Patrick Janulis, PhD
Assistant Professor, Department of Medical Social Sciences, Feinberg School of Medicine
Quantitative Methodologist, Third Coast Center for AIDS Research
Institute for Sexual and Gender Minority Health and Wellbeing
Northwestern University 

Patrick Janulis, Ph.D., (he/him) is an assistant professor in the Department of Medical Social Sciences and also serves as the quantitative methodologist for the Third Coast Center for AIDS Research. He received his doctorate in Ecological-Community Psychology from Michigan State University where he conducted research on the impact of substance use on HIV and hepatitis C virus risk behavior. More generally, his research examines the intersection of HIV, drug use, and LGBTQ health. His early work focused on using latent variable modeling to improve the measurement of HIV risk behavior and understanding within-person variation in risk behavior across different environments and social circumstances. More recently this work has shifted to leveraging modern data science approaches to measure, understand, and intervene on the root causes in the spread of HIV. Currently, he works on RADAR, a longitudinal cohort study of young men who have sex with men (YMSM) which includes longitudinal network data collection in effort to better understand how social, sexual, and drug use networks effect the health of YMSM. In addition, he serves as a Co-Investigator on the Network Canvas project which aims to develop a novel software suite for capturing social network and other complex data in effort to better understand the spread of HIV.

Rahm Gummuluru PhD
Associate Professor,
Department of Microbiology,
Boston University School of Medicine

Research in my laboratory is broadly focused on the mechanisms of cell-­to-­cell  and  cell-­associated  HIV-­1 transmission with an emphasis on interactions of HIV with myeloid cells (monocytes, macrophages, and dendritic cells) and the implications of these interactions on systemic dissemination of HIV. I obtained a Ph.D. at the University of Rochester in Rochester, NY where I studied mechanisms responsible for the rapid immunopathology and disease progression observed in SIVsmmPBj14-­infected  pig-­tailed  macaques.  As a post-­ doctoral fellow at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle, I focused on HIV-­1 pathogenesis, with an emphasis on host interactions of the HIV-­1 accessory protein, Vpr and the mechanism by which Vpr enhances  HIV-­1  replication.  I  am now an Associate  Professor in the Department of Microbiology at Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM), and Co-­Director of the Developmental Core for the Lifespan/BU/BMC CFAR. My research has been focused on understanding the molecular mechanisms that govern interactions of HIV with myeloid cells. My laboratory has considerable expertise in molecular virology, identifying mechanisms of   HIV-­induced immunopathology and cell biology of HIV   infection. We were the first to identify the glycosphingolipid,   GM3, present in the virus particle membrane and the myeloid cell-­specific siglec, CD169/Siglec-­1, as the ligand-­receptor interaction necessary for capture of HIV-­1 particles by DCs,  and transfer of the captured virus particles to the myeloid cell-­mediated trans infection pathway across virological synapses. The discovery of the GM3 – CD169 mechanism of virus particle recognition by my laboratory has paved the way for our recent  efforts to develop nanoparticle-based myeloid  cell-­specific therapeutics for targeted delivery of  anti-­retrovirals to secondary lymphoid tissues.  In parallel,  we are focused on identifying mechanisms that drive persistent induction of innate immune activation in HIV-­infected myeloid cells, with the ultimate goal of developing immunotherapeutic approaches to diminish HIV-­induced chronic immune activation, the main driver of HANA conditions in cART-­suppressed individuals.

Jessica Ridgway, MD, MS
Assistant Professor, Section of Infectious Diseases and Global Health
University of Chicago Medicine

Ridgway’s primary research focus is the impact of technology on healthcare epidemiology, particularly the use of informatics in infection control and prevention. She develops and studies syndromic surveillance algorithms using electronic health records. She also has a particular interest in the epidemiology of multidrug-resistant bacteria, including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and multidrug-resistant Gram-negative organism.

Chad J Achenbach, MD, MPH
Associate Professor, Medicine (Infectious Diseases) and Preventive Medicine
Feinberg School of Medicine
Northwestern University

Dr. Chad Achenbach is an Assistant Professor at the Feinberg School of Medicine in the Division of Infectious Diseases and the Center for Global Health. Dr. Achenbach is a specialist in Infectious Diseases with clinical interests in the treatment of HIV infection and co-infections. He is currently participating in several research projects and training programs through the Center for Global Health, including PEPFAR Nigeria, NU AITRP and the Eramune study.