Author Archives: Kim Morris

A new study led by Guochun Jiang, PhD, assistant professor in the Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics at the UNC School of Medicine, and researcher with the Institute for Global Health and Infectious Diseases and UNC HIV Cure Center, has found that a drug named citarinostat is effective at disrupting...

A new project led by Thibaut Davy-Mendez, PhD, MSPH, at the Institute for Global Health and Infectious Diseases, funded by the Gilead Research Scholars Program, is taking aim at a longstanding gap in HIV care: accurately predicting who is at highest risk for cardiovascular disease. Backed by a two-year award from Gilead, the study will...

When people leave prison, they enter one of the highest-risk periods for acquiring HIV—often with the least support, the fewest resources, and the greatest uncertainty about where to turn for care. It’s this critical gap that Lina Rosengren, MD, MPH, an infectious diseases physician and researcher with the Institute for Global...

Laika Maganga, a PhD candidate at the School of Nursing and UJMT Fogarty Fellow, is doing her dissertation research in Malawi, drawing on her family roots while centering the lived experiences of young women to take on HIV stigma and support healthier futures.   How has your training and clinical work...

“What struck me most about Dr. Gui wasn’t just what he accomplished, but how quietly he did it. He never framed his work as heroic. He saw suffering, understood the science, and felt responsible to act. Writing this essay was my way of preserving a story that could have been...

At the Fourth Annual Global Health Scholars Symposium, three student researchers working in China showcased a forward‑looking portfolio of studies focused on digital health, HIV prevention, and community‑engaged sexual health interventions. Their work showed how technology, behavioral insights, and innovative service models can transform the landscape of HIV and STI...

At this year’s Global Health Scholars Symposium, students and early‑career researchers showcased a powerful range of studies addressing urgent neurological and health systems challenges in Zambia. The event was sponsored by the Institute for Global Health and Infectious Diseases and the Gillings School of Global Public Health. Neurologist Monica Diaz,...

A cohort of emerging global health research scholars are advancing HIV prevention, substance use, mental health, and implementation science. Presented at the 4th Annual Global Health Scholars Symposium on Feb. 13, their projects shed new light on how Vietnam’s health system is addressing intertwined epidemics—HIV, methamphetamine use, depression, alcohol‑related harm—and...

From infectious disease threats to rapidly shifting policy landscapes—the work of emerging global health scholars has never been more vital. Resilience is no longer just an aspiration; it is a defining requirement for researchers striving to strengthen health systems, protect vulnerable populations, and advance equity in places where resources are...