About

Michael Brown is a professor in the Department of Geography at the University of Washington. He holds a Ph.D. from the University of British Columbia, obtained in 1994, and also earned an M.A. in 1990 from the same institution, as well as a B.A. from Clark University in 1988. His fields of interest include cities, critical theory, feminism and feminist theory, health, history, political geography, queer studies, research methods, urban politics, and urban studies. Brown's research focuses on the social relations within urban spaces, with particular attention to issues such as sexuality, health, and political processes. His work explores the geographies of AIDS, queer diffusion, and the intersections of gender, sexuality, and place, contributing to the understanding of social and political dynamics in urban environments. He has advised numerous students and has been actively involved in teaching courses related to urban political geography, research design, and qualitative methods. Brown's scholarly contributions include a range of publications and collaborations that examine the spatial and social dimensions of contemporary urban issues.

Research topics

• Sociology
• Psychology
• Computer Science
• Geography
• Media studies
• Cartography
• Genetics
• Biology
• Social psychology
• Art
• Evolutionary biology
• Criminology
• Gender studies
• Demography
• Aesthetics
• Psychiatry
• Medicine

Selected publications

• The views of parents of children and young people with intellectual disability on relationships and sexuality education: findings from a qualitative study

  Research Portal (Queen's University Belfast) · 2026-02-01

  articleOpen access1st authorCorresponding

  Background: Parents and primary caregivers recognise the challenges of transitioning to adulthood for children and young people with intellectual disability. They feel unprepared for relationships and sexuality education and recognise evidence-informed programmes are required for safety and healthy relationships.<br/><br/>Aim: To identify the views and experiences of parents of children and young people with intellectual disability regarding RSE programmes.<br/><br/>Methods: Eleven parents participated in semi-structured interviews, with transcripts thematically analysed.<br/><br/>Results: Three themes emerged: (i) establishing collaborations with schools; (ii) addressing and supporting individual needs; and (iii) preparing for adulthood. Parents have concerns and challenges during puberty. Some parents are fearful and anxious regarding vulnerability and safety of their children and young people.<br/><br/>Conclusions: Parents want tailored RSE programmes delivered in school and content shared to support learning at home.

  Publisher

• “One size doesn’t fit all.” The voices of professionals regarding the delivery of relationships and sexuality education to children and young people with intellectual disability: findings from a UK-wide qualitative study

  Research Portal (Queen's University Belfast) · 2026-02-01

  articleOpen access1st authorCorresponding

  Background: Relationships and sexuality education (RSE) is critical for children and young people with intellectual disabilities yet, is a contentious issue. This study explored the views and experiences of professionals regarding RSE programmes.<br/><br/>Method: Semi-structured individual interviews were conducted with 16 health, social care and education professionals. Professionals came from across the UK (England n=5, Scotland n=1, Wales n=2, Northern Ireland n=8). Interview data were subjected to thematic analysis.<br/><br/>Results: Three themes emerged: (i) Preparation for success; (ii) Effective communication and lifelong learning; and (iii) Individual support and resources. Professionals were motivated and committed to offer the best learning experience possible. There is inconsistency in delivery across programmes, taking time and effort to develop.<br/><br/>Conclusions: The development of structured programmes and tailored resources is necessary to enable practitioners to effectively support and deliver RSE.<br/>

  Publisher

• E004 Infection risk in adults with haemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH): experience from a specialist centre

  Lara D. Veeken · 2026-04-01

  article

  Abstract Background/Aims Secondary haemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (sHLH) is a rare and severe hyperinflammatory condition with high morbidity and mortality, caused by an abnormal immune response to various triggers, requiring multispecialty management across rheumatology, haematology and infectious diseases. Infections are an established trigger for sHLH and infection can also arise as a complication during the disease course; however, there are sparse published data in relation to the latter. Increasing recognition of infection-related morbidity at a specialist tertiary hospital prompted the development of a HLH antimicrobial prophylaxis guideline (available online). Here, we describe infective complications in adults with sHLH. Methods A retrospective single-centre cohort study was conducted at University College London Hospital (UCLH) in two phases. Adults (≥ 18 years) with confirmed sHLH (HScore &amp;gt;169 or multidisciplinary team diagnosis) admitted between April 2019 and April 2021 were included in phase A (pre-guideline), and following implementation of HLH antimicrobial prophylaxis guidelines in October 2021, equivalent data were collected in phase B between January 2022 and January 2024. Demographics, triggers, immunosuppression, antimicrobial prophylaxis, infective complications, intensive care admission and hospital mortality were extracted from clinical records. Fisher’s exact test and Mann-Whitney tests were applied to categorical and continuous comparisons, respectively. Results 98 adults were included in the analysis, with 40 in phase A (pre-guideline) and 58 in phase B (post-guideline). Median age was similar across both cohorts (37 - 43 years) and corticosteroids and anakinra were widely used. Antimicrobial prophylaxis use increased markedly post-guideline, from patients receiving antivirals (52.5%), antifungals (37.5%) or specifically anti-Pneumocystis jirovecci (PCP) prophylaxis (42.5%) in phase A, to over 85% in all categories in phase B. 60% (24/40) in phase A and 62.1% (36/58) of patients in phase B developed at least one infection during admission, with some patients developing multiple infections. Bacterial infections were most frequent in both cohorts (&amp;gt;50%), followed by fungal and viral infections. Mortality amongst those with fungal disease was lower in phase B (63.4% phase B vs 88.9% phase A), and there were no HSV infections after guideline introduction. Mortality remained high overall (&amp;gt;30%) and in both phases, patients without infective complications were more likely to survive. This was statistically significant for phase A (OR = 5.92, 95% CI 1.10 - 31.95, Fisher’s exact p-value 0.04) but not for phase B (OR = 2.43, 95% CI 0.73-8.04, Fisher’s exact p-value 0.17). Conclusion Infective complications occur in most adults with sHLH and are associated with poorer survival. Fungal infections carry the greatest mortality risk, highlighting a high-need subgroup. Introduction of a formalised antimicrobial prophylaxis guideline was associated with fewer deaths among those with fungal disease, despite more intensive immunosuppression regimens. These findings underscore the importance of proactive infection prevention and support further optimisation of antimicrobial prophylaxis strategies. Disclosure P. Saha: None. N. McCann: None. M. Chowdhury: None. A.M. Holloway: Grants/research support; A.H. was supported by UCLH Charity Grant 2024 (7253). D. Shah: None. N. Sah: None. N. Kvam: None. A. Jones: None. M. Brown: None. J. Manson: None.

