About

For the past 30 years, Dr. Cohen has focused on the transmission of STDs including HIV, and strategies for STD and HIV prevention. His laboratory has focused on studies related to the transmission, and prevention of transmission of HIV infection. He has studied HIV in genital secretions and identified inflammatory conditions-especially sexually transmitted diseases that increase the excretion of HIV in semen. His multidisciplinary research group has worked over many years to characterize the ability of different classes of antiretroviral agents to block HIV replication in the male genital tract, as represented by copies of HIV RNA detected in seminal plasma. He has also worked to characterize the relationship(s) between HIV in semen and blood, through detailed molecular phylogenetic analysis. Based on these results he was able to design and lead a multinational NIH clinical trial, HPN 052 that demonstrated that successful antiretroviral treatment of HIV can prevent the sexual transmission of HIV. Currently, he is co-PI of the HIV Prevention Trials Network. Most recently, he has played an active role in the development of COVID-19 prevention activities. He serves on the NIH ACTIV Committee, a public-private partnership to organize COVID-19 research, and as a member of the Executive Committee of the newly formed NIAID COVID Prevention Network (CoVPN). In this capacity, he led research on the use of monoclonal antibodies for the prevention and early treatment of COVID-19.

Awards and Honors

• North Carolina Award for Science- (2013)
• Joseph E. Smadel Lectureship Award, Infectious Diseases Society of America- (2013)
• O. Max Gardner Award for Medicine, Microbiology, & Public Health, UNC-Chapel Hill- (2008)
• Distinguished Career Award Lifetime Achievement in STD/HIV Research, American Sexually Transmitted Diseases Association- (2005)

In the news

• 

  Oh, the Places They’ll Go! The ID Fellowship Program (ACGME) Celebrates Graduation

  The ID Fellowship Program led by Christopher Sellers, MD, MPH, held a reception for six graduating fellows at the Siena Hotel in Chapel Hill, on the evening of June 18. Joined by Joe Eron, MD, chief of the division of infectious diseases, Myron Cohen, MD, director of the Institute for Global Health and Infectious Diseases, … Read more

• 

  ViiV Healthcare Names Two Fellowships Honoring the Late Dr. Adaora Adimora

  Dr. Adaora Adimora was a distinguished physician-scientist who made exceptional contributions to the fields of HIV epidemiology and clinical care. To continue her legacy of work, ViiV Healthcare will fund two yearly fellowships, co-directed by Myron Cohen, MD, professor of medicine and director of the UNC Institute for Global Health and Infectious Diseases, and Stephen Cole, PhD, … Read more

• 

  Floris-Moore Delivers the Norma Berryhill Distinguished Lecture, Honoring the Work of Adaora Adimora

  Michelle Floris-Moore, MD, MPH, professor of medicine and a member of the Institute for Global Health and Infectious Diseases, delivered the 2024 Norma Berryhill Distinguished Lecture on June 20. Her presentation honored the trailblazing work of her mentor, the late Adaora Adimora, who was selected as the 2023 distinguished lecturer but was not able to … Read more

• 

  It’s a Wrap: The 2nd Annual Global Health Scholars Symposium

  The 2nd Annual Global Health Scholars Symposium took place Friday, Feb. 16, showcasing the impactful work of 43 trainees in the U.S. and around the world. Near and far, approximately 250+ participants came together to share and learn about global health research. Opening Remarks Suzanne Maman, PhD, the associate dean for global health at UNC … Read more

Education