Projects per year
Personal profile
Biography
Professor Eric Chow [PhD, MScMed(ClinEpid), MBiostat, MPH, MApplSc(Bioinf), FRSPH, FRSN] is an STI epidemiologist and biostatistician based at the Melbourne Sexual Health Centre (MSHC) at The Alfred Hospital. He heads the Health Data Management and Biostatistics Unit and co-heads the Clinical Evaluation Unit at MSHC and is a Professor at School of Translational Medicine, Monash University. He is also an Honorary Principal Fellow at the Melbourne School of Population & Global Health, The University of Melbourne. He is named Australia's top researcher in the field of Sex & Sexuality (2024).
Prof Chow completed his PhD at the Kirby Institute, University of New South Wales in 2014. He holds four Master's qualifications in Applied Science (Bioinformatics), Public Health, Biostatistics and Clinical Epidemiology. He was a recipient of an NHMRC Early Career Fellowship (2015-2018), NHMRC Emerging Leadership Investigator Grant EL2 (2020-2024) and NHMRC Leadership Investigator Grant L1 (2025-2029). He received an NHMRC Research Excellence Award for the highest-ranked application in the Emerging Leadership category of Investigator Grant EL2 (2019), and the Commonwealth Health Minister's Award for Excellence in Health and Medical Research (2020). He was also awarded the Australian Museum Eureka Prize for Infectious Diseases (2022), which is Australia's top science award and is commonly referred as the "Oscars" for Australian Science.
Prof Chow's research program aims to improve the treatment, prevention and control of sexually transmitted infections (STI), with a particular focus on gonorrhoea and human papillomavirus (HPV).
Gonorrhoea is one of the most common STIs and it is a global public health threat because the rates of infection are increasing at an alarming rate, and it is becoming increasingly resistant to the last first-line antibiotics. Prof Chow's research program has developed a new paradigm of gonorrhoea transmission. He has led the investigation of gonorrhoea transmission via saliva and kissing, which have significant impacts on reinforcing current safe sex messages and interventions. He is currently undertaking an NHMRC-funded multicentre randomised controlled trial using mouthwash as a preventive strategy for oropharyngeal gonorrhoea. His research program has also focused on the evaluation of the national school-based HPV vaccination program. His work has demonstrated the public health benefits of the female HPV vaccination program in Australia (introduced in 2007) for females and heterosexual males. He is currently evaluating and monitoring the clinical and public health benefits of the universal HPV vaccination (introduced in 2013) for males. His work on HPV has helped to inform HPV guidelines abroad.
Prof Chow also communicates closely with the Government and community-based organisations in order to improve the health and well-being of the Australian population.
Prof Chow has a strong track record with >380 peer-reviewed publications including first or senior-author publications in The Lancet Infectious Diseases, The Lancet HIV, Emerging Infectious Diseases, Clinical Infectious Diseases and Journal of Infectious Diseases. He holds an h-index of 54 and his papers have been cited over 10500 times. Prof Chow is an Associate Editor or a member of the Editorial Board for 6 medical journals. He was the President of the Sexual Health Society of Victoria (2020-2023). He has been on the organising committee for the International Union Against Sexually Transmitted Infections (IUSTI) Asia-Pacific Congress held in Okayama, Japan (2016) and Auckland, New Zealand (2018). He was Co-convenor of the 2021 Joint Australasian HIV&AIDS and Sexual Health Conferences, and the Congress President of the 2024 IUSTI (International Union against Sexually Transmitted Infections) World Congress. He has been an external reviewer for NHMRC Project Grants (2016-) and the Health and Medical Research Fund in Hong Kong (2015-).
Monash teaching commitment
MPH5020 Introduction Epidemiology and Biostatistics (2014-2015)
MPH5041 Introductory Biostatistics (2015)
MPH5213 Research Methods (2014)
Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals
In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):
Education/Academic qualification
Biostatistics, MBiostats, University of Melbourne
Public Health, MPH, University of New South Wales (UNSW)
HIV/STI Epidemiology, PhD, University of New South Wales (UNSW)
Bioinformatics, MApplSc, University of Sydney
Clinical Epidemiology, MScMed(ClinEpid), University of Sydney
Forensic Biology, BSc, University of Technology (UTS) Sydney
External positions
President, Sexual Health Society of Victoria Inc
Jul 2020 → …
Honorary Principal Fellow, University of Melbourne
2020 → …
Treasurer, Sexual Health Society of Victoria Inc
2017 → Jul 2020
Research area keywords
- HIV/AIDS
- Biostatistics
- Epidemiology
- Health Promotion
- Human Papillomavirus
- Preventive Medicine
- Program evaluation
- Sexual Behavior
- Sexually Transmitted Diseases
- Gonorrhoea
- Syphilis
- HPV
- Vaccination
- Mouthwash
- Transmission Dynamics
- sexually transmitted infections
Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years
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Optimising the use of antibiotics for sexually transmitted infections to improve antimicrobial stewardship
Chow, E. (Primary Chief Investigator (PCI))
1/01/25 → 31/12/29
Project: Research
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HYPER3: A cross-sectional study to evaluate the prevalence of human papillomavirus (HPV) in young men who have sex with men 10 years after the implementation of school-based universal male HPV vaccination program in Australia.
