Research

Projects and publications in infectious-disease epidemiology and health systems in Vietnam.

I work on infectious-disease epidemiology and health systems in Vietnam: antimicrobial resistance, tuberculosis, and the use of routine surveillance and health records for policy. I build the analyses as reproducible pipelines in R.

Projects

National AMR data-to-policy program

2026–present. Analyst and co-investigator. Ministry of Health / VNASS, VinUniversity and US CDC.

Turning Vietnam’s national antimicrobial resistance surveillance, from 60 sentinel hospitals, into empirical-treatment protocols and a national carbapenem action plan, through a reproducible R pipeline.

Tuberculosis epidemiology and intervention analysis

Early phase. With Prof. David Dowdy (Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health) and Vietnam’s National TB Programme.

Household-contact TB transmission, which I began in my MPH capstone with Kharituwe trial data from South Africa, and groundwork for decision-analytic models of TB interventions. The Kharituwe Study (meaning “Let’s go” in isiVenda) is a pragmatic, individually randomized controlled trial evaluating alternative timing strategies for tuberculosis (TB) household contact investigation in South Africa.

Health records and real-world data

2025–present. Research Fellow, College of Health Sciences, VinUniversity.

Global health data analytics with large-scale electronic health records and real-world data systems in Vietnam.

Global Burden of Disease

2023–present. Senior collaborator, Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME).

Studying health risks with electronic health records, administrative and insurance-claims data, and registries.

Systematic reviews and meta-analysis

2020–present. Working-group leader, Prof. Huy Nguyen’s lab, School of Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nagasaki University.

Leading teams that conduct systematic reviews and meta-analyses, and analyzing secondary observational data on infectious diseases, health insurance and public registries.

Earlier projects

VINCohort study (2023–2024), research coordinator. A longitudinal cohort built from electronic health records (hundreds of thousands of health-check records) and nationally representative survey data (WHO STEPS), to measure the burden of noncommunicable diseases in Vietnam (PI: Prof. Linh C. Le). I supported data analysis and paper writing.
Wastewater surveillance for SARS-CoV-2 and AMR in Vietnam (2022), research assistant, VinUni–Illinois Smart Health Center (PI: Prof. Andrew Taylor-Robinson).

Publications

Journal articles and book chapters, newest first. An asterisk marks equal contribution. The full record is on Google Scholar.

2026

Quan NK, Hanrahan CF, Aletta Nonyane B, Omar SV, Ahmed K, Martinson N, Dowdy D. Not All That Grows is TB: High Prevalence of TB-Negative Cultures Among Household Contacts in South Africa. Int J Tuberc Lung Dis. 2026.
Accepted September 2026.
Quan NK, Taylor-Robinson AW. A “paradox of progress” shapes the social determinants of infectious diseases in Vietnam, 1975–2025. Nat Commun. 2026. doi:10.1038/s41467-026-71419-7
Quan NK, Taylor-Robinson AW. The Second Silent Pandemic: Why Arboviruses Demand an Orchestrated Global Health Response. Pathogens. 2026. doi:10.3390/pathogens15040398
Quan NK, Taylor-Robinson AW. “Climatic determinants” and simple thresholds for dengue early warning in Vietnam: a One Health perspective. Sci One Health. 2026. doi:10.1016/j.soh.2026.100159
Pham ST, Nguyen KV, Le LTK, Khoi NM, Trinh TH, Nguyen LH, Quan NK, Huy NT. Outcomes of Therapeutic Plasma Exchange Among Children With Autoimmune Encephalitis in Vietnam. J Child Neurol. 2026. doi:10.1177/08830738251356122
GBD 2023 Global Chronic Respiratory Disease and Covid Collaborators (Quan NK). Global, regional, and national burden of chronic respiratory diseases and impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, 1990–2023: a Global Burden of Disease study. Nat Med. 2026. doi:10.1038/s41591-025-04077-9

