Craig Cohen
About me
Craig Cohen, MD, MPH, is an Foreign Adjunct Professor at the Karolinska Institute, and Professor in the UCSF Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences. From 2016-2022 he was the co-Director of the University of California Global Health Institute (UCGHI: www.ucghi.universityofcalifornia.edu). He conducts clinical and implementation research in two major areas: HIV and sexually transmitted infection prevention and HIV/AIDS care and support in developing countries, including the development of live biotherapeutic products to prevent bacterial vaginosis and HIV acquisition in women.
In 1994, Dr. Cohen and his colleague, Dr. Elizabeth Bukusi at the Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI) established the Research Care and Treatment Program (RCTP), a collaboration with projects in Nairobi and Kisumu, Kenya. In addition to conducting research, the goal of the program is to enhance local capacity to conduct bio̽»¨¾«Ñ¡ research through training and infrastructure development. RCTP employs over 700 full-time staff in Kenya, including epidemiologists, physicians, nurse counselors, laboratory technologists, field workers, data managers, biostatisticians, and administrative staff. Ongoing research projects include Shamba Maisha (see website), cervical cancer prevention among women living with HIV, use of telemedicine to expand high-quality HIV care in Kenya, among others.
Dr. Cohen directs the UCSF Reproductive Infectious Disease (RID) Fellowship, which aims to provide Ob/Gyn and post-doctoral trainees with the tools and experience necessary to develop into independent investigators and launch productive careers in the field of RID. He directs the University of California Global Health Institute (UCGHI) GloCal Health Fellowship which trains fellows in global health research between in collaboration with 22 international collaborating institutions in 18 countries. Overall, Dr. Cohen has directly mentored more than 80 doctoral/professional students, residents and post-doctoral fellows, most of who have conducted research in Kenya.
Research
•Prevention of HIV and sexually transmitted infections (STI)
•Microbicides, live biotherapeutic products to prevent HIV/STI
*Integration of reproductive health and HIV services
•Improvement of care to HIV infected persons living in resource poor settings
*Multisectoral interventions to improve the lives of families affected by HIV
•Research training and infrastructure development in developing countries
Articles
- Journal article: MEDRXIV. 2025;:2025.08.18.25333897
- Journal article: PLOS GLOBAL PUBLIC HEALTH. 2025;5(8):e0004481
- Journal article: AIDS AND BEHAVIOR. 2025;:1-13
- Journal article: INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES. 2025;154:107861
- Journal article: SEXUAL AND REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH MATTERS. 2024;32(1):2366587
- Journal article: MATERNAL AND CHILD HEALTH JOURNAL. 2024;28(12):2026-2036
- Journal article: PLOS GLOBAL PUBLIC HEALTH. 2024;4(5):e0002922
- Journal article: SOCIAL SCIENCE & MEDICINE. 2023;330:116031
- Journal article: PLOS GLOBAL PUBLIC HEALTH. 2023;3(4):e0000556
- Journal article: INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES. 2022;120:158-167
- Journal article: PLOS GLOBAL PUBLIC HEALTH. 2022;2(10):e0000614
- Journal article: PLOS MEDICINE. 2021;18(9):e1003803
- Journal article: PLOS MEDICINE. 2021;18(2):e1003492
- Journal article: PLOS MEDICINE. 2021;18(1):e1003468
- Journal article: AIDS AND BEHAVIOR. 2020;24(6):1632-1642
- Journal article: NEW ENGLAND JOURNAL OF MEDICINE. 2020;382(20):1906-1915
- Journal article: PLOS ONE. 2019;14(1):e0210126
- Journal article: AIDS RESEARCH AND TREATMENT. 2016;2016:9124541-9