Dr Townsend graduated from Medicine at Trinity College Dublin in 2013. He became a Member of the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland in 2015, commenced Higher Specialist Training in Infectious Diseases and Internal Medicine in 2016 and was awarded a Certificate of Satisfactory Completion of Specialist Training in 2023.

Dr Townsend was awarded a PhD in 2021 for his work examining the variation in clinical outcomes and immune consequences of viral infection, as part of the Health Research Board (HRB) and Wellcome Trust-funded Irish Clinical Academic Training Programme.  He is currently the Principle Investigator for the PRECISE Study.

MB BAO BCh PhD MRCPI

Variation in the immune response to viral infection, in particular, SARS-CoV-2 and HIV. 

The measurement and modification of biological ageing in chronic infection and post-infectious states.

• Principle Investigator for the PRECISE study.
• Member of the St James's Hospital, Tallaght University Hospital, Trinity Alliance for Research (STTAR) Bioresource team.
• Member of the COVID-19 Viral Resistance Project at Trinity College Dublin
• Member of the COVID Human Genomic Effort International Consortium