Lynn Matthews

Lynn Matthews is a Professor of Medicine and holds dual appointments in the School of Medicine (Department of Medicine - Infectious Diseases) and the School of Public Health (Department of Epidemiology) at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB). She serves as Associate Director of the Mary Heersink Institute for Global Health and Associate Director of the UAB Centers for AIDS Research (CFAR) Developmental Core. Her work focuses on HIV prevention and treatment in global health contexts, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa and the U.S. Deep South. Matthews leads the Global Infectious Disease Research Section within UAB’s Division of Infectious Diseases.

Education: She earned a Doctor of Medicine (MD) from the University of Miami and a Master of Public Health (MPH) from Harvard University. Her postgraduate training includes residencies in Internal Medicine and Infectious Disease, as well as a Global Health Fellowship at Massachusetts General Hospital.

Research Interests: HIV prevention strategies (including PrEP), safer conception practices, implementation science, and addressing health disparities in sexual and reproductive health. Her work emphasizes global health interventions, with a focus on reducing HIV transmission among vulnerable populations such as adolescent girls, Black communities, and HIV-serodifferent couples.

Grants: Over 20 grants from NIH and other institutions support her work, including studies on PrEP implementation in Alabama, safer conception programs in Uganda, and evaluating HIV testing strategies in rural areas. Her research has informed scalable interventions like mobile testing initiatives and mHealth applications for maternal care.

Advising & Grants: Matthews has mentored students since 2011 and led multidisciplinary teams in developing interventions such as the Healthy Families Clinic Program in Uganda. Her grants emphasize community engagement, provider training, and data-driven approaches to combat HIV.

Labs/Teams: Directs UAB’s Global Infectious Disease Research Section and collaborates with CFAR’s Developmental Core to advance AIDS research. Her work integrates clinical care, public health, and social science to address systemic barriers to HIV prevention and treatment.