Reiko Miyahara

Reiko Miyahara serves as a Visiting Associate Professor at Tokyo Medical and Dental University (TMGH) with concurrent appointments at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health's Takemi Program in International Health (2021–present) and the Center for Surveillance, Immunization and Epidemiologic Research at Japan's National Institute of Infectious Diseases (2020–present). Her expertise spans respiratory diseases, infectious disease epidemiology, and outbreak investigation, with field experience in Thailand and The Gambia.

Her academic credentials include:

• MD
• MSc
• PhD

Dr. Miyahara's research focuses on:

• Tuberculosis transmission dynamics
• Coronavirus outbreak clusters
• HIV-coinfection diagnostics
• Genomic epidemiology
• Public health surveillance systems

She employs whole-genome sequencing and biomarker analysis to investigate transmission patterns in high-burden settings, particularly examining neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratios in TB screening and tuberculin skin test limitations among HIV populations. Her work bridges molecular biology and field epidemiology to improve outbreak response.

Recent publications (2019–2021) demonstrate consistent emphasis on infectious disease clusters in Japan and Thailand. Key contributions include genomic analysis of TB transmission networks, evaluation of diagnostic tools for HIV-TB coinfection, and detailed characterization of familial and community COVID-19 spread. These studies integrate epidemiological surveillance with genetic and immunological data to inform public health interventions during pandemics.

Dr. Miyahara has directed international health initiatives as a Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) long-term expert in Thailand (2017–2019), developing disease control programs at the Ministry of Public Health. Her collaborative projects involve institutions including the National Center for Global Health and Medicine's Genome Medical Science Project (2019–present) and MRC Unit The Gambia (2014–2015).

She actively contributes to research teams at the National Institute of Infectious Diseases' surveillance center and the National Center for Global Health and Medicine, focusing on real-time outbreak investigation, genomic epidemiology, and innovative diagnostic approaches for tuberculosis and emerging respiratory pathogens in resource-limited settings.