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.

Explore HPTN Research

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.

Explore Alumni Research

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: Typhanye Penniman-Dyer (primary) and Ken Mayer
S. Raquel Ramos – Mentor: LaRon Nelson
Derek Dangerfield II – Mentor: Irene Kuo

International Cohort 5

Rogers Sekabira – Mentor: Craig Hendrix
Elzette Rousseau-Jemwa – Mentor: Linda-Gail Bekker and Rivet Amico
Anita Marais – Mentor: Theo Sandfort and Ravindre Panchia

Domestic Cohort 9

Tamara Taggart – Mentor: Sten Vermund, Yusuf Ransome, and Ken Mayer
Maria Luisa Mittal – Mentor: Dave Metzger
Darren Whitfield – Mentor: Sheldon Fields
Allysha Maragh-Bass – Mentor: Betsy Tolley

International Cohort 4

Yamikani Mbilizi – Mentor: Sufia Dadabhai and Theo Sandfort
Wilfred T. Gurupira – Mentor: James Hakim and Taha Taha
Maganizo Chagomerana – Mentor: Mina Hosseinipour

Domestic Cohort 8

Jasmine Abrams – Mentor: Paula Frew
Michelle Odlum – Mentor: Sharon Mannheimer
Emeka Okafor – Mentor: Steve Shoptaw, Ken Mayer, and Christopher Hucks-Ortiz
Diana Sheehan – Mentor: Carl Latkin
Yordanos “Yordi” Tiruneh – Mentor: Theresa Gamble and Nirupama Sista

International Cohort 3

Ulrika Makuraj – Mentor: Sinead Delany-Moretlwe

Domestic Cohort 7

Victoria Ojeda – Mentor: Craig Hendrix and Rivet Amico
Yusuf Ransome – Mentor: Kenneth Mayer
Carlos E. Rodríguez-Díaz – Mentor: Steve Safren
Glenn-Milo Santos – Mentor: Steven Shoptaw
Laurens Van Sluytman – Mentor: Carl Latkin
Kiyomi Tsuyuki – Mentor: Steven Shoptaw

International Cohort 2

Nomhle Khoza – Mentor: Sinead Delany-Moretlwe and Catherine MacPhail
Emily Makunike-Shava – Mentor: Yuhua Ruan and Yiming Shao
Jabulani Ncayiyana – Mentor: Kathleen Kahn and Audrey Pettifor

Domestic Cohort 6

Brandon Brown – Mentor: Tom Coates
Dustin Duncan – Mentor: Steve Safren and Ken Mayer
Mandy Hill – Mentor: Carl Latkin
Florence Momplaisir – Mentor: David Metzger and Carl Latkin
Tonia Poteat – Mentor: David Celentano

International Cohort 1

Emilia Jalil – Mentor: Beatriz Grinsztejn
Jesne Kistan – Mentor: 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