Christopher Berger

Christopher Berger, MD, MSIMT serves as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Medicine at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) School of Medicine. Clinically based at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital, he is a key member of the UCSF Division of Pulmonary Critical Care Medicine. His academic appointments span multiple UCSF centers including the Center for Vulnerable Populations, Institute for Global Health Sciences, and UCSF Center for Tuberculosis.

His educational background includes:

• B.Phil in International Health from University of Pittsburgh (2006)
• Master's in Tropical Medicine and International Health from Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (2007)
• MD from University of Pittsburgh (2012)
• Internal Medicine Residency at UCSF (2015)
• Fellowship in Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine at UCSF (2019)
• Currently completing a Master's in Clinical Research at UCSF

Berger's research focuses on improving tuberculosis screening, diagnosis, and treatment programs globally through implementation science and human-centered design principles. His work specifically addresses tuberculosis preventive therapy, digital adherence technologies, and HIV/TB co-infection management in resource-limited settings. He collaborates extensively with Dr. Adithya Cattamanchi on projects in the Philippines targeting MDR and XDR TB diagnostic tools, and in Uganda redesigning the globally utilized Directly Observed Therapy toolkit.

His 15 most recent publications (2020-2024) reveal a strong concentration on tuberculosis preventive therapy implementation, particularly the 3HP regimen for people living with HIV in Uganda. The research consistently applies implementation science frameworks and human-centered design methodologies to improve TB treatment adherence through digital technologies. A significant portion of his work examines barriers and facilitators to implementing digital adherence technologies in low-resource settings, with a focus on patient-centered solutions.

Berger currently serves as Principal Investigator on an NIH K23 grant (K23HL156784, 2021-2026) titled 'Digital adherence technologies to facilitate completion of short-course tuberculosis preventive therapy among people living with HIV,' reflecting his leadership in this specialized research area.

His global health work spans California, Uganda, and the Philippines, with particular emphasis on health equity for vulnerable populations affected by tuberculosis. Berger's research bridges clinical medicine, public health implementation, and technology innovation to address critical gaps in tuberculosis care delivery worldwide.