Chow, E. (Primary Chief Investigator (PCI)), Chen, M. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Fairley, C. (Chief Investigator (CI)) & Williamson, D. A. (Chief Investigator (CI))
MSD (Merck Sharp & Dohme Australia) Pty Ltd
1/01/23 → 31/12/25
Project: Research
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Novel strategies for improving syphilis testing and control
Chen, M. (Primary Chief Investigator (PCI)), Williamson, D. A. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Hocking, J. S. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Chow, E. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Temple-Smith, M. J. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Ong, J. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Tomnay, J. E. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Fairley, C. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Zhang, L. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Kaldor, J. M. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Bilardi, J. (Associate Investigator (AI)), Wigan, B. (Project Manager) & Pasricha, S. (Associate Investigator (AI))
National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) (Australia), Melbourne Sexual Health Centre
1/04/21 → 31/03/26
Project: Research
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HOPE: Ending HIV transmission by Optimizing Pre-exposure prophylaxis in East Asia (HOPE)
Ong, J. (Primary Chief Investigator (PCI)), Zhang, L. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Phillips, T. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Chow, E. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Lee, D. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Fairley, C. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Grulich, A. E. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Bavinton, B. R. (Chief Investigator (CI)) & Schmidt, H. M. A. (Associate Investigator (AI))
1/01/22 → 31/12/24
Project: Research
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Pooled STI testing: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Chow, E. (Primary Chief Investigator (PCI)) & Ong, J. (Chief Investigator (CI))
WHO - World Health Organization (Headquarters)
20/03/21 → 20/05/21
Project: Research
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Accuracy of symptom checker for the diagnosis of sexually transmitted infections using machine learning and Bayesian network algorithms
Soe, N. N., Towns, J. M., Latt, P. M., Woodberry, O., Chung, M., Lee, D., Ong, J. J., Chow, E. P. F., Zhang, L. & Fairley, C. K., Dec 2024, In: BMC Infectious Diseases. 24, 1, 17 p., 1408.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review
Open Access -
A typology of HIV self-testing support systems: a scoping review
Tran, A., Tran, N., Tapa, J., Tieosapjaroen, W., Fairley, C. K., Chow, E. P. F., Zhang, L., Baggaley, R. C., Johnson, C. C., Jamil, M. S. & Ong, J. J. (Leading Author), 1 Jul 2024, In: Sexual Health. 21, 4, 17 p., SH24037.Research output: Contribution to journal › Review Article › Research › peer-review
Open Access1 Citation (Scopus) -
Chlamydia retesting remains low among young women in Australia: an observational study using sentinel surveillance data, 2018–2022
Munari, S. C., Wilkinson, A. L., Asselin, J., Owen, L., Read, P., Finlayson, R., Martin, S., Bell, C., O’Connor, C. C., Carter, A., Guy, R., McNulty, A., Varma, R., Chow, E. P. F., Fairley, C. K., Donovan, B., Stoove, M., Goller, J. L., Hocking, J. & Hellard, M. E. & 1 others, , 19 Feb 2024, In: Sexual Health. 21, 2, 10 p., SH23178.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review
Open Access -
Combinations of Sexual Activities During a Sex Episode with Recent Casual Male Partner Among Men Who Have Sex with Men: A Cross-Sectional Study
Tran, J. (Leading Author), Fairley, C. K., Ong, J. J., Aung, E. T. & Chow, E. P. F. (Leading Author), 2024, In: The Journal of Sex Research. 61, 6, p. 968–973 6 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review
Open Access4 Citations (Scopus) -
Economic evaluation alongside a clinical trial of near-to-patient testing for sexually transmitted infections
Zhang, Y., Vodstrcil, L. A., Htaik, K., Plummer, E. L., De Petra, V., Sen, M. G., Williamson, D. A., Owlad, M., Murray, G., Chow, E. P., Fairley, C. K., Bradshaw, C. S. & Ong, J. J., Jul 2024, In: Journal of Infection and Public Health. 17, 7, 8 p., 102447.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review
Open Access
Prizes
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2015 AEA Early Career Researcher Travel Award
Chow, E. (Recipient), 2015
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)
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2016 AMREP Public Health Research Early-Career Researcher Best Paper Award
Chow, E. (Recipient), 13 Dec 2016
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)
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2017 AMREP Public Health Research Early-Career Researcher Best Paper Award
Chow, E. (Recipient), 1 Nov 2017
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)
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2017 ASHA Mid-Career Interdisciplinary Achiever Award
Chow, E. (Recipient), 9 Nov 2017
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)
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2017 Dean's Award for Excellence in Research (Early Career)
Chow, E. (Recipient), 10 Aug 2017
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)
Activities
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Joint Australasian HIV&AIDS and Sexual Health Conferences 2022
Chow, E. (Session chair)
31 Aug 2022Activity: Participating in or organising an event types › Contribution to conference
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British Association for Sexual Health and HIV Annual Conference 2022
Chow, E. (Keynote/plenary speaker)
21 Jun 2022Activity: Participating in or organising an event types › Contribution to conference
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Joint Australasian HIV&AIDS and Sexual Health Conferences 2022
Chow, E. (Member of programme committee)
29 Aug 2022 → 1 Sept 2022Activity: Participating in or organising an event types › Contribution to conference
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British Association for Sexual Health and HIV Annual Conference 2022
Chow, E. (Speaker)
20 Jun 2022Activity: Participating in or organising an event types › Contribution to conference
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Joint Australasian HIV&AIDS and Sexual Health Conferences 2022
Chow, E. (Invited speaker)
31 Aug 2022Activity: Participating in or organising an event types › Contribution to conference
Press/Media
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Spatial mapping of gonorrhoea in Victoria
8/03/22 → 11/03/22
8 Media contributions
Press/Media: Research
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