Emily Wong

Emily Wong is an infectious disease physician-scientist dedicated to understanding the pathogenesis, immunity, and epidemiology of tuberculosis (TB) and TB/HIV, with the goal of improving prevention and treatment strategies. Her research integrates approaches from molecular biology to population science, leveraging multi-omics, molecular epidemiology, AI-interpreted imaging, and spatial analysis. She is a co-principal investigator of Vukuzazi, AHRI’s large population-based health ‘omics study in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, which enrolled over 18,000 participants to investigate genetic and acquired drivers of health and disease. Her work has highlighted the high prevalence of asymptomatic, sputum-positive TB, now a central focus of her lab. Dr. Wong also co-leads the ATTIS study in Indonesia and South Africa, launching in 2026, which aims to understand asymptomatic TB transmission and evaluate novel diagnostic tools. Wong serves as a faculty lead at AHRI and is an Associate Professor at the University of Alabama at Birmingham’s Heersink School of Medicine, with affiliations in the Center for AIDS Research and the Department of Microbiology.