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.
Specific Faculty Interests
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Jodie Dionne, MD, MPH, is an Associate Professor of Medicine and Director of the Infection in Women and Pregnancy Research Program. She leads multicenter clinical trials to improve the prevention and treatment of syphilis and gonorrhea.
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William M. Geisler, MD, MPH, is a Professor of Medicine and Director of the UAB STI Research Program. He investigates epidemiology, clinical, diagnostic, and immunogenetic aspects of chlamydia and Mycoplasma genitalum infections. He is also Research Director of the UAB Diagnostic Mycoplasma Laboratory and the UAB Associate Dean for Physician Scientist Development.
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Christina Muzny, MD, MSPH, is a Professor of Medicine and Medical Director of UAB’s ID Vaginitis clinic. She studies the pathogenesis, epidemiology, diagnosis, management, and prevention of vaginal infections, primarily bacterial vaginosis and trichomoniasis.
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Barbara Van Der Pol, PhD, MPH, is a Professor of Medicine and Director of the Infectious Diseases STD Laboratory and the UAB STD Clinical Research Organization. She conducts research that focuses on implementation of new STI diagnostic tools to increase access to and utilization of sexual healthcare services.
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Olivia Van Gerwen, MD, MPH, is an Assistant Professor of Medicine, Assistant Medical Director of UAB’s ID Vaginitis clinic, and the Director of Research and Programmatic Development at the UAB Gender Health Clinic. She leads research on sexual health promotion, STI/HIV prevention, and optimization of sexual healthcare service delivery for sexual and gender minorities.
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Nicholas Van Wagoner, MD, PhD, is a Professor of Medicine, Co-Medical Director for the Southeast STD/HIV Prevention Training Center, and Associate Dean for Students in the Heersink School of Medicine. His research focuses on sexual health and genital herpes, LGBTQ+ health, and medical education.
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).