RESEARCH PAST AND PRESENT:
Specific research focus areas have included:
- Examining the role of antiretroviral therapy in influencing the risk of HIV-1 transmission
- Effects of genital tract infections and the vaginal microbiome on women’s risk of acquiring and transmitting HIV-1
- Trials of interventions to reduce the risk HIV-1 and STD acquisition and transmission
- Evaluating the genomic evolution of HIV-1 following infection in an effort to understand the virological and immunological characteristics that determine the course of disease
- Characterizing the frequency of HIV-1 superinfection versus primary infection to evaluate the possible protective effect of natural HIV infection against re-infection
- Over 200 manuscripts presenting the findings from these studies have been published in peer-reviewed journals
RESEARCH AGENDA:
- NIH supported studies of HIV-1 seroconverters during early and chronic infection will continue in an effort to define virological and immunological correlates of immune control.
- Through this research, we hope to inform the development of novel strategies for HIV vaccine development.
- NIH supported research entitled, “Women’s Lifecourse Events and HIV Transmission Potential,” is exploring how key reproductive life events influence the risk that HIV-positive women will transmit the virus to their sexual partners
- This research will inform the development of novel interventions to reduce the risk of HIV transmission from HIV-positive women to sex partners
- A Hologic funded study is investigating the feasibility of self-collection of samples for high-risk HPV testing as a cervical cancer screening approach.
- Self-collection could provide a useful approach for increasing access to cervical cancer screening and reducing cervical cancer deaths.
- A NIH Fogarty International Center supported study to assess HPV preparedness among youth in Mombasa County.
- This study will explore several factors influencing HPV vaccine preparedness in Mombasa County, including both in- and out-of-school girls.
- A NIH-funded study entitled, Motivation matters! RCT of theory-based, 2-way SMS to support TASP in African FSW.
- This study will develop and test a novel mobile telephone based intervention to support effective HIV treatment as prevention in high-risk HIV-positive women.
- A NIH funded implementation science study to assess the effectiveness, costs, and budget impact of implementing systems analysis and improvement approach to increase HIV testing in Family Planning (FP) clinics in Mombasa County.
- This study, which was developed in collaboration with Mombasa County at the request of the Director for Research, Policy, and Programs, will provide strong evidence to guide integration of HIV testing into FP services.