn from the historic studies to inform our understanding of syphilis immunology and vaccine development.
October 22, 2025 at 12:11 AM
Kicking off day 3 Shanghai Syphilis Symposium.
There is still a huge amount we can learn from the historic studies to inform our understanding of syphilis immunology and vaccine development.
There is still a huge amount we can learn from the historic studies to inform our understanding of syphilis immunology and vaccine development.
Reposted by Michael Marks
The Streptococcus Great Britain & Ireland 2026 meeting will bring together ECRs and experts to highlight cutting-edge research focused on crucial aspects of Streptococcal biology, in Durham on March 30th/31st 2026. More information strepgbi.wixsite.com/strep-gbi. Registration opening soon.
September 8, 2025 at 10:19 AM
The Streptococcus Great Britain & Ireland 2026 meeting will bring together ECRs and experts to highlight cutting-edge research focused on crucial aspects of Streptococcal biology, in Durham on March 30th/31st 2026. More information strepgbi.wixsite.com/strep-gbi. Registration opening soon.
Day 2 of the Shanghai International Syphilis Symposium. Bridget Freyne highlighting the inadequacies of current surveillance definitions and mechanisms for congenital syphilis.
Algorithms are either to complex for LMIC implementation OR likely result in over investigation in HICs.
Algorithms are either to complex for LMIC implementation OR likely result in over investigation in HICs.
October 21, 2025 at 12:13 AM
Day 2 of the Shanghai International Syphilis Symposium. Bridget Freyne highlighting the inadequacies of current surveillance definitions and mechanisms for congenital syphilis.
Algorithms are either to complex for LMIC implementation OR likely result in over investigation in HICs.
Algorithms are either to complex for LMIC implementation OR likely result in over investigation in HICs.
Kicking off 3 solid days talking Syphilis at the Shanghai International Syphilis Symposium.
Covering epidemiology, diagnostics, treatment, vaccines and more with experts from around the world to drive forward the public health agenda.
Sessions online for those not able to be here in person.
Covering epidemiology, diagnostics, treatment, vaccines and more with experts from around the world to drive forward the public health agenda.
Sessions online for those not able to be here in person.
2025 SHANGHAI INTERNATIONAL SYPHILIS SYMPOSIUM
siss2025.webbsn.com
October 20, 2025 at 12:13 AM
Kicking off 3 solid days talking Syphilis at the Shanghai International Syphilis Symposium.
Covering epidemiology, diagnostics, treatment, vaccines and more with experts from around the world to drive forward the public health agenda.
Sessions online for those not able to be here in person.
Covering epidemiology, diagnostics, treatment, vaccines and more with experts from around the world to drive forward the public health agenda.
Sessions online for those not able to be here in person.
Kicking off our MAMS4CL @globalhealthedctp3.bsky.social consortium in Ethiopia.
We hope our multi arm multi stage trial will deliver better treatment options for Cutaneous Leishmaniasis, advance our understanding of pathogenesis and build a trial platform that can deliver for years to come.
We hope our multi arm multi stage trial will deliver better treatment options for Cutaneous Leishmaniasis, advance our understanding of pathogenesis and build a trial platform that can deliver for years to come.
October 17, 2025 at 6:46 AM
Kicking off our MAMS4CL @globalhealthedctp3.bsky.social consortium in Ethiopia.
We hope our multi arm multi stage trial will deliver better treatment options for Cutaneous Leishmaniasis, advance our understanding of pathogenesis and build a trial platform that can deliver for years to come.
We hope our multi arm multi stage trial will deliver better treatment options for Cutaneous Leishmaniasis, advance our understanding of pathogenesis and build a trial platform that can deliver for years to come.
Things for journals to improve.
Needing all author detail (emails, affiliations, contribution role etc) at submission stage.
Time consuming ++ & then paper desk rejected = hour wasted.
Some journals have made lots of improvements like unformatted submissions & this is one I would love to see!
Needing all author detail (emails, affiliations, contribution role etc) at submission stage.
Time consuming ++ & then paper desk rejected = hour wasted.
Some journals have made lots of improvements like unformatted submissions & this is one I would love to see!
October 9, 2025 at 9:03 AM
Things for journals to improve.
Needing all author detail (emails, affiliations, contribution role etc) at submission stage.
Time consuming ++ & then paper desk rejected = hour wasted.
Some journals have made lots of improvements like unformatted submissions & this is one I would love to see!
Needing all author detail (emails, affiliations, contribution role etc) at submission stage.
Time consuming ++ & then paper desk rejected = hour wasted.
Some journals have made lots of improvements like unformatted submissions & this is one I would love to see!
Apply by 30th October for Academic Infectious Diseases Training in London.
If you are thinking of applying to the @lshtm.bsky.social posts then get in touch with the scheme lead - me!
