Ann Burchell

Dr. Ann Burchell is the Research Director of the Department of Family and Community Medicine, a Scientist with the MAP Centre for Urban Health Solutions, Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute at St. Michael’s Hospital, Unity Health Toronto, and an Associate Professor at the Department of Family and Community Medicine and Division of Epidemiology, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto. Dr. Burchell is also a Canada Research Chair in Sexually Transmitted Infection Prevention and holds degrees in epidemiology from the University of Toronto (MSc) and McGill University (PhD). She is an Adjunct Professor with the Division of Cancer Epidemiology, Department of Oncology, McGill University, and Adjunct Scientist with the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences, Toronto. Dr. Burchell is the Co-Lead of the Co-infection and Related Conditions Core of the CIHR-funded Canadian HIV Trials Network, and a member of the Canadian Immunization Research Network.

Research Synopsis

Dr. Burchell is a Canada Research Chair in Sexually Transmitted Infection Prevention. She uses epidemiological data to improve prevention and health care services for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and minimize the complications of STI-associated diseases. STIs are a major health concern. They can result in compromised sexual/reproductive health, cancers, stigma, worsened quality of life, and mortality. Disadvantaged people are disproportionately affected and may face health access barriers that further concentrate STIs within high-risk networks and amplify transmission. Dr. Burchell’s vision is to end these complications and promote sexual health for all, with aims to inform effective and practical strategies to prevent STI and STI-related cancers in high-risk populations.

Recent Publications

Burchell AN, Lisk R, Yeung A, et al. Community-directed bacterial STI testing interventions among men who have sex with men: Protocol for an e-Delphi study in Toronto, Canada. Journal of Medical Internet Research Research Protocols 2019 Jul 4; 8(7):e13801.

de Pokomandy A, Burchell AN, Salters K, et al. Cervical cancer screening among women living with HIV: a cross-sectional study using the baseline questionnaire data from the Canadian HIV Women’s Sexual and Reproductive Health Cohort Study (CHIWOS). CMAJ Open, 2019, 7(2):E217-E226.

Grewal R, Allen VG, Bayoumi AM, ..., Burchell AN. Syphilis co-infection and drug use on risk of virologic failure among HIV-positive men on ART. JAIDS, 2019,80(5):585-589.

Burchell AN, Raboud J, Donelle J, et al. Population-based study of cause-specific mortality among people living with HIV in Ontario, Canada, 1995-2014. CMAJ Open, 2019, 7(1): E1-7.

Malagón T, Louvanto K, Wissing M, Burchell AN, Tellier P-P, El-Zein M, Coutlée F, Franco EL. Hand-to-genital and genital-to-genital transmission of human papillomaviruses between male and female sexual partners (HITCH): a prospective cohort study. The Lancet Infectious Diseases, 2019, 19(3), 317-326.

Wilton J, Light L, Gardner S, ..., Burchell AN. Late diagnosis, delayed presentation, and late presentation among persons enrolled in a clinical HIV cohort in Ontario, Canada (1999-2013) HIV Medicine, 2019 Feb, 20(2): 110-120.

Burchell AN, Kendall CE, Cheng SY, et al. Cervical cancer screening uptake among HIV-positive women in Ontario, Canada: A population-based retrospective cohort study. Prev Med. 2018; 107; 14-20.

Malagón T, Burchell AN, El-Zein M, et al. Y chromosome DNA in women's vaginal samples as a biomarker of recent vaginal sex and condom use with male partners in the HPV Infection and Transmission Among Couples Through Heterosexual Activity Cohort Study. Sex Transm Dis., 2018 Jan;45(1):28-34.

Rachlis B, Burchell AN, Gardner S, et al. Social determinants of health and retention in HIV care in a clinical cohort in Ontario, Canada. AIDS Care, 2017 Jul; 29 (7) 828-837.

Wheeler, K.M., Antoniou, T., Gardner, S., ..., Burchell, A.N. Sociodemographic and health profile of heterosexual men living with HIV in Ontario. American Journal of Men's Health 2017. 11(4), pp. 855-862.

Robinson S, Gardner S, Loutfy M, ..., Burchell AN. Sexual behaviors among women living with HIV in Ontario, Canada. AIDS Care 2017 May 29(5) 587-592.

Grewal R, Allen VG, Gardner SL, ..., Burchell AN. Serosorting and recreational drug use are risk factors for diagnosis of genital infection with chlamydia and gonorrhea among HIV-positive men who have sex with men: results from a clinical cohort in Ontario, Canada. Sex Transm Infect. 2017 Feb; 93 (1): 71-75.

O’Neill TJ, Raboud J, Tinmouth J, ..., Burchell AN. Burden and risk factors for gastrointestinal symptom distress in HIV patients in the modern antiretroviral era. AIDS Care 2017 29(2), pp. 156-167.

Malagón T, Burchell AN, El-Zein M, et al. Assortativity and Mixing by Sexual Behaviours and Sociodemographic Characteristics in Young Adult Heterosexual Dating Partnerships. Sex Transm Dis, 2017 Jun; 44 (6) :329-337.

O’Neill TJ, Raboud JM, Tinmouth J, ..., Burchell AN. Gastrointestinal symptom distress is associated with worse mental and physical health related quality of life. J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr 2017 May; 75 (1): 67-76.

Honours and Awards

Canada Research Chair in Sexually Transmitted Infection Prevention

Department of Family and Community Medicine Non-Clinician Research Scientist Award, University of Toronto, 2019-2020.

CAHR-CANFAR Excellence in Research Award (Epidemiology and Public Health Stream), Canadian Association for HIV Research and Canadian Foundation for AIDS Research, 2018

DFCM Award of Excellence, Research Excellence (Senior Investigator), Department of Family and Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, 2017

Grants

Principal Investigator. Effectiveness of human papillomavirus vaccine among gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men. Canadian Institute of Health Research. 2020-2024.

Principal Investigator. Effectiveness of human papillomavirus vaccine among gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men. Cancer Research Society and CIHR Institute of Cancer Research. 2019-2021.

Principal Investigator. The burden of cancer and the role of engagement in HIV care in mitigating cancer risk in people living with HIV in Ontario. Ontario HIV Treatment Network Endgame Award. 2019-2020.

Co-Investigator. CIHR Clinical Trials Network in HIV/AIDS. 2019-2024.
Principal Investigator. Advancing Evidence-based HPV Vaccination & Screening Delivery for Men who have Sex with Men and People Living with HIV. Canadian Institute for Health Research. 2017-2019.

Co-Principal Investigator. Canadian Immunization Research Network. Canadian Institute for Health Research. 2017-2022.

Program Leader. Vaccination & screening for control sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and STI-related cancers. Canadian Institute for Health Research, Foundation Award. 2016-2021