Lynn T. Matthews, MD, MPH
Cards
About
Titles
Affiliated Faculty, Yale Institute for Global Health; Affiliated Faculty, Center for Interdisciplinary Research on AIDS
Biography
I am an ID-trained physician-scientist funded since 2011 to develop, test, and implement HIV testing, prevention and treatment interventions in Uganda, South Africa, and the U.S. Southeast. I currently lead two R34 and three R01 studies and have over 115 peer-reviewed publications, including 75+ as first or senior author. My work informs global and national HIV guidelines and is recognized through invited talks, workshops, and service on the U.S. guidelines panel for HIV treatment and prevention in pregnancy.
Mentorship is central to my work: I’ve supported over 50 trainees to publish 82+ papers and secure developmental and independent funding. In 2024, I was recognized with a UAB School of Medicine Dean’s Excellence Award in Mentoring and secured K24 funding from NIAID.
I provide clinical care and teaching in ID and hold administrative roles to grow global health, infectious disease research, and early-career development programs.
Departments & Organizations
Education & Training
- MPH
- Harvard School of Public Health, Clinical effectiveness (2011)
- Fellow
- Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (2011)
- Resident
- Brigham and Women's Hospital (2007)
- Intern
- Brigham and Women's Hospital (2005)
- MD
- University of Miami School of Medicine (2004)
- BA
- Swarthmore College, Biology (honors), Chemistry (1998)
Advanced Training & Certifications
- Postdoctoral Fellow, Global Health
- Massachusetts General Hospital (2008)
- Clinical Research Training Program
- NIH (2003)
Board Certifications
Infectious Disease
- Certification Organization
- AB of Internal Medicine
- Original Certification Date
- 2010
Research
Overview
My research program addresses critical gaps in HIV prevention and reproductive health through innovative, community-engaged approaches in global and domestic settings. Grounded in epidemiology, behavioral science, clinical trials, and implementation science, my work informs national and international guidelines and improves health outcomes for populations traditionally marginalized in medicine and public health.
A focus of my scholarship is the intersection of HIV prevention and reproductive health. My early clinical experiences in Rwanda and South Africa illuminated the limits of condom-based prevention in settings where childbearing is a central life priority. I introduced a rights-based “safer conception care” framework to align HIV prevention with reproductive autonomy. During ID fellowship, I partnered with mentors and collaborators to conduct formative research describing reproductive intentions, partnership dynamics, and prevention preferences among people with or affected by HIV. This laid the groundwork for NIH- and foundation-funded clinical studies testing periconception PrEP interventions in South Africa and Uganda. We demonstrated both high demand and adherence to PrEP as HIV prevention, as well as elevated HIV incidence in periconception cohorts—findings that now inform U.S., WHO, and country-level guidelines in South Africa and Uganda.
Recognizing the essential role of men in reproductive health decisions, I led studies focused on engaging men with HIV who desire children. We developed and piloted a behavioral intervention to support viral suppression among men seeking fatherhood. The intervention, supported by an R34, demonstrated feasibility, high uptake, and positive virologic outcomes in both South Africa and Uganda.
In 2019, I expanded my program to address HIV care and prevention disparities in the U.S. Southeast. I apply implementation science to improve HIV testing and PrEP access. I led pilot projects which informed multiple NIH-funded projects, including a K23 (PI Hill), an R34 and R01 (MPI Matthews/Elopre), which examine caregiver engagement, provider prescribing, and structural barriers to PrEP uptake for young women. I also led studies exploring HIV testing barriers and the use of big data to inform testing outreach in rural Alabama, which informed an ongoing R01 testing a multi-level intervention to improve HIV care engagement (MPI Matthews/Rana).
My research is consistently well-funded, with uninterrupted NIH support since 2011, including multiple R01s and a K24, foundation and philanthropic support. I maintain strong collaborations in Massachusetts, Alabama, South Africa, and Uganda. At Yale, I aim to add relevant and impactful projects and programs in collaboration with colleagues and to continue to lead clinically relevant research with a mentorship program to inform science, policy, and clinical practice in pursuit of optimized HIV prevention and outcomes locally and globally.