HPTN Scholars Program: The Next Era of Scientific Excellence

Providing scholar recipients with the knowledge, skills, and connections to further their careers as independent investigators in the HIV prevention research field.

The HIV Prevention Trials Network (HPTN) is proud to offer the scholarship program for early-career investigators funded through a supplement from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), and the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH).

Applicants should desire to work with a mentor scientist in the Network to complete a research project based upon an existing HPTN research study. Scholars are provided funding to cover a portion of their time and expenses (typically 10-30%), including travel and research materials/supplies. Successful applicants will be funded for 18 months, subject to certain restrictions.

Program Goal 1: Develop a Research Project

Scholars will develop a research project using data from a completed or ongoing HPTN HIV prevention study and complete their scholarship project within the program cycle.

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Program Goal 2: Present Findings

Scholars will present the findings of their project at the HPTN Annual Meeting and submit a manuscript at the end of the scholarship cycle.

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Program Goal 3: Expand Knowledge and Collaboration

Scholars will become deeply knowledgeable of the process of doing research in NIH-funded HIV networks and will have the opportunity to build their research networks within the context of the HPTN. The scholars database showcases scholars across cohorts, fostering collaboration across the network with their collective expertise.

Explore Scholars Database

Meet the 2026-2027 Domestic Scholars Cohort

Cristian Chandler, PhD, MPH

Vanderbilt University Medical Center

Arianne Morrison, MD, MSCR

Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania

Samuel Opara, MBBS, MPH

Emory University School of Medicine

Juan Pablo Zapata, PhD

Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine

HPTN Scholars Alumni

Please note there were no Scholars cohorts for 2020-2021

Domestic Cohort 10

Rodman Turpin
Mentor(s): Kenneth Mayer, Typhanye Penniman-Dyer

S. Raquel Ramos
Mentor(s): LaRon Nelson

Derek Dangerfield II
Mentor(s): Irene Kuo

International Cohort 5

Rogers Sekabira
Mentor(s): Craig Hendrix

Elzette Rousseau-Jemwa
Mentor(s): Rivet Amico, Linda-Gail Bekker

Anita Marais
Mentor(s): Ravindre Panchia, Theo Sandfort

Domestic Cohort 9

Tamara Taggart
Mentor(s): Kenneth Mayer, Yusuf Ransome, Sten Vermund

Maria Luisa Mittal
Mentor(s): Dave Metzger

Darren Whitfield
Mentor(s): Sheldon Fields

Allysha Maragh-Bass
Mentor(s): Betsy Tolley

International Cohort 4

Yamikani Mbilizi
Mentor(s): Sufia Dadabhai, Theo Sandfort

Wilfred T. Gurupira
Mentor(s): James Hakim, Taha Taha

Maganizo Chagomerana
Mentor(s): Mina Hosseinipour

Domestic Cohort 8

Jasmine Abrams
Mentor(s): Paula Frew

Michelle Odlum
Mentor(s): Sharon Mannheimer

Emeka Okafor
Mentor(s): Christopher Hucks-Ortiz, Kenneth Mayer, Steven Shoptaw

Diana Sheehan
Mentor(s): Carl Latkin

Yordanos “Yordi” Tiruneh
Mentor(s): Theresa Gamble, Nirupama Sista

International Cohort 3

Ulrika Makuraj
Mentor(s): Sinead Delany-Moretlwe

Domestic Cohort 7

Victoria Ojeda
Mentor(s): Rivet Amico, Craig Hendrix

Yusuf Ransome
Mentor(s): Kenneth Mayer

Carlos E. Rodríguez-Díaz
Mentor(s): Steve Safren

Glenn-Milo Santos
Mentor(s): Steven Shoptaw

Laurens Van Sluytman
Mentor(s): Carl Latkin

Kiyomi Tsuyuki
Mentor(s): Steven Shoptaw

International Cohort 2

Nomhle Khoza
Mentor(s): Sinead Delany-Moretlwe, Catherine MacPhail

Emily Makunike-Shava
Mentor(s): Yuhua Ruan, Yiming Shao

Jabulani Ncayiyana
Mentor(s): Kathleen Kahn, Audrey Pettifor

Domestic Cohort 6

Brandon Brown
Mentor(s): Tom Coates

Dustin Duncan
Mentor(s): Kenneth Mayer, Steve Safren

Mandy Hill
Mentor(s): Carl Latkin

Florence Momplaisir
Mentor(s): Carl Latkin, David Metzger

Tonia Poteat
Mentor(s): David Celentano

International Cohort 1

Emilia Jalil
Mentor(s): Beatriz Grinsztejn

Jesne Kistan
Mentor(s): Linda-Gail Bekker

Domestic Cohort 5

Laramie Smith – Mentor: Carl Latkin and Steffanie Strathde
Nicole Salazar-Austin – Mentor: David Celentano
Tiarney Ritchwood – Mentor: Audrey Pettifor
Bisola Ojikutu – Mentor: Steven Safren and Ken Mayer

Domestic Cohort 4

Tandrea Carter – Mentor: Carol Golin
Grace "Chela" Hall – Mentor: Beryl Koblin
DeMarc Hickson – Mentor: Ken Mayer
Malika Roman Isler – Mentor: Carol Golin
Larissa Jennings – Mentor: Audrey Pettifor
Brooke Montgomery – Mentor: Sally Hodder
Jennifer Stewart – Mentor: Ada Adimora

Domestic Cohort 3

C. Andres Bedoya – Mentor: Ken Mayer and Steven Safren
Oni Blackstock – Mentor: Sharon Mannheimer
Grace "Chela" Hall – Mentor: Beryl Koblin
Sophia Hussen – Mentor: Carlos del Rio and Robert Stephenson
Malika Roman Isler – Mentor: Carol Golin
Brooke Montgomery – Mentor: Sally Hodder
Chevette Williams – Mentor: David Metzger

Domestic Cohort 2

Russell Brewer – Mentor: Darrell Wheeler
Yvonne Carter – Mentor: Ada Adimora
Risha Irvin – Mentor: Susan Buchbinder
LaRon Nelson – Mentor: Ken Mayer
Typhanye Penniman Dyer – Mentor: Steven Shoptaw

Domestic Cohort 1

If you have questions, please contact the Scholars Program Management Team at scholarspm@hptn.org.

HPTN Scholars Program: The Next Era of Scientific Excellence

Program Goal 1: Develop a Research Project

Program Goal 2: Present Findings

Program Goal 3: Expand Knowledge and Collaboration