If you are thinking of applying to the @lshtm.bsky.social posts then get in touch with the scheme lead - me!
Applications open for Infectious Diseases Academic Clinical Fellowships.
Posts at Imperial (cc @grampospath.bsky.social) St Georges, KCL and LSHTM.
If interested in LSHTM posts get in touch.
KCL, Imperial, LSHTM jobs open to IMT2/3s to start at IMT3/ST4.
SGUL open to FY2s to start in IMT1
Posts at Imperial (cc @grampospath.bsky.social) St Georges, KCL and LSHTM.
If interested in LSHTM posts get in touch.
KCL, Imperial, LSHTM jobs open to IMT2/3s to start at IMT3/ST4.
SGUL open to FY2s to start in IMT1
url.uk.m.mimecastprotect.com
October 6, 2025 at 7:22 AM
Apply by 30th October for Academic Infectious Diseases Training in London.
If you are thinking of applying to the @lshtm.bsky.social posts then get in touch with the scheme lead - me!
If you are thinking of applying to the @lshtm.bsky.social posts then get in touch with the scheme lead - me!
Applications open for Infectious Diseases Academic Clinical Fellowships.
Posts at Imperial (cc @grampospath.bsky.social) St Georges, KCL and LSHTM.
If interested in LSHTM posts get in touch.
KCL, Imperial, LSHTM jobs open to IMT2/3s to start at IMT3/ST4.
SGUL open to FY2s to start in IMT1
Posts at Imperial (cc @grampospath.bsky.social) St Georges, KCL and LSHTM.
If interested in LSHTM posts get in touch.
KCL, Imperial, LSHTM jobs open to IMT2/3s to start at IMT3/ST4.
SGUL open to FY2s to start in IMT1
url.uk.m.mimecastprotect.com
October 2, 2025 at 12:30 PM
Applications open for Infectious Diseases Academic Clinical Fellowships.
Posts at Imperial (cc @grampospath.bsky.social) St Georges, KCL and LSHTM.
If interested in LSHTM posts get in touch.
KCL, Imperial, LSHTM jobs open to IMT2/3s to start at IMT3/ST4.
SGUL open to FY2s to start in IMT1
Posts at Imperial (cc @grampospath.bsky.social) St Georges, KCL and LSHTM.
If interested in LSHTM posts get in touch.
KCL, Imperial, LSHTM jobs open to IMT2/3s to start at IMT3/ST4.
SGUL open to FY2s to start in IMT1
Interested in a global health PhD?
The LSHTM-Wellcome Trust Create PhD scheme will open shortly:
www.create-phd.org
Open to UK registered health-care professionals inc. doctors, nurses & allied-health professionals.
If you want advice or support with an application I'd be happy to discuss.
The LSHTM-Wellcome Trust Create PhD scheme will open shortly:
www.create-phd.org
Open to UK registered health-care professionals inc. doctors, nurses & allied-health professionals.
If you want advice or support with an application I'd be happy to discuss.
HOME | CREATE PhD Programme
PhD Programme for Africa Health Research, providing fellowships for UK and African researchers. A consortium of 5 UK and 6 African partner institutions, including LSHTM, KCL, SGUL, QMUL, BSMS, Zambart...
www.create-phd.org
September 25, 2025 at 7:57 AM
Interested in a global health PhD?
The LSHTM-Wellcome Trust Create PhD scheme will open shortly:
www.create-phd.org
Open to UK registered health-care professionals inc. doctors, nurses & allied-health professionals.
If you want advice or support with an application I'd be happy to discuss.
The LSHTM-Wellcome Trust Create PhD scheme will open shortly:
www.create-phd.org
Open to UK registered health-care professionals inc. doctors, nurses & allied-health professionals.
If you want advice or support with an application I'd be happy to discuss.
Reposted by Michael Marks
Ever since I learned about this study enrolling I have been eagerly awaiting the results. Researchers in Uganda took a centuries-old cultural practice mothers carrying babies on their backs in cloth wraps and turned it into a public health tool. You got to love it!
www.nejm.org/doi/full/10....
www.nejm.org/doi/full/10....
Permethrin-Treated Baby Wraps for the Prevention of Malaria | NEJM
Malaria remains a major cause of childhood death in sub-Saharan Africa. We leveraged
the traditional practice of mothers carrying children on their backs in cloth wraps
to assess whether treating t...
www.nejm.org
September 24, 2025 at 9:13 PM
Ever since I learned about this study enrolling I have been eagerly awaiting the results. Researchers in Uganda took a centuries-old cultural practice mothers carrying babies on their backs in cloth wraps and turned it into a public health tool. You got to love it!
www.nejm.org/doi/full/10....
www.nejm.org/doi/full/10....
Reposted by Michael Marks
The @ukhsa.bsky.social STI Reference Lab has identified a strain of Neisseria gonorrhoeae which evades detection on the Cepheid Xpert CT/GC Assay.
