Current Projects
Established in 1993 and previously led by Dr. Beryl Koblin, the Laboratory of Infectious Disease Prevention is a leader in HIV and infectious disease epidemiology and prevention research. We are part of the largest clinical trials program devoted to the development and testing of preventive HIV vaccines worldwide (NIH/NIAID-funded HIV Vaccine Trials Network, www.hvtn.org).
As part of the global response to the COVID-19 pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2 virus, we are also part of the clinical trials program devoted to the development and testing of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines and monoclonal antibodies to prevent COVID-19 (NIH/NIAID-funded COVID-19 Prevention Trials Network, www.coronaviruspreventionnetwork.org).
We use epidemiology to stay up to date on who is at risk for HIV and other infectious diseases and why. We design and test innovative prevention strategies to increase HIV testing and pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) uptake and reduce risk. We conduct our epidemiology and clinical studies and community engagement through our research site, Project ACHIEVE (www.projectachieve.org).
Our research collaborators include the Columbia Research Unit. Together, we form the NIH-funded Columbia Collaborative HIV/AIDS Clinical Trials Unit.
HIV Vaccine and Monoclonal Antibody Studies
In collaboration with the HIV Vaccine Trials Network (HVTN) and Columbia Collaborative HIV/AIDS Clinical Trials Unit, our research involves implementation of multiple Phase 1-3 clinical trials to test the safety, tolerability, and efficacy of HIV vaccines and monoclonal antibodies to prevent HIV infection.
HIV Long-Acting Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis Study
In collaboration with the HIV Prevention Trials Network (HPTN), this multi-site, multi-country HPTN 083 study is a Phase 2b/3 study comparing long-acting injectable cabotegravir to oral daily emtricitabine/tenofovir (FTC/TDF) for preventing HIV infection in men who have sex with men and transgender women.
SARS-CoV-2 Vaccine and Treatment Studies
In collaboration with the COVID-19 Prevention Trials Network (CoVPN), our research involves implementation of multiple Phase 3 SARS-CoV-2 clinical trials to test the safety, tolerability, and efficacy of vaccines to prevent COVID-19, as well as a study testing whether vaccination with the Moderna mRNA vaccine reduces infection and spread of SARS-CoV-2 virus to close contacts.
We also are involved in the SCORPIO-HR ACTIV-2D/A5407 trial, a Phase 3 multicenter, randomized trial testing the antiviral effect of S-217622 (ensitrelvir), an oral SARS-CoV-2 3CL protease inhibitor, compared with placebo in non-hospitalized adults with COVID-19.
Neighborhoods, Networks, and the HIV Care Continuum
The NNHIV study is an NIH/NIMH- R56 and R01-funded multi-phase socioepidemiologic three-phase research study that involves a mixed methods approach to ascertain neighborhood and network factors that influence HIV care continuum outcomes (retention in care, antiretroviral therapy adherence, and viral suppression) among men who have sex with men living with HIV in New York City using qualitative interviews, spatial analysis and multilevel modeling. This is followed by a longitudinal study among 327 MSM living with HIV over 1 to 3 years to evaluate the influence of neighborhoods and networks on HIV care continuum over time.
The Envio study is an NIH/NIMH R21-funded study among 50 young Black and Latinx MSM living with HIV to characterize the spaces where they experience violence and to assess the impact of these experiences on HIV care outcomes over time and space and contextualize these impacts.
Cytomegalovirus (CMV) Vaccine
Supported by GlaxoSmith Kline (GSK), this first-time-in human, Phase 1/2 study evaluates the safety, reactogenicity, and immunogenicity of CMVsu, a candidate cytomegalovirus (CMV) vaccine comprising recombinant protein and adjuvant, in healthy adult women and men.
Enhancing Communication for Recruitment, Enrollment, and Retention in HIV Vaccine Trials
The NIH R21-funded study proposes formative research to develop a digital health communication tool “VaxCom” to enhance research staff roles in the recruitment and enrollment of transgender women into Phase HIV vaccine clinical trials.
Funding Support
- NIH R01 MH118960 (Tieu), 05/2019 – 02/2023, NCE to 02/2025, Neighborhoods, Networks, and the HIV Care Continuum among HIV-infected MSM in NYC
- UM1 AI068619 (Cohen, subcontract to Tieu), 1/2017 – 03/2024, HIV Prevention Trials Network (HPTN) 083
- NIH 2UM1 AI069470 (Sobieszczyk, subcontract to Tieu), 12/2020 – 11/2027, Columbia Collaborative HIV/AIDS Clinical Trials Unit (2UM1AI069470-15) Research Grant; NIH 2UM1 AI0569470 (Hammer/El-Sadr, subcontract to Tieu), 12/2013 – 11/2020, Columbia Partnership for Prevention and Control of HIV/AIDS Clinical Trials Unit
- NIH 1R21MH132421 (Rael, Soler, Stonbraker, Formative co-investigator Tieu), 05/10//2023 – 04/30/2025, Vaxcom Study
- Shionogi, Inc (subcontract to Tieu), 08/31/2022 – 08/30/2024 (extended as needed annually), SCORPIO-HR ACTIV-2D/A5407
- GlaxoSmith Kline (GSK) (subcontract to Tieu), 04/27/2023 – 04/26/2024 (extended as needed annually), 209976 CMV SU PENTA=GB=AS01-001
Recently Completed:
- NIH/NIMH R21 MH124474-01(Tieu/Frye), 07/2020 – 06/2023, Mixed Methods Study Evaluating Violence and HIV Care and Viral Suppression
- NIH UM1 AI068614-14S1(Corey, subcontract to Tieu), 08/2020 – 02/2023, COVID-19 Prevention Trials Network for Phase 3 COVID-19 Vaccine and Monoclonal Antibody Trials
Education and Training
Postdoctoral Training
Internal medicine residency, Department of Medicine, Boston University Medical Center
Infectious diseases fellowship, Division of Infectious Diseases/Department of Medicine, Columbia University Medical Center
Infectious disease epidemiology research fellowship, Center for Infectious Disease Epidemiologic Research, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health
Degree Institutions
MD; Mount Sinai School of Medicine
MS Epidemiology; Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health
BS; Economics; Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania
Key Publications
Tieu HV, Karuna S, Huang Y, Sobieszczyk ME, Zheng H, Tomaras GD, Montefiori DC, Shen M, DeRosa S, Cohen K, Isaacs MB, Regenold S, Heptinstall J, Seaton KE, Sawant S, Furch B, Pensiero M, Corey L, Bar KJ; HVTN 122 Study Team. Safety and immunogenicity of a recombinant oligomeric gp145 subtype C Env protein (gp145 C.6980) HIV vaccine candidate in healthy, HIV-1-uninfected adult participants in the US. Vaccine. 2023 Oct 6;41(42):6309-6317. doi: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2023.07.046. Epub 2023 Sep 9. PMID: 37679276.
