Clinical Assistant Professor, Global Health
Senior Research Scientist, KEMRI, Nairobi, Kenya
Dr. Bhavna Chohan, MSc, PhD, received her Ph.D. (Virology) from University of Washington and MSc (Applied Molecular Biology of Infectious Diseases) from London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, United Kingdom. She has been actively involved with HIV/STI research since 1993, serving as Research Laboratory Manager for collaborative research projects with Universities of Washington and Nairobi in Mombasa, Kenya. After her graduate studies from the University of Washington under the mentorship of Dr. Julie Overbaugh, she returned to Nairobi, Kenya in 2007, where she helped establish a molecular virology research laboratory. Her broad goals are to establish and implement quality research on HIV transmission studies to improve health outcomes in Kenya and build a resource of well-trained and qualified scientists in the country.
Currently, Dr.Chohan serves as the Laboratory Director for the Universities of Nairobi/Washington collaborative research studies in Nairobi and also conducts funded research studies as the lead investigator for the NIH as well as local (Kenya) funded studies. She holds the position of Senior Research Scientist position at Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI) and visiting scientist at the University of Nairobi. She provides lectures and mentors students and junior scientists at KEMRI. Her research interests have been focused on HIV transmission and drug resistance studies.
Publications
- Ojee, E, Odiyo, J, Adhiambo, J, Mabele, E, Omondi, V, Begnel, ER et al.. A cost analysis of postpartum home visit programming in Kenya: estimates to aid policymakers. Front Health Serv. 2025;5 :1644078. doi: 10.3389/frhs.2025.1644078. PubMed PMID:41323153 PubMed Central PMC12657431.
- MacLean, F, Zemek, RM, Tsegaye, AT, Graham, JB, Swarts, JL, Vick, SC et al.. Genital herpes shedding episodes associate with altered spatial organization and activation of mucosal immune cells. JCI Insight. 2025; :. doi: 10.1172/jci.insight.197491. PubMed PMID:41252205 .
- Scallon, AJ, Maheria, P, Oyaro, P, Thomas, KK, Chohan, BH, Odhiambo, F et al.. Clinical, Psychosocial, and Structural Factors Associated with the Detection of HIV Drug Resistance in Children Living with HIV in Kisumu, Kenya: Secondary Analysis of Data from the Opt4Kids Study. Viruses. 2025;17 (9):. doi: 10.3390/v17091246. PubMed PMID:41012674 PubMed Central PMC12474375.
- Mugwanya, KK, Saina, M, Mugo, NR, MaWhinney, S, Morrow, M, Schaafsma, TT et al.. Adherence thresholds for emtricitabine-tenofovir disoproxil fumarate preexposure prophylaxis against HIV acquisition in cisgender women: A randomized directly observed dosing study. PLoS Med. 2025;22 (9):e1004732. doi: 10.1371/journal.pmed.1004732. PubMed PMID:40924774 PubMed Central PMC12435667.
- Beck, IA, Boyce, CL, Bishop, MD, Oldroyd, AR, du Toit, L, Saimen, A et al.. HIV resistance to dolutegravir varies with co-administered agents. Clin Infect Dis. 2025; :. doi: 10.1093/cid/ciaf481. PubMed PMID:40898778 .