Professor Guy Thwaites
Contact information
Podcast interview
Tuberculosis meningitis

Tuberculosis meningitis affects a fractions of TB patients but causes high levels of mortality and morbidity. A recent trial at OUCRU showed that aspirin can greatly improve outcomes. Such trial is typical of the work done in our Vietnam units, where all the research is focussed on improving the outcome for patients directly.
Research groups
Colleges
Guy Thwaites
Professor of Infectious Diseases
Guy Thwaites is an academic infectious diseases physician and clinical microbiologist. He has a global research focus on life-threatening infections, especially tuberculosis and tuberculous meningitis, aiming to translate high-quality clinical trials and mechanistic science into better outcomes and policy. Guy lived and worked in southeast Asia for 17 years. He was Director of the Oxford University Clinical Research Unit (OUCRU), a Wellcome Trust Major International Programme, from October 2013 to January 2026. OUCRU conducts interdisciplinary research across Vietnam, Indonesia, and Nepal. Guy has spent the last 20 years building and leading large international teams and partnerships spanning governments, hospitals, WHO, and industry. He was appointed MBE for services to public health and Vietnam–UK relations in 2021, and is a Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences.
Recent publications
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Fatal Mycobacterium avium meningitis in an HIV-negative Vietnamese man: a case report
Journal article
Nguyen VT. et al, (2025), Journal of Medical Case Reports, 19
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Molnupiravir or nirmatrelvir–ritonavir plus usual care versus usual care alone in patients admitted to hospital with COVID-19 (RECOVERY): a randomised, controlled, open-label, platform trial
Journal article
Abani O. et al, (2025), The Lancet Infectious Diseases
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Effectiveness and safety of shortened intensive treatment for children with tuberculous meningitis (SURE): a protocol for a phase 3 randomised controlled trial evaluating 6 months of antituberculosis therapy and 8 weeks of aspirin in Asian and African children with tuberculous meningitis
Journal article
Huynh J. et al, (2025), BMJ Open, 15, e088543 - e088543
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A modified decontamination and storage method for sputum from patients with tuberculosis
Journal article
Le Quang N. et al, (2025), Wellcome Open Research, 8, 166 - 166
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Statistical analysis plan for the LAST ACT clinical trial; a Leukotriene A4 hydrolase Stratified non-inferiority Trial of Adjunctive Corticosteroids for HIV-negative adults with Tuberculous meningitis
Journal article
Donovan J. et al, (2025), Wellcome Open Research, 9, 695 - 695