Read more in our eurosurveillance article
www.eurosurveillance.org/content/10.2...
Read more in our eurosurveillance article
www.eurosurveillance.org/content/10.2...
Detection and characterisation of Xpert CT/NG assay Neisseria gonorrhoeae diagnostic escape mutants, England, June 2025
We report the timely detection of a strain of Neisseria gonorrhoeae which was confirmed as a diagnostic escape mutant on the Cepheid Xpert CT/NG assay in England in June 2025. The reason for assay failure was a likely recombination event with Neisseria meningitidis, which removed both assay target sites. Seven historical putative Xpert CT/NG assay diagnostic escape mutants were also identified following subsequent in silico screening of gonococcal genome collections, but currently there is no evidence of widespread circulation.
www.eurosurveillance.org
September 11, 2025 at 5:00 PM
The @ukhsa.bsky.social STI Reference Lab has identified a strain of Neisseria gonorrhoeae which evades detection on the Cepheid Xpert CT/GC Assay.
Read more in our eurosurveillance article
www.eurosurveillance.org/content/10.2...
Read more in our eurosurveillance article
www.eurosurveillance.org/content/10.2...
Reposted by Michael Marks
In early October we will be hosting an open evening on Academic Clinical Fellowships & Lectureships in Infectious Diseases across all the London programmes.
These are integrated clinical academic training programmes for doctors training in the UK.
You can sign up here: forms.gle/T867P8qQ2SMvvHhZ9
These are integrated clinical academic training programmes for doctors training in the UK.
You can sign up here: forms.gle/T867P8qQ2SMvvHhZ9
forms.gle
September 3, 2025 at 10:46 AM
In early October we will be hosting an open evening on Academic Clinical Fellowships & Lectureships in Infectious Diseases across all the London programmes.
These are integrated clinical academic training programmes for doctors training in the UK.
You can sign up here: forms.gle/T867P8qQ2SMvvHhZ9
These are integrated clinical academic training programmes for doctors training in the UK.
You can sign up here: forms.gle/T867P8qQ2SMvvHhZ9
In early October we will be hosting an open evening on Academic Clinical Fellowships & Lectureships in Infectious Diseases across all the London programmes.
These are integrated clinical academic training programmes for doctors training in the UK.
You can sign up here: forms.gle/T867P8qQ2SMvvHhZ9
These are integrated clinical academic training programmes for doctors training in the UK.
You can sign up here: forms.gle/T867P8qQ2SMvvHhZ9
forms.gle
September 3, 2025 at 10:46 AM
In early October we will be hosting an open evening on Academic Clinical Fellowships & Lectureships in Infectious Diseases across all the London programmes.
These are integrated clinical academic training programmes for doctors training in the UK.
You can sign up here: forms.gle/T867P8qQ2SMvvHhZ9
These are integrated clinical academic training programmes for doctors training in the UK.
You can sign up here: forms.gle/T867P8qQ2SMvvHhZ9
Whenever I see stories like the below. I am reminded of the excellent paper @felly500.bsky.social shared from @thelancet.com www.thelancet.com/journals/lan... Showed that mostly expensive new drugs generate less impact than investing the same amount into other areas of health.
NHS to lose out on new drugs, pharma firm Novartis warns
The claims from pharmaceutical giant Novartis comes amid a row over drug pricing deals.
www.bbc.co.uk
August 27, 2025 at 3:37 PM
Whenever I see stories like the below. I am reminded of the excellent paper @felly500.bsky.social shared from @thelancet.com www.thelancet.com/journals/lan... Showed that mostly expensive new drugs generate less impact than investing the same amount into other areas of health.
Exited to announce 2 EDCTP consortiums led @lshtm.bsky.social w partners in Europe & West, East & Southern Africa
MAMS4CL will deliver seamless Phase 2-3 trial of treatments for Cutaneous Leishmaniasis.
IVMKIDS will provide data on paediatric dosing ivermectin down to 5kg/weight for STH & Scabies.
MAMS4CL will deliver seamless Phase 2-3 trial of treatments for Cutaneous Leishmaniasis.
IVMKIDS will provide data on paediatric dosing ivermectin down to 5kg/weight for STH & Scabies.
August 21, 2025 at 8:28 AM
Exited to announce 2 EDCTP consortiums led @lshtm.bsky.social w partners in Europe & West, East & Southern Africa
MAMS4CL will deliver seamless Phase 2-3 trial of treatments for Cutaneous Leishmaniasis.
IVMKIDS will provide data on paediatric dosing ivermectin down to 5kg/weight for STH & Scabies.
MAMS4CL will deliver seamless Phase 2-3 trial of treatments for Cutaneous Leishmaniasis.
IVMKIDS will provide data on paediatric dosing ivermectin down to 5kg/weight for STH & Scabies.