What is your professional background?
I am originally from Miami, where I attended medical school, then I did my internal medicine residency in Portland, Oregon. I’m now a second-year Infectious Diseases fellow and am also getting a Master’s in Clinical Research through the Georgia Clinical and Translational Science Alliance TL-1 program. After fellowship, I am aiming for a faculty position in academic Infectious Diseases.
In what division do you work, and who is your mentor?
I am a fellow in the Division of Infectious Diseases. My mentor is Colleen Kelley, who specializes in HIV prevention and the rectal mucosal immunology of HIV infection. In addition, I do research through the “Programs, Research, and Innovation in Sexual Minority Health” (PRISM Health) group in the Rollins School of Public Health.
Briefly describe your research. Why is it important?
My research interest lies at the intersection of infectious diseases and substance use disorders. Through PRISM Health, I am working on an HIV prevention project among a cohort of young black men who have sex with men (BMSM) in Atlanta. I am evaluating how substance use impacts the uptake and persistence of therapy of HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). I am also describing and quantifying the barriers to effective PrEP implementation in a real-world setting, with a focus on predictors of PrEP discontinuation.
As a first-year fellow, I was frequently confronted with consults for patients with invasive bacterial infections related to intravenous drug use (IDU). I am developing a cohort of patients with Staphylococcus Aureus Bacteremia due to IDU at Grady. I hope to gain better understanding of the presentation and predictors of poor outcomes in these patients, as well as to document our current management of substance use disorders in persons hospitalized with secondary infections.
What do you like most about Emory?
I like how informal and open to collaboration researchers are at Emory, including across disciplines. I am regularly surprised to find out that an approachable faculty member I’ve met turns out to be a national expert in their field. I also like that there’s free coffee at EUH and that Emory isn’t a big sports school #GoEagles!
What is your favorite movie or TV show?
My favorite TV show of late is Workaholics on Comedy Central (it’s sort of like The Office, but the R-rated, really dumb version)
What do you like to do in your spare time?
I enjoy going out to eat pizza or Indian food. I got a single speed bike to ride, then I realized that there are more hills in Atlanta than I had originally appreciated.
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