Sobieszczyk ME, Maaske J, Falsey AR, Sproule S, Robb ML, Frenck RW Jr, Tieu HV, Mayer KH, Corey L, Neuzil KM, Tong T, Brewinski Isaacs M, Janes H, Bansal H, Edwards LM, Green JA, Kelly EJ, Shoemaker K, Takas T, White T, Bhuyan P, Villafana T, Hirsch AI; AstraZeneca AZD1222 Clinical Study Group. Durability of protection and immunogenicity of AZD1222 (ChAdOx1 nCoV-19) COVID-19 vaccine over 6 months. J Clin Invest. 2022 Sep 15;132(18):e160565. doi: 10.1172/JCI160565.
Greene E, Walcott M, Guerra L, Tieu HV, Nandi V, Soler J, Diaz J, Curriero F, Latkin C, Bosompem A, Frye V; NNHIV Study Team. Correlates of concordance between self-reported and lab-confirmed viral load among Black and Latine men who have sex with men (BLMSM) living with HIV in New York City. AIDS Care. 2023 Jul 3:1-11. doi: 10.1080/09540121.2023.2229816. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 37399515; PMCID: PMC10761596.
Teitelman AM, Koblin BA, Brawner BM, Davis A, Darlington C, Lipsky RK, Iwu E, Bond KT, Westover J, Fiore D, Tieu HV. Just4Us: Development of a Counselor-Navigator and Text Message Intervention to Promote PrEP Uptake Among Cisgender Women at Elevated Risk for HIV. J Assoc Nurses AIDS Care 2021. doi: 10.1097/JNC.0000000000000233.
Teitelman AM, Chittamuru D, Koblin BA, Davis A, Brawner BM, Fiore D, Broomes T, Ortiz G, Lucy D, Tieu HV. Beliefs Associated with Intention to Use PrEP Among Cisgender U.S. Women at Elevated HIV Risk. Arch Sex Behav 2020;49(6):2213-2221. doi:10.1007/s10508-020-01681-3.
Tieu HV, Laeyendecker O, Nandi V, Rose R, Fernandez R, Lynch B, Hoover DR, Frye V, Koblin BA Prevalence and mapping of hepatitis C infections among men who have sex with men in New York City. PLoS One 2018;18;13(7):e0200269. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0200269. eCollection 2018.
Mayer KH, Seaton KE, Huang Y, Grunenberg N, Isaacs A, Allen M, Ledgerwood JE, Frank I, Sobieszczyk ME, Baden LR, Rodriguez B, Tieu HV, Tomaras GD, Deal A, Goodman D, Bailer RT, Ferrari G, Jensen R, Hural J, Graham BS, Mascola JR, Corey L, Montefiori DC2; HVTN 104 Protocol Team; and the NIAID HIV Vaccine Trials Network. PLoS Med 2017;14(11):e1002435. doi:10.1371/journal.pmed.1002435.
Markowitz M, Frank I, Grant RM, Mayer KM, Elion R, Goldstein D, Fisher C, Sobieszczyk ME, Gallant JE, Tieu HV, Weinberg W, Margolis DA, Hudson KJ, Stancil BS, Ford SL, Patel P, Gould E, Rinehart, AR, Smith KY. Spreen W. ECLAIR: a randomised phase IIa safety and pharmacokinetic study of cabotegravir long-1 acting injection 800 mg every 12 weeks in HIV-uninfected men. Lancet Infectious Diseases 2017;4(8):e331-e340. doi: 10.1016/S2352-3018(17)30068-1.
Tieu HV, Nandi V, Hoover DR, Lucy D, Stewart K, Frye V, Cerda M, Ompad D, Latkin C, Koblin BA on behalf of the NYC M2M Study Team. Do Sexual Networks of Men Who Have Sex with Men in New York City Differ by Race/Ethnicity? AIDS Patient Care and STDs 2016: 30(1):39-47. doi:10.1089/apc.2015.0237.
Tieu HV, Liu TY, Hussen S, Connor M, Wang L, Buchbinder S, Wilton L, Gorbach P, Mayer K, Griffith S, Kelly C, Elharrar V, Phillips G, Cummings V, Koblin B, Latkin C; HPTN 061. Sexual Networks and HIV Risk among Black Men Who Have Sex with Men in 6 U.S. Cities. PLoS ONE 2015: 10(8):e0134085. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0134085.
Research Staff
Michael Bianco
John Bonelli, MSW
Paris Green
Pablo Lundie
Vijay Nandi, MPH
Leila Noori, MD
Jorge Soler, PhD, MPH
Radica West, NP
Gulseren Yilmaz, RN
