Marla Keller, MD

Dr. Keller leads a research program focused on early phase clinical trials to assess the safety of candidate vaginal microbicides, drugs in development to prevent the sexual transmission of human immunodeficiency virus and herpes simplex virus. Her studies also focus on defining the factors that contribute to innate mucosal immunity in the female genital tract of HIV-infected and uninfected US and African women. She has completed safety and pharmacokinetic studies of candidate microbicide gels (PRO 2000, Tenofovir, Dapivirine, Acidform), tablets (Tenofovir/Emtricitabine) and vaginal rings (Acyclovir) and tested laboratory assays, which may prove to serve as biomarkers predictive of microbicide safety and efficacy. Dr. Keller is a co-investigator of the Bronx/Manhattan consortium of the NIH-funded Women’s Interagency HIV Study (WIHS), a multi-center, prospective cohort established in 1994 to investigate the impact of HIV infection on women in the United States. Her work in the WIHS focuses on genital mucosal immunity and HPV screening practices in HIV-infected and at-risk women. Dr. Keller is a fellow of the Infectious Disease Society of America (IDSA), a member of the HIV Medical Association (HIVMA) and a previous Councilor of the Infectious Diseases Society of New York (IDSNY). She was also a member of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Panel on Antiretroviral Guidelines for Adults and Adolescents (a working group of the Office of AIDS Research Council). She was a member of the NIH COVID-19 Treatment Guidelines Panel. She is currently the Director of the Harold and Muriel Block Institute for Clinical and Translational Research at Einstein and Montefiore, which is funded by a Clinical and Translational Science Award from NIH.