Laura K. Beres

Laura K. Beres is an Associate Research Professor in the Department of International Health at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. She is also a Visiting Scholar at the Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia. Her work spans global health, implementation science, and social and behavioral interventions, with a focus on HIV prevention and care in low-resource settings such as Zambia and Lesotho.

Education:

• PhD, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 2019
• MPH, Emory Rollins School of Public Health, 2011
• BS, Northwestern University, 2004

Laura Beres specializes in mixed-methods research, utilizing implementation science and human-centered design to improve health outcomes. Her research interests include re-engagement in HIV care, person-centered interventions, participatory research, and causal inference through quasi-experimental designs. She has led formative and rapid qualitative studies to inform health interventions in sub-Saharan Africa.

Her recent publications focus on patient re-engagement, tracer contact effectiveness, and person-centered care models in Zambia. These works employ diverse methodologies including instrumental variable analysis, stepped-wedge trials, and narrative analysis, contributing significantly to the understanding of HIV care delivery in real-world settings.

Scientific Awards:

• Advising, Mentoring and Teaching Recognition Award (AMTRA), JHSPH, 2021
• R. Bradley Sack Family Scholarship, JHSPH, 2019
• Procter & Gamble Fellowship, JHSPH, 2016
• Delta Omega Honor Society, 2010
• Robert W. Woodruff Merit Scholar, Emory, 2009–2011

Laura Beres has served as an HIV & AIDS Advisor to the Lesotho Ministry of Local Government and contributed to national strategic planning. She co-authored the WHO Consolidated Guideline on SRHR for women living with HIV and supports the Baltimore City Health Department in monitoring and evaluation. She teaches courses in formative research and human-centered design at JHSPH.

Research Projects: She leads initiatives on long-acting injectable PrEP for adolescents in Zambia, risk stratification for pregnant women with HIV in Kenya, stigma reduction integrating mental health and violence prevention, and health systems strengthening in Zambian prisons and clinics.