  PublisherDOI

• Time to use hospital passports: their use to improve the health outcomes of people with intellectual disabilities

  Evidence-Based Nursing · 2025-01-07

  articleSenior authorCorresponding
  PublisherDOI

• Recommendations on biomarker assay validation (BAV) in tissues by GCC

  Bioanalysis · 2025-04-03 · 2 citations

  articleOpen access

  GCC Closed Forums (2023 & 2024) and to provide recommendations from the GCC members on technical and regulatory considerations for the bioanalysis of biomarkers in tissues.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Belonging and connectedness, not just existing <i>: creating meaningful opportunities for adults with intellectual disabilities</i> —Reeves <i>et al</i>

  Evidence-Based Nursing · 2025-11-11

  articleSenior authorCorresponding
  PublisherDOI

• The Foundations of Failure – Tenure Insecurity, Governance Breakdown, and the Crisis of Climate Legitimacy

  2025-11-19

  book-chapter1st authorCorresponding
  PublisherDOI

• Healthcare provider-led interventions for managing children’s screen time: a scoping review initial results

  Research Portal (Queen's University Belfast) · 2025-01-01

  articleOpen accessSenior author

  a scoping review initial resultsAlshamrani, A., Fosker

  PublisherOA PDF

• Disaster Preparedness and Response Among Healthcare Professionals During the Hajj: A Systematic Literature Review

  Healthcare · 2025-06-30 · 4 citations

  reviewOpen access

  Background: Disasters pose significant challenges to public health by disrupting essential services, especially during mass gatherings such as the Hajj pilgrimage. These complex events demand swifts coordinated action from healthcare professionals. However, many remain insufficiently equipped for large-scale emergencies due to gaps in triage training, disaster knowledge, and established response protocols—issues that are particularly critical in high-risk settings. Aim: This systematic literature review aims to explore the clinical insights of registered nurses and other healthcare professionals in disaster preparedness and response during the Hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia. Methods: A systematic literature review was conducted following PRISMA guidelines. A comprehensive database search was performed across CINAHL, Scopus, Medline, Embase, and APA PsycINFO, focusing on studies published between 2012 and 2025. Eligible studies addressed disaster nursing education, preparedness, and response. The Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT) was used for quality assessment. Results: Twenty-three studies met the inclusion criteria. Three main themes emerged: disaster preparedness, experiences and challenges in disaster response, and education and training. The review revealed lack in nurses’ readiness, policy awareness, and real-world disaster experience. Training and curriculum improvements are essential to enhance disaster response capabilities. Conclusions: This review highlights the urgent need for standardized disaster nursing curricula to enhance preparedness and response competencies. Incorporating structured disaster training into nursing education will strengthen healthcare system resilience. Future research should adopt qualitative methods to capture healthcare professionals lived experiences during the Hajj. Including diverse participants and focusing on the unique cultural context can enhance disaster preparedness and response strategies.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Disconnects Between Evidence and Action in Land-Sector Climate Mitigation

  2025-11-19

  book-chapter1st authorCorresponding
  PublisherDOI

Recent grants

• Urban Governmentalities in Local-State Relations with a Marginalized Population

  NSF · $250k · 2011–2016

Frequent coauthors

• Lynne Marsh

  Queen's University Belfast

  57 shared

• Rolf Magnus Grung

  OsloMet – Oslo Metropolitan University

  38 shared

• Thanos Karatzias

  Edinburgh Napier University

  38 shared

• Sam Abdulla

  37 shared

• Julien‐Ferencz Kiss

  University of Oradea

  36 shared

• Anna Odrowąż‐Coates

  Maria Grzegorzewska Academy of Special Education

  36 shared

• Edward McCann

  32 shared

• Maria Truesdale

  University of Glasgow

  25 shared

Labs

• Department of Geography, University of WashingtonPI

Education

• Professor, Nursing & Midwifery

  Edinburgh Napier University

  2017

Awards & honors

• 2025 Awards, Honors and Achievements (June 11, 2025)
• Professor Emeritus Dick Morrill Honored at Upcoming UW Award…