Gert Scheerder

Gert Scheerder is a researcher at the Institute of Tropical Medicine in Antwerp, Belgium, specializing in HIV prevention and sexual health. He coordinates the Belgian PrEP Network and teaches courses on design and evaluation of health programs.

His educational background includes a master's degree in Psychology, a PhD in Medical Sciences from KU Leuven, and a postgraduate degree in International Politics from the University of Antwerp.

Scheerder's research focuses on HIV prevention (particularly PrEP), quality of life, mental health, and HIV stigma among vulnerable populations. His work often employs methodologies including online surveys, longitudinal studies, and participatory action research, with a strong emphasis on the Belgian context but also addressing international issues, particularly concerning Sub-Saharan African diaspora communities.

His recent publications reveal a strong focus on understanding PrEP usage patterns, identifying priority groups for intervention, and developing evidence-based guidelines for HIV prevention. The research spans multiple at-risk populations including sex workers, PrEP users experiencing non-consensual sex, and diaspora communities.

Scheerder is actively involved in multiple research projects including ELearning PreP (2025), SleepPLHIV (2025), Injectable PrEP (2022-2026), and previously PrEP_PROMISE (2019-2023), demonstrating sustained research activity in HIV prevention.

His collaborative network is extensive, working with researchers across Belgium on projects funded by ViiV Healthcare and the Research Fund - Flanders. His research fingerprint shows strong emphasis on prophylaxis (100%), Belgium (99%), Condoms (60%), online surveys (30%), Africa South of the Sahara (27%), diaspora (25%), action research (22%), and longitudinal studies (19%).