Dr. Elaine Abrams is a Professor of Epidemiology and Pediatrics at Columbia University with over 35 years of experience in the prevention and treatment of HIV infection and associated infectious diseases in pregnant women, children, and their families. As the Senior Director for Research at ICAP, she leads ICAP’s large research agenda and is responsible for the development of technical assistance and service programs for pediatric and perinatal prevention initiatives for ICAP programs in sub-Saharan Africa and Asia. Dr. Abrams served three consecutive terms as Chair of the NIH-funded IMPAACT Network HIV treatment scientific committee and currently guides the Network scientific agenda as a member of the Senior Leadership Group.

She chaired the WHO consolidated guidelines for the use of antiretroviral drugs since 2015, introducing universal treatment, antiretrovirals for prevention and optimized antiretroviral regimens with dolutegravir. She is also co-chair of the WHO Pediatric Antiretroviral Working Group and is actively involved in the development of policies and protocols for the study of antiretrovirals in children, adolescents, and pregnant and lactating women. Dr. Abrams’ research interests have focused on maternal-child health, mother-to-child HIV transmission, the natural history of pediatric HIV, and optimizing therapies for infants, children, adolescents and pregnant women and breastfeeding women.