Projects per year
Personal profile
Biography
Associate Professor Eric Chow 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 at MSHC and is an Associate Professor at Central Clinical School, Monash University. He is also an Honorary Principal Fellow at the Melbourne School of Population & Global Health, The University of Melbourne.
A/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 awarded an NHMRC Early Career Fellowship to support his postdoctoral training at MSHC/Monash (2015-2018). He was awarded an NHMRC Emerging Investigator Grant (2020-2024). He received an NHMRC Research Excellence Award for the highest-ranked application in the Emerging Leadership category of Investigator Grant (2019), and the Commonwealth Health Minister's Award for Excellence in Health and Medical Research (2020) as the top-ranked recipient of the 2019 NHMRC Investigator Grant in the Emerging Leadership Level 2 Category.
A/Prof Chow's research program aims to improve 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 STI 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. A/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.
A/Prof Chow also communicates closely with the Government and community-based organisations in order to improve health and wellbeing for the Australian population.
A/Prof Chow has a strong track record with >200 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 30 and his papers have been cited over 2000 times. A/Prof Chow is an Associate Editor for the journals Sexual Health (2016-) and BMC Infectious Diseases (2017-). He is also the President of Sexual Health Society of Victoria (2020-). 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 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
HIV/STI Epidemiology, PhD, University of New South Wales
Bioinformatics, MApplSc, University of Sydney
Clinical Epidemiology, MScMed(ClinEpid), University of Sydney
Forensic Biology, BSc, University of Technology 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
Network
-
HOPE: Ending HIV transmission by Optimizing Pre-exposure prophylaxis in East Asia (HOPE)
Ong, J., Zhang, L., Phillips, T., Chow, E., Lee, D., Fairley, C., Grulich, A. E., Bavinton, B. R. & Schmidt, H. M. A.
1/01/22 → 31/12/24
Project: Research
-
Novel strategies for improving syphilis testing and control
Chen, M., Williamson, D. A., Hocking, J. S., Chow, E., Temple-Smith, M. J., Ong, J., Tomnay, J., Fairley, C., Zhang, L., Kaldor, J. & Wigan, B.
National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) (Australia), Melbourne Sexual Health Centre
1/04/21 → 31/03/26
Project: Research
-
Pooled STI testing: a systematic review and meta-analysis
WHO - World Health Organization Switzerland
20/03/21 → 20/05/21
Project: Research
-
Lessons from behavioural economics for getting to 0 new HIV infections among overseas born gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men
1/02/21 → 31/12/21
Project: Research
-
Comparison of the patterns of chlamydia and gonorrhoea at the oropharynx, anorectum and urethra among men who have sex with men
Tabesh, M. R., Fairley, C. K., Hocking, J. S., Williamson, D. A., Zhang, L., Xu, X., Bradshaw, C. S., Chen, M. Y. & Chow, E. P. F., Feb 2022, In: Sexually Transmitted Infections. 98, 1, p. 11-16 6 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review
6 Citations (Scopus) -
Timing of primary syphilis treatment and impact on the development of treponemal antibodies: A cross-sectional clinic-based study
Towns, J. M., Leslie, D. E., Denham, I., Azzato, F., Karapanagiotidis, T., Williamson, D. A., Graves, S. R., Fairley, C. K., Bissessor, M., Chow, E. P. F., Zhang, L. & Chen, M. Y., May 2022, In: Sexually Transmitted Infections. 98, 3, p. 161-165 5 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review
1 Citation (Scopus) -
A comparison of cotton-tipped and nylon flocked swabs for culture of Neisseria gonorrhoeae from oropharyngeal samples
Phillips, T. R., Tabesh, M., Fairley, C. K., Maddaford, K., Pasricha, S., Wigan, R., De Petra, V., Williamson, D. A. & Chow, E. P. F., Nov 2021, In: Diagnostic Microbiology and Infectious Disease. 101, 3, 4 p., 115455.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review
-
Age pattern of sexual activities with the most recent partner among men who have sex with men in Melbourne, Australia: A cross-sectional study
Kilner, A., Fairley, C. K., Burrell, S., Bradshaw, C. S., Chen, M. Y. & Chow, E. P. F., Jul 2021, In: BMJ Sexual & Reproductive Health. 47, 3, 7 p., e4.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review
6 Citations (Scopus) -
Antiseptic mouthwash for gonorrhoea prevention (OMEGA): a randomised, double-blind, parallel-group, multicentre trial
Chow, E. P. F., Williamson, D. A., Hocking, J. S., Law, M. G., Maddaford, K., Bradshaw, C. S., McNulty, A., Templeton, D. J., Moore, R., Murray, G. L., Danielewski, J. A., Wigan, R., Chen, M. Y., Guy, R. J., Zhang, L., Donovan, B., Grulich, A. E., Kaldor, J. M., Whiley, D. M., Cornelisse, V. J. & 4 others, , May 2021, In: The Lancet Infectious Diseases. 21, 5, p. 647-656 10 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review
13 Citations (Scopus)
Prizes
-
2015 AEA Early Career Researcher Travel Award
Chow, Eric (Recipient), 2015
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)
-
2016 AMREP Public Health Research Early-Career Researcher Best Paper Award
Chow, Eric (Recipient), 2016
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)
-
2017 AMREP Public Health Research Early-Career Researcher Best Paper Award
Chow, Eric (Recipient), 2017
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)
-
2017 ASHA Mid-Career Interdisciplinary Achiever Award
Chow, Eric (Recipient), 9 Nov 2017
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)
-
2017 Dean's Award for Excellence in Research (Early Career)
Chow, Eric (Recipient), Aug 2017
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)
Activities
-
Australasian Chapter of Sexual Health Medicine Annual Scientific Meeting 2021: Complexity, Challenges and Change in Sexual Health
Eric Chow (Invited speaker)
20 Mar 2021Activity: Participating in or organising an event types › Contribution to workshop, seminar, course
-
HIV, STI and PrEP use in the times of COVID-19
Eric Chow (Contributor)
3 Mar 2021Activity: Community Talks, Presentations, Exhibitions and Events › Public lecture/debate/seminar
-
Joint Australasian Sexual Health + HIV&AIDS Conferences
Eric Chow (Organiser)
6 Sep 2021 → 9 Sep 2021Activity: Participating in or organising an event types › Contribution to conference
-
Hitos en Investigación Básica y Clínica en VIH/SIDA 2020
Eric P.F. Chow (Invited speaker)
21 Feb 2020 → 22 Feb 2020Activity: Participating in or organising an event types › Contribution to conference
-
BEDx Talk: STI Forum
Eric Chow (Contributor)
30 Jan 2020Activity: Community Talks, Presentations, Exhibitions and Events › Public lecture/debate/seminar
Press / Media
-
Spatial mapping of gonorrhoea in Victoria
8/03/22 → 11/03/22
8 Media contributions
Press/Media: Research
-
-
-
Rise in gonorrhoea and antibiotic-resistant gonorrhoea
23/05/21
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Research
-
Kissing may be an important and neglected risk factor for oropharyngeal gonorrhoea: a cross-sectional study in men who have sex with men
9/05/19 → 11/05/19
8 Media contributions
Press/Media: Research