The STI Research Program at the University of Alabama at Birmingham has been recognized as a leader in the domestic and global STI research fields for several decades.
High performing faculty and staff design and conduct impactful research studies to test new options to improve STI treatment and prevention, diagnostics, and define STI pathophysiology and transmission patterns. STI studies at UAB are conducted by faculty in collaboration with experienced clinical teams and research staff, industry, and community partners in Alabama, across the US, in Canada and Portugal, and in Africa. Dozens of active studies are currently supported by NIH, CDC, industry, and local research funds. The STI research program is also committed to mentoring and training the next generation of scientists to continue to advance the STI field.
Research Sites
Major research sites include the Jefferson County Department of Health Sexual Health Clinic, the UAB Sexual Health Research Clinic, the UAB Vaginitis Clinic, the 1917 HIV Clinic, the UAB Vaccine Research Clinic, and the UAB Student Health and Wellness Clinic. Other research partners of the UAB STI Research Program include UAB faculty in the Departments of Pediatrics, Emergency Medicine, Microbiology, Pathology, Biostatistics, and Obstetrics and Gynecology, the Adolescent Health Center, the Center for AIDS Research, the Center for Women’s Reproductive Health, the Center for Sexual and Gender Health (where Dr. Van Gerwen is the Co-Director of the research core) and the Gender Health Clinic (co-founded by Dr. Van Gerwen).
Key Faculty
Jodie Dionne, MD, MPH
Dionne’s research team leads multicenter clinical trials to improve the prevention and treatment of syphilis and gonorrhea. Further research interests for Dr. Dionne can be found in Global Infectious Diseases.
William M. Geisler, MD, MPH
Geisler’s team investigates epidemiology, clinical, diagnostic, and immunogenetic aspects of chlamydia and Mycoplasma genitalium infections. He is also Research Director of the UAB Diagnostic Mycoplasma Laboratory.
Christina Muzny, MD, MSPH
Muzny’s team studies the pathogenesis, epidemiology, diagnosis, management, and prevention of vaginal infections, primarily bacterial vaginosis and trichomoniasis.
Barbara Van Der Pol, PhD, MPH
Van Der Pol’s team conducts research that focuses on implementation of new STI diagnostic tools to increase access to and utilization of sexual healthcare services.
Olivia Van Gerwen, MD, MPH
Van Gerwen’s team leads research on sexual health promotion, STI/HIV prevention, and optimization of sexual healthcare service delivery for sexual and gender minorities.
Nicholas Van Wagoner, MD, PhD
Van Wagnoner’s team’s research focuses on sexual health and genital herpes, LGBTQ+ health, and medical education.