Rena Patel, M.D., MPH, MPhil, associate professor, UAB Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases; associate director, Global Health Research, UAB Mary Heersink Institute for Global Health (MHIGH), has been selected as the 2025 recipient of the HIV Medicine Association (HIVMA) Innovator Award, recognizing her outstanding and original contributions to HIV clinical care, research, education and community advocacy. The award was presented during the annual IDWeek® meeting, held each October, where leaders in infectious diseases gather to celebrate advancements in HIV medicine and public health.
The Innovator Award is given to early- or mid-career professionals whose work has significantly advanced the field through innovative and impactful approaches. Patel, a physician-scientist, embodies this mission through her cutting-edge research and deep commitment to equitable health outcomes.
Patel’s work spans clinical research, community engagement and global health, with a particular focus on HIV, women’s health and the structural determinants of health that underpin disparities in care. Her mixed methods research, leveraging both qualitative and quantitative tools, has generated influential findings in the U.S., Kenya, South Africa and Botswana. Notably, her early work on the increased vulnerability to COVID-19 among people living with HIV helped inform CDC guidance that prioritized this population for vaccination during the pandemic’s early stages. Her work also produced some of the first data supporting the effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines among people with HIV compared with other immunocompromised groups.
“This recognition reflects not just my work, but the dedication of the communities and partners I am privileged to work alongside,” said Patel. “Advancing equity in HIV care and prevention means listening, learning, and innovating together. I’m inspired every day by the resilience of the people and teams pushing this field forward.”
At UAB, she’s expanding community-based participatory projects that address HIV stigma and improve testing among African immigrant and African American communities. She’s also spearheading efforts to bring HIV testing and long-acting PrEP services into rural and underserved areas.
HIVMA is a leading professional organization of clinicians, researchers, and public health experts dedicated to advancing excellence in HIV care and treatment and advocating for policies that support a comprehensive, evidence-based response to the HIV pandemic.