2025

GBD 2023 Demographics Collaborators (Quan NK). Global age-sex-specific all-cause mortality and life expectancy estimates for 204 countries and territories and 660 subnational locations, 1950–2023: a demographic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2023. Lancet. 2025. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(25)01330-3
Quan NK, Taylor-Robinson AW. Behavioral Interventions for Preventing Infectious Diseases. In: Liamputtong P, ed. Handbook of Concepts in Health, Health Behavior and Environmental Health. Springer, Singapore. 2025. doi:10.1007/978-981-97-0821-5_35-1
Quan NK, Liamputtong P. Human Behavior and One Health: A Framework for Change. In: Liamputtong P, ed. Handbook of Concepts in Health, Health Behavior and Environmental Health. Springer, Singapore. 2025. doi:10.1007/978-981-97-0821-5_45-1
Cuce F, Tabche C, Quan NK. Identifying scope and research question. In: Practical Approach to Conducting a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. IGI Global. 2025. doi:10.4018/979-8-3693-3007-4
Lam C, Quan NK. How a Meta-analysis Works. In: Practical Approach to Conducting a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. IGI Global. 2025. doi:10.4018/979-8-3693-3007-4
Quan NK. Heterogeneity and Prediction Intervals in Meta-Analysis. In: Practical Approach to Conducting a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. IGI Global. 2025. doi:10.4018/979-8-3693-3007-4

2024

Dang HNN, Luong TV, Quan NK, Nguyen UNP, Pham NNK, Tran HTN, Tran HK, Cao MTT, Ho BA, Doan TC, Nguyen HM, Anh Hoang T, Van Huynh M. Alterations in aortic elasticity indices among type 2 diabetes patients in a low and middle income country using M-mode echocardiography: A cross-sectional comparative study. PLoS One. 2024. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0305799
Thien DH, Tran HB, Uyen NNP, Thao HLP, Tam HTM, Quan NK, Huy NT. A comprehensive review of Langya virus and framework for future zoonotic disease control. Rev Med Virol. 2024. doi:10.1002/rmv.2520
Quan NK, Taylor-Robinson AW. Combatting rabies outbreaks in Vietnam: High time to enforce restrictions on dog meat farming, a key source of transmission. IJID Reg. 2024. doi:10.1016/j.ijregi.2024.100490
Chien HD, Phuong MN, Trung DN, Hung NX, Tu ND, Hien TM, Huyen TL, Duy MH, Linh LK, Quan NK, Hoang NV, Kelly KW. Divergent immune profiles in distinct populations - A vietnamese-german comparison. Brain Behav Immun Integr. 2024. doi:10.1016/j.bbii.2024.100083
Huynh DC, Nguyen MP, Ngo DT, Nguyen XH, Nguyen DT, Mai TH, Le TH, Hoang MD, Le KL, Quan NK, Nguyen VH, Kelley KW. A comprehensive analysis of the immune system in healthy Vietnamese people. Heliyon. 2024. doi:10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e30647
Yamada H, Linh LB, Ngoc TNH, Luan NVM, Vy NHK, Trang DT, Thu NA, Quan NK, Taylor-Robinson AW. Perspective Chapter: Rationale, Implementation and Effectiveness of Vietnam’s Mekong Delta Malaria Control, Prevention and Elimination Program, 2015–2030–A Progress Report. Infectious Diseases. IntechOpen. 2024. doi:10.5772/intechopen.115106
Vision Loss Expert Group; GBD 2019 Blindness and Vision Impairment Collaborators (Quan NK). Global estimates on the number of people blind or visually impaired by cataract: a meta-analysis from 2000 to 2020. Eye (Lond). 2024. doi:10.1038/s41433-024-02961-1
GBD 2021 Lower Respiratory Infections and Antimicrobial Resistance Collaborators (Quan NK). Global, regional, and national incidence and mortality burden of non-COVID-19 lower respiratory infections and aetiologies, 1990–2021: a systematic analysis from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021. Lancet Infect Dis. 2024. doi:10.1016/S1473-3099(24)00176-2
GBD 2021 Demographics Collaborators (Quan NK). Global age-sex-specific mortality, life expectancy, and population estimates in 204 countries and territories and 811 subnational locations, 1950–2021, and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic: a comprehensive demographic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021. Lancet. 2024. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(24)00476-8
Makram AM, Elsheikh R, Makram OM, Van NT, Nam NH, Quan NK, Duc NTM, Nguyen NQT, Javes GO, Elsheikh SS, Imoto A, Lee P, Ohmagari N, Aiga H, Kamiya Y, Endo PT, Huy NT. Tips from an expert panel on the development of a clinical research protocol. BMC Med Res Methodol. 2024. doi:10.1186/s12874-024-02315-1 Erratum: BMC Med Res Methodol 2024;24(1):300, doi:10.1186/s12874-024-02438-5.

