Infectious Disease Research
All fellows are expected to participate in a research project during the two-year program. A variety of opportunities are available in both basic science and clinical investigation. Some areas of particular interest at Mount Sinai are viral pathogenesis, HIV therapeutics, HPV screening, barriers to care in HIV and HCV, hospital epidemiology of resistant nosocomial pathogens, molecular epidemiology, and the prevention and management of infections in transplant recipients.
Starting in the fall of first year, fellows will have periodic meetings with a mentorship committee panel which serves to assist fellows in finding research, clinical, and career mentors. Through this pathway, fellows will be able to further develop scholarly interests and forge relevant connections and collaborations. First year fellows will have some protected research time in order to initiate preliminary work such as coordinating meetings and obtaining IRB approval.
Fellows with an interest in clinical investigation can pursue a Master of Science in Clinical Research through the Clinical Research Training Program. Mount Sinai also has a Master of Public Health Program.
Research Opportunities
The Mount Sinai Health Care System provides fellows with a diverse array of research opportunities in basic science, translational and clinical research. In addition to opportunities within the Division of Infectious Diseases, our fellows have the chance to work on research collaborations with other Departments and Divisions, including Microbiology, Genomics, the Recanati Miller Transplant Institute, and Liver Medicine. The Infectious Disease Division has NIH funding for scientific research in viral pathogenesis and for research with the Clinical and Translational Research Center and the COVID Clinical Trials Unit. Additionally, the Center for Research on Influenza Pathogenesis is affiliated with our Division.
Our Researchers
Alejandra Borjabad, PhD
Dr. Borjabad studies the genetic and epigenetic signatures and other molecular changes that define different neuropathologies in HIV-infection. More recently her research expanded to investigate other HIV pathogenic mechanisms like the contribution of glycomic dysregulation to neuroinflammation, the effect of HIV in animal models of Alzheimer’s disease and the effects of drug abuse including opioids, cocaine and CBD in the context of HIV infection.
