Dr. Duerr is the Director for Scientific Affairs at the HIV Vaccine Trials Network (HVTN), and a professor of Epidemiology and Global Health. She has extensive experience in the design and conduct of observational studies and HIV prevention trials, most of which have been conducted in resource-limited settings in Africa, Asia and South America.
Her current research includes a large study of frequent HIV testing and early antiretroviral treatment to prevent onward HIV transmission among high-risk MSM and transgender women (TW) in Peru. This study will also assess the impact of substance use (including alcohol) among these individuals using a variety of methods, including phylogenetic analysis and a study of the impact of naltrexone on ART adherence among MSM and TW with alcohol use disorders. Dr. Duerr is also involved in trials of prophylactic HIV vaccines and has conducted research in non-human primates on ways to increase vaccine responses at mucosal surfaces, the site of HIV infection. She has published widely on biological and epidemiological determinants of HIV transmission and HIV-STD interactions.