Eli Rosenberg

Dr. Rosenberg is an associate professor in the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics. His current primary appointment is Deputy Director for Science, in the Office of Public Health, at the New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH).

At UAlbany, his work centered on applied and analytic epidemiologic studies to address major public health challenges in HIV, STI, viral hepatitis, and emerging infectious diseases including COVID-19, with a focus on surveillance, prevention, and social determinants. He has specifically focused on sexual and racial minorities, persons who inject drugs, and the infectious disease disparities they face, with considerable effort spent on cohort, surveillance, and modeling studies. This work has occurred across a diverse portfolio of projects supported by NIH, CDC, and NYS DOH, and under the umbrella of the UAlbany Center for Collaborative HIV Research in Practice and Policy (CCHRPP).

Sample of activities at UAlbany

• Characterizing the COVID-19 epidemic in New York State. As the COVID-19 epidemic unfolded in New York during March 2020, our group worked closely with the NYSDOH and others to rapidly conduct studies on the natural history, treatment, social determinants, and extent of transmission of COVID-19. These high-impact studies helped to establish an evidence base from New York to inform other states, the US, and countries at the outset of the pandemic. See Google Scholar for recent publications. Rosenberg additionally provided expertise on COVID-19 epidemiology to the governor’s office, the SUNY system, the University at Albany, and in numerous local and national media appearances.

• University at Albany COVID-19 Surveillance Testing Program. Led by Drs. Andy Berglund of the RNA Institute and Udo and Rosenberg of the School of Public Health, this program was a cornerstone of University at Albany’s COVID-19 health strategy during the 2020-2021 academic year. The program tested the whole campus community for SARS-CoV-2 infection on an ongoing basis, using a saliva-based assay combined with a public health testing strategy.

• Projects to support New York State’s initiative to eliminate Hepatitis C in New York State. Together with Dr. Tomoko Udo, our team is conducting a series of activities to support the first state-level HCV elimination commitment in the United States, including:

1. Upstate Study for Infectious Disease Elimination (UPSIDE) and the annual Incidence Survey for Infectious Disease Elimination (InSIDE) - these projects have been assessing HIV and HCV prevalence, incidence, risk, and care among persons who inject drugs in New York communities
2. Evaluating pilot studies of innovative models for HCV care delivery – We are conducting the program evaluation for 3 DOH AIDS Institute-funded pilot programs to integrate HCV care into syringe exchange programs, in order to increase HCV treatment levels among PWID.
3. Coordination of data and metrics for the NYS Hepatitis C elimination initiative - In order to monitor progress towards 2030 elimination goals, an enhanced program of data and metrics is being developed.

• Coalition for Applied Modeling for Prevention (CAMP) - A broad and prolific portfolio of economic and epidemic modeling projects for directing national, state, and local disease prevention activities across HIV, viral hepatitis, STD, tuberculosis, and school health. Now in its second round of funding by the CDC National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention, CAMP is led by UAlbany in close collaboration with teams at Emory University, Johns Hopkins University, University of Washington, Georgia State University, and UC San Diego.

Sample of earlier completed studies

• Ele[men]t - A cohort study of HIV-negative young black MSM ages 18-29 in Atlanta to deepen understanding of the relationships between substances and HIV/STI incidence and risk behaviors, while providing real-world HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis implementation data. Funded by NIH/NIDA.
• Zika Persistence Study (Ziper) – A cohort study in Puerto Rico during the 2016-2017 Zika epidemic to understand the duration of detection of Zika in a variety of body fluids. This project contributed crucial epidemiological data crucial for informing guidelines for Zika diagnosis and prevention. The primary findings for Ziper can be found here. Funded and conducted by CDC.
• Involve[men]t - A cohort study that examined the individual, dyadic, and community level risk differences between black and white MSM in Atlanta, in order to explain the disparity in HIV and STI prevalence and incidence. Funded by NIH/NIMH.
• Modeling Approaches to Racial Disparities in Atlanta MSM (MARDHAM) - An agent-based modeling study of the HIV epidemic among MSM in Atlanta that aims to understand the drivers of the racial disparities in HIV infection. The primary findings from MARDHAM can be found here. Funded by NIH/NICHD.

Teaching

• EPI 502: Principles and Methods of Epidemiology II
• EPI 610: AIDS Epidemiology
• EPI 612: Quantitative Methods in Epidemiology

Learn more about Dr. Rosenberg's work

• Google Scholar Profile
• PubMed

Other Affiliations

• Senior epidemiologist, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
• Adjunct associate professor, Emory University Rollins School of Public Health, Department of Epidemiology and PRISM Health group, where he was primarily appointed from 2013-2017.