F.C.M. van Leth MD MSc PhD

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MD MSc PhD F.C.M. van Leth

Positions
Associate Professor, Full Professor
Main activities
Education, Research, Other
Specialisation
epidemiology and research methodology
Focus of research

Tuberculosis and HIV

Epidemiological research methodology

Drug-resistance

Public Health

Key publications
  • Ginting Franciscus, Sugianli Adhi Kristianto, Bijl Gidion, Saragih Restuti Hidayani, Kusumawati R. Lia, Parwati Ida, de Jong Menno D., Schultsz Constance, van Leth Frank Rethinking Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance: A Role for Lot Quality Assurance Sampling American journal of epidemiology 2019;188 (4):734-742 [PubMed]
  • Günther Gunar, Lange Christoph, Alexandru Sofia, Altet Neus, Avsar Korkut, Bang Didi, Barbuta Raisa, Bothamley Graham, Ciobanu Ana, Crudu Valeriu, Danilovits Manfred, Dedicoat Martin, Duarte Raquel, Gualano Gina, Kunst Heinke, de lange Wiel, Leimane Vaira, Magis-Escurra Cecile, McLaughlin Anne-Marie, Muylle Inge, Polcová Veronika, Popa Christina, Rumetshofer Rudolf, Skrahina Alena, Solodovnikova Varvara, Spinu Victor, Tiberi Simon, Viiklepp Piret, van Leth Frank Treatment Outcomes in Multidrug-Resistant Tuberculosis New England journal of medicine 2016;375 (11):1103-1105 [PubMed]
  • Lange Christoph, Duarte Raquel, Fréchet-Jachym Mathilde, Guenther Gunar, Guglielmetti Lorenzo, Olaru Ioana D., Oliveira Olena, Rumetshofer Rudolf, Veziris Nicolas, van Leth Frank Limited Benefit of the New Shorter Multidrug-Resistant Tuberculosis Regimen in Europe American journal of respiratory and critical care medicine 2016;194 (8):1029-1031 [PubMed]
  • van Leth Frank, Evenblij Kirsten, Wit Ferdinand, Kiers Albert, Sprenger Herman, Verhagen Maurits, Hillebregt Mariska, Kalisvaart Nico, Schimmel Henrieke, Verbon Annelies TB-HIV co-infection in the Netherlands: estimating prevalence and under-reporting in national registration databases using a capture-recapture analysis Journal of epidemiology and community health 2016;70 (6):556-560 [PubMed]
  • van Leth F., van der Werf M. J., Borgdorff M. W. Prevalence of tuberculous infection and incidence of tuberculosis: a re-assessment of the Styblo rule Bulletin of the World Health Organization 2008;86 (1):20-26 [PubMed]
All Publications
Curriculum Vitae

MD: 1989, University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands
MSc: 2000, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, United Kingdom; epidemiology
PhD: 2005, University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands; infectious diseases

2011-to date: Senior epidemiologist, Department of Global Health, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam Institute for Global Health and Development, The Netherlands
a. design, implement, and analyze studies in the field of infectious diseases
b. supervise national and international PhD and Master students
c. research capacity building in low-income countries
d. head of data management unit

2005-2010: Senior epidemiologist, KNCV Tuberculosis Foundation, The Netherlands
a. providing technical research assistance to national tuberculosis programmes
b. design, implement, and analyze epidemiological and operational research programmes
c. research capacity building in low-income countries
d. supervisor of MSc and PhD students

2005-2010: Senior epidemiologist, Center for Poverty-related Communicable Diseases, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands
a. design, implement and analyze studies in the field of infectious diseases
b. including clinical trials and cohort studies

2003-2005: Treating HIV-physician, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands

2000-2005: Clinical epidemiologist, International Antiviral Therapy Evaluation Center, The Netherlands
a. design, implement and analyze studies in the field of HIV/AIDS
b. including clinical trials and cohort studies

 

Research programmes

MD MSc PhD F.C.M. van Leth (Applied research methodology in global health)

Global health has the emphasis on improving health and achieving equity in health for all people worldwide. It addresses transnational health issues, determinants, and solutions; involves many disciplines within and beyond the health sciences and promotes inter- disciplinary collaboration; and is a synthesis of population- based prevention with individual-level clinical care.

Such a multi-focused and multi-tiered discipline requires a strong interdisciplinary research approach if it wants to be able to address all these domains. Interdisciplinarity requires novel or modified research methodology that suits the research question under investigation.

Design and validation of research methodology is historically performed in well-described disciplines. There is traditionally not much “borrowing” or “combining” of research methodology between these disciplines.

My research focusses on applying transdisciplinary research methodologies to pertinent global health questions. This includes novel approaches to measure disease occurrence, to estimate efficacy of interventions, and to measure impact at the level of the health system or the general population.

In recent years, my work focused on Lot Quality Assurance Sampling (LQAS) as a method to obtain timely and locally relevant estimates of antimicrobial drug resistance. I applied this method on retrospective data (tuberculosis, urinary tract infection), as well as implemented a fully LQAS-based drug-resistance survey in Indonesia. The findings and experiences from this work are now taken-up to be applied to other areas of disease surveillance in the Netherlands.

My work is not limited to a single disease area, but my experience makes that projects are often within the field of tuberculosis and/or HIV.