Leveraging network and data science for HIV prevention
I'm an Associate Professor in the Department of Medical Social Sciences within the Feinberg School of Medicine at Northwestern University and also serve as a associate director for the Center for Computational & Social Sciences in Health (COMPASS)
My research examines the intersection of sexual networks, HIV, and drug use. My work primarily focuses on the development of tools to improve the measurement of sexual networks and using these tools to improve HIV/STI prevention interventions
For example, the Network Canvas project is developing open-source tools to improve network data collection while the PUG project uses network based epidemic models to better understand the causal pathways between substance use and the sexual transmission of HIV. If you're interested in learning more, check out the recent projects listed below.
Learn more below
MPIs: Birkett and Janulis My Role: Principal Investigator
Network Canvas 2.0 project is (R01DA057973) software development project that seeks to transition the Network Canvas tool into a Hybrid Cloud Model, developing a cloud-based software platform that will enhance the ability of researchers to robustly capture complex network data remotely and at scale, as well as reach the most essential but hard-to-reach populations. Check out our website for more information.
PI: Janulis My Role: Principal Investigator
Alcohol and methamphetamine use increases risk of HIV among MSM but considerable uncertainty remains regarding the specific behavioral pathways that best explain this risk. This project (R01DA055502) seeks synthesize data across multiple studies to elucidate these behavioral pathways and utilize network based epidemic models to explore optimal and robust strategies for HIV elimination among MSM who use these substances.
PI: Mustanski My Role: Co-Investigator
The RADAR study was a longitudinal cohort study of young men who have sex with men (YMSM; U01DA036939). This project followed more than 1,000 YMSM, collecting biological, behavioral, social, and geospatial data every six months for up to 10 years. This project has produced more than 40+ publications and serves as a platform for numerous innovative research projects, including much of my work in sexual network analysis and epidemic modeling
PI: Birkett My Role: Co-Investigator
This project (R01MD014703) utilizes several existing rich empirical datasets to build a model, chiSTIG, to serve as a counterfactual laboratory able to test competing hypotheses regarding the etiology of infectious disease inequities in HIV for sexual minorities, specifically Black and Hispanic MSM, and potential routes for intervention. Specifically, the framework will be extended through the integration of detailed data on the physical and online third places utilized by and the social and sexual interactions of racially diverse MSM in Chicago.
Grants, Publications, and Presentations