Sally Blower

Sally Blower is a Professor-in-Residence in the Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences at the David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles (UCLA). With a distinguished career spanning several decades, she leads cutting-edge research at the intersection of mathematical modeling, epidemiology, and public health policy, focusing primarily on HIV/AIDS dynamics and control strategies.

Dr. Blower's research centers on mathematical modeling of infectious disease epidemics, with particular expertise in HIV transmission dynamics, treatment access, and elimination strategies. Her work employs sophisticated geospatial analysis and network modeling to address critical public health challenges in sub-Saharan Africa and beyond. She has pioneered approaches to map HIV treatment deserts, analyze migration networks' impact on epidemics, and optimize resource allocation for maximum epidemiological impact. Her research bridges theoretical modeling with practical public health interventions, directly informing UNAIDS targets and national treatment strategies.

Analysis of her recent publications (2022-2025) reveals a strong focus on geospatial aspects of HIV treatment access in Africa, particularly in Malawi and Botswana. Her work increasingly incorporates mobile phone data for epidemic control and examines the unintended consequences of successful HIV control programs. She has expanded her research to include mental health geospatial analysis in Colombia and SARS-CoV-2 transmission modeling in Africa, demonstrating the adaptability of her mathematical approaches across disease contexts.

Dr. Blower has secured substantial research funding as Principal Investigator on multiple NIH grants, including 'Helping Botswana Achieve UNAIDS Treatment Targets to End Its HIV Epidemic' (R56AI152759) and 'Optimal Strategies for HIV Treatment and Prevention in Sub-Saharan Africa' (R01AI116493). Her work has directly influenced public health policy through data-driven modeling of treatment targets and resource allocation strategies for HIV elimination.