Charlotte O'Halloran

"Having a passion for health and improving the lives of people living with diseases, preventing infection transmission in the public and a genuine interest in emerging disease trends and the social determinants of health are immensely important to the field I am in and the work I do.Being able to understand complex data and interpret findings, associations and trends to different audiences, and crystalising why these data are important, is a huge part of being an epidemiology scientist. A close attention to detail and taking pride in your work to ensure it is meaningful and of high quality is especially key to ensuring your research findings are useful and impactful.You need to work well with others in a team as well and being confident in producing high quality work independently. Being confident in influencing stakeholders and decision makers is key to ensure people are aware of why your research and surveillance outputs are vitally important, as well as having the ability to persuade others that certain findings, trends and issues need to be discussed and addressed. "

"I am a senior epidemiology scientist within the HIV/STI department at the National Infection Service within Public Health England. I am the lead scientist for the national SHARE surveillance system where I identify individuals recently acquiring HIV and perform enhanced surveillance to understand circumstances around how these individuals acquired HIV, their sexual behaviour and lifestyle preceding diagnosis and whether the infection could have been prevented in the era of HIV elimination.I also manage the national PrEP User Survey - an online community survey for UK residents understanding PrEP use, sourcing and access issues (PrEP is Pre-exposure prophylaxis, a drug taken to prevent HIV acquisition by those at risk), where I develop the survey design, rollout, recruitment, perform data analysis from the survey results and interpret findings.Currently I am also writing the annual report for HIV in the UK: which is an annual update on the HIV epidemic in the UK using 2018 national surveillance data."

"After studying Biomedical Science for my undergrad I started working immediately after graduating for an international clinical research organisation, for a company that performs clinical trials and other consulting services for pharmaceutical companies. In my first year I worked as a project cooridnator within medical safety surveillance, monitoring serious adverse events. In my second year I accepted a role within their Phase I (first in human) trial unit in central London where I worked as a coordinator in the Project Management department assisting trial project managers with the smooth running of different trials. I was keen to move into a more tehcnical scientific role so applied for post at Public Health England within their national centre for infectious diseases. My first role was a secretariat scientist for a national advisory group called UKAP (UK Advisory Panel for Healthcare workers [HCWs] infected with Bloodborne Viruses) and a junior surveillance scientist for a national survey of people who inject drugs (PWID). In my UKAP post I was responsible for handling cases and issuing advice and guidance to occupational health consultants and local investigation teams assessing the risk of HCW to patient bloodborne virus transmission. I also supported and helped write national guidance on the managemnt of HCWs infected with BBVs. In my other post within the drug use and infections team I supported the team by deliving training to local drug and alcohol sites on how to undertake the survey and recruit clients for testing, developed the survey design and content and analysed data on emerging trends and associations with risk behaviour. I published a paper looking at the prevleance of overdose and Naloxone (heroin antidote) use in an international journal.During this time my work allowed my to undertake a part time Masters in Public Health alongisde my full time role. Whilst challenging and demanding, the principles I learnt and knowledge and skills I gained was invaluable in developing my public health career. My research project analysed data from a national PrEP (Pre-exposure prophylaxis, a preventative HIV drug) trial called PROUD assessing whether chemsex (sexualised drug use) imapcted PrEP adherence) in high risk gay men. I later published my research in an international journal and presented my findings at a national CDC conference in Atlanta.After finishing my masters I successfully applied for a role within the national HIV surveillance team at PHE as a senior epidemiology scientist where I currently work. "

"I love live music and events and am lucky to have a friend that works at a national radio station who gets free gig tickets, we try to go to a gig every month or so. I have recently got into barre exercise classes, and quite often bake at the weekends. I volunteer as a sexual health outreach worker for a London HIV charity, Positive East, delivering HIV and STI screening in different risk groups in the community."

"A typical day could include designing surveys, analysing data on HIV diagnoses and associations with different demographics, sexual behaviour and risk behaviour etc. and producing data tables and graphs. I quite often have a one or two research papers that I am currently writing. I also liaise closely with HIV clinicians and health advisors treating people newly diagnosed with HIV as well as community groups and activists involved in raising awareness about broader sexual health harms and PrEP (Pre-exposure prophylaxis).The scientific nature of my job means I have to keep up to date with scientific literature, and emerging trends in sexual health.More broadly, my work also invoves managing projects and engaging with experts and community groups, both within and outside government. I quite often deliver presentations and have the opportunity to participate in advisory groups and attend scientific conferences and working group meetings. I also teach an HIV epidmeiology and surveillance lecture and practical on a Masters degree module."

"A Levels (Biology, Chemistry, Geography, German)Undergraduate degree (BSc Biomedical Sciences)Postgraduate degree (MSc Public Health)"