Akua Gyamerah

Akua Gyamerah, DrPH, MPH is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Community Health and Health Behavior at the University at Buffalo’s School of Public Health and Health Professions. A sociomedical scientist trained in HIV prevention and care, she employs qualitative and mixed-methods approaches to investigate multilevel and intersectional determinants of health disparities among racial, sexual, and gender minorities.

Education:

• DrPH, Sociomedical Sciences, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University
• Graduate Certificate in Feminist Scholarship, Institute for Research on Women, Gender, and Sexuality, Columbia University
• MPH, Columbia University
• BA, Cornell University

Research Interests: Dr. Gyamerah’s scholarship centers on HIV prevention and care, health disparities among LGBTQ+ populations, intersectional stigma and discrimination, minority stress and mental health, and the interplay between gender-based violence and substance use. Her work spans the United States and sub-Saharan Africa, with recent projects in Ghana, South Africa, and the San Francisco Bay Area.

Current Funding & Projects:

• NIMH K01 Career Development Award – examining intersectional social stressors, mental health, and HIV treatment outcomes among HIV-positive sexual minority men.
• NIAAA Diversity Supplement – investigating how gender-based violence and the COVID-19 pandemic affect alcohol use and treatment among gender minorities in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Scientific Awards & Fellowships:

• NIMH-funded T32 Postdoctoral Fellowship, Center for AIDS Prevention Studies, University of California, San Francisco

Professional Affiliations:

• International AIDS Society
• American Public Health Association
• African Studies Association

Contact: 315 Kimball Tower, Buffalo, NY 14214 • Phone: (716) 829-2918 • akuagyam@buffalo.edu