University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) Professor Geri Donenberg, PhD, has been named the Director of the NIH Office of AIDS Research (OAR), part of the Division of Program Coordination, Planning, and Strategic Initiatives in the NIH Office of the Director (OD). She will join NIH this October to lead the advancement and coordination of HIV/AIDS research, working closely with NIH Institutes and Centers.

Donenberg is a professor of medicine, psychology, and epidemiology and biostatistics, and chair of scholarly activities in the department of medicine at UIC. She served on the planning committee for the Third Coast CFAR’s 2023 Symposium. She has over 25 years of HIV/AIDS research experience with a focus on understanding factors influencing HIV transmission and substance use among youth and designing targeted interventions to prevent HIV.

Donenberg’s studies have addressed each stage of the HIV cascade and prioritized the inclusion of diverse HIV populations. Her research has spanned the translational spectrum by highlighting HIV transmission dynamics, conducting prevention and treatment efficacy and effectiveness trials, and testing implementation strategies in complex low-resource settings with youth, adults, and families, both nationally and internationally. 

Learn more about Donenberg’s new role on the NIH website.