Benjamin Bavinton

Benjamin Bavinton is an Associate Professor and Group Leader of the Biobehavioral Prevention Research Group within the HIV Epidemiology and Prevention Program at the Kirby Institute, UNSW Sydney. He holds a PhD in Public Health (UNSW, 2017), a Master of Public Health (UNSW, 2011), and a BA in Psychology with Honors (University of Wollongong, 2003). His research focuses on behavioral and epidemiological aspects of HIV/STI prevention among LGBTQ+ communities, particularly gay, bisexual men, and transgender individuals in Australia and the Asia-Pacific region. Key projects include the Opposites Attract Study on HIV treatment-as-prevention in male serodiscordant couples and current work on scaling up oral/injectable PrEP, monitoring HIV prevention gaps, and analyzing sexual behavior trends. He leads Australia's national HIV behavioral surveillance (GBQ+ Community Periodic Surveys) and oversees studies on mpox vaccination coverage and LGBTQ+ health equity. His research integrates epidemiological analysis with community engagement, emphasizing biobehavioral and structural determinants of health outcomes.

• Affiliations: Kirby Institute, UNSW Sydney; HIV Epidemiology and Prevention Program.
• Education: PhD (Public Health, UNSW), MPH (UNSW), BA Psychology (UoW).

Research interests span HIV prevention strategies (e.g., PrEP), sexually transmitted infection trends, health disparities in migrant populations, and the role of social capital in risk behaviors. He collaborates internationally on Asia-Pacific HIV prevention initiatives and advises on policy frameworks for scaling biomedical interventions. Recent work addresses the impact of pandemics (e.g., mpox, HIV) on LGBTQ+ communities and healthcare access barriers for migrant groups.

Articles highlight trends in PrEP adherence, mpox vaccination uptake, and HIV care engagement among migrants. Grants include funding for surveillance systems and implementation science projects. His team leads national behavioral surveys (e.g., GBQ+ Surveys) and discrete choice experiments on service delivery preferences.