Monday, September 15, 2008

Meet Dr. Pamina Gorbach...

A Friendly Rectal Microbicide Advocate

Dr. Pamina Gorbach
Los Angeles, USA

Pamina Gorbach is a behavioral epidemiologist who focuses her research on the risky behaviors that expose individuals to STIs/HIV and on the social context of sexual health among other topics.

Pamina has several concurrent research projects. The first is a longitudinal study of men recently infected with HIV and their sexual partners. Another is an epidemiological study of men’s and women’s rectal health and behaviors and a study of rectal applicator acceptability as part of the UCLA Microbicide Development Program (U19).

Her interest in rectal health and microbicide development contributed to her involvement with IRMA, as she has been an active member of the Steering Committee. She states, “I feel there is a critical need for a prevention method specifically for anal intercourse, a behavior that carries an elevated risk of HIV transmission. As this is an indisputably common practice for many men AND women, rectal microbicides offer a very promising new prevention option, and I believe people will use them, and like them!”

In early 2007, UCLA began actively enrolling for the world’s first rectal microbicide safety trial. Gorbach’s team of researchers also helped with the studies mentioned in IRMA’s publication “Less Silence, More Science.” At the 17th International AIDS Conference in Mexico Cit her group helped analyze the data that was showcased in a poster presentation titled, "International Lubricant Use Behaviours for Anal Intercourse - Focus on Women."

The Johns Hopkins trained Gorbach is currently an Associate Professor at UCLA at the School of Public Health and at the School of Medicine. Dr. Gorbach serves as a member of the Behavioral Research Committee of the Microbicides Trial Network.

Gorbach is a big fan of traveling for leisure and for her professional work. Her incredible international experience includes research in Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic Peru, Cambodia, Vietnam, Mali, Malawi, and Ghana.

Read about other Friendly Rectal Microbicide Advocates from all over the world on the IRMA website here.

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