2023

Quan NK, Anh NLM, Taylor-Robinson AW. The global COVID-19 vaccine surplus: Tackling expiring stockpiles. Infect Dis Poverty. 2023. doi:10.1186/s40249-023-01070-7
Quan NK, Taylor-Robinson AW. Vietnam’s Evolving Healthcare System: Notable Successes and Significant Challenges. Cureus. 2023. doi:10.7759/cureus.40414
Dat TV, Tu VL, Quan NK*, Minh NH, Trung TD, Le TN, Vinh DP, Thuong TTD, Luyen PD, Yen NTH, Huy NT. Telepharmacy: A Systematic Review of Field Application, Benefits, Limitations, and Applicability During the COVID-19 Pandemic. Telemed J E Health. 2023. doi:10.1089/tmj.2021.0575
Nagasaki University Collaborative (Quan NK: data analysis, writing). Evaluation of the Effectiveness of the Policy of Holding the Second Dose of Vaccination: Lessons from the Outbreak in Ho Chi Minh City. Vaccines (Basel). 2023. doi:10.3390/vaccines11020293
Quan NK, Taylor-Robinson AW. Could human-to-human transmission of avian influenza spark a public health crisis in Southeast Asia? Infect Dis Health. 2023. doi:10.1016/j.idh.2023.05.004
Ha TN, Quan NK, Phu TV, et al. Molnupiravir as the COVID-19 panacea: False beliefs in low- and middle-income countries. Pathog Glob Health. 2023. doi:10.1080/20477724.2023.2232593
Quan NK, Thien DH, Huy NT. Detect and suppress future zoonotic-derived outbreaks: A lesson from the last two decades. J Med Virol. 2023. doi:10.1002/jmv.28530
Doan Thu TN, Quan NK, Taylor-Robinson AW. Healthcare in Vietnam: Harnessing Artificial Intelligence and Robotics to Improve Patient Care Outcomes. Cureus. 2023. doi:10.7759/cureus.45006
Quan NK, Liamputtong P. Social Surveys and Public Health. In: Liamputtong P, ed. Handbook of Social Sciences and Global Public Health. Springer. 2023. doi:10.1007/978-3-030-96778-9_68-1
Quan NK, Liamputtong P. Systematic Review and Evidence Synthesis in Public Health. In: Liamputtong P, ed. Handbook of Social Sciences and Global Public Health. Springer. 2023. doi:10.1007/978-3-030-96778-9_143-1

2022

Makram AM, Wang J, Vaghela G, Gala D, Quan NK, Duc NTM, Imoto A, Moji K, Huy NT. Is checklist an effective tool for teaching research students? A survey-based study. BMC Med Educ. 2022. doi:10.1186/s12909-022-03632-z
Quan NK, Anh NLM, Taylor-Robinson AW. Global “flu-ization” of COVID-19: A perspective from Vietnam. Front Public Health. 2022. doi:10.3389/fpubh.2022.987467

2021

Minh LHN, Tawfik GM, Ghozy S, Hashan M, Nam NH, Linh LK, Abdelrahman S, Quynh TTH, Quan NK, Le TN, Ibrahim H, El-Nile M, Kamel A, Giang HTN, Huy NT. Feto-Maternal Outcomes of Breastfeeding during Pregnancy: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. J Trop Pediatr. 2021. doi:10.1093/tropej/fmab097
Minh LHN, Quan NK, Le TN*, Khanh PNQ, Huy NT. COVID-19 Timeline of Vietnam: Important Milestones Through Four Waves of the Pandemic and Lesson Learned. Front Public Health. 2021. doi:10.3389/fpubh.2021.709067
Duc NHC, Nam HX, Hiep PN, Nguyen TN, Nguyen HT, Nguyen TT, Duyen NH, Quan NK, Trang NHM, Hao TK, Ha CV, Chi NTD, Xuan NT, Son NH, Quy PN, Kondo T, Matsumoto S. The feasibility and utility of a mobile app in supporting Vietnamese children with cancer. Ann Oncol. 2021. doi:10.1016/j.annonc.2021.08.631

2020

Quan NK, Duc NHC. Identifying the etiological profile of children presented with hepatomegaly admitted to a tertiary care hospital. Journal of Clinical Medicine. 2020. doi:10.38103/jcmhch.2020.64.15