Professor Lawrence Were Selected as CTSI KL2 Scholar

The BU Clinical & Translational Science Institute (CTSI) selected Assistant Professor of Health Sciences Lawrence Were as a 2020 KL2 Scholar. The KL2 Program supports outstanding researchers for their efforts in developing novel solutions focused on clinical and translational research.

CTSI’s KL2 program is a mentored career development program for BU’s most promising junior faculty and translational researchers. KL2 scholars participate in independent multidisciplinary research including researchers and mentors from at least two diverse disciplines.

Were’s research focuses on the application of health economics in the estimation of  impact of reforms within healthcare systems and health insurance programs on the outcomes of marginalized and high-risk populations, such as informal traders and HIV+ individuals, including pregnant women and their children. His research projects in Kenya, Ghana, and Nepal focus on global health and HIV/AIDS financing mechanisms, complex emergencies and disasters, and the geo-spatial aspects of public health.

Were was awarded his KL2 Fellowship for his project, “Health Insurance, Hospitalizations, and Decision Making Among HIV/TB Co-infected.”  He seeks to gain expertise in “big data” evaluation of the long-term impacts of health insurance on HIV hospitalizations, costs of HIV co-infection, and insurance enrollment decision-making for HIV+ persons. This will involve the consolidation of novel data sources (e.g., longitudinal household surveys, electronic medical records (EMR), claims data) in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), and linking these datasets to study access to healthcare and health care decision making for marginalized and at-risk populations, with a focus on HIV treatment and prevention.

Were, who is also an Assistant Professor of Global Health at the BU School of Public Health and a Faculty Associate at the Pardee Center, teaches courses in Comparative Healthcare Systems, Global Health, Social Determinants of Health, and Research Methods. He co-runs a summer study- abroad program in Accra, Ghana. He received his PhD in Health Services Research (HSR) – Health Economics track from the Department of Health Services Policy & Practice (HSPP) at Brown University’s School of Public Health.