Dr Katherine Gill

Clinical Research Lead

Affiliations

  1. Fellow, Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine
  2. Desmond Tutu HIV Centre (DTHC), Desmond Tutu HIV Foundation

Key Expertise

HIV Prevention

Main Research Focus

Katherine (MBChB, MPH) has a strong interest in adolescent health, with a focus on HIV and other sexually transmitted infections in young women. Her research includes exploring various strategies to prevent HIV infection, such as investigating vaccines, novel HIV prevention products, and devices. Katherine has contributed to several technical working groups and guideline development committees aimed at translating research findings into actionable policy change. She is currently based at the Desmond Tutu Health Foundation in Masiphumelele.

Most Significant Paper Authored in 2024

Twice-yearly lenacapvir or daily F/TAF for HIV prevention in cisgender women.

Bekker, L. G., Das, M., Abdool Karim, Q., Ahmed, K., Batting, J., Brumskine, W., Gill, K., & the PURPOSE 1 Study Team (2024).

The PURPOSE1 study is a significant contribution to HIV prevention, as it evaluated the efficacy of lenacapvir, a novel long-acting HIV prevention method, in adolescents and young women in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). The study’s findings are critical for understanding how lenacapvir can effectively reduce HIV transmission in high-risk populations. The study demonstrated 100% in preventing HIV compared to oral PrEP. The research offers valuable insights into how long-acting methods can be a game-changer for HIV prevention. This has the potential to improve health outcomes for adolescents and young women in SSA, addressing gaps in current prevention approaches in resource-limited settings.