Elvin H. Geng, MD, MPH

Dr. Geng is a Professor of Medicine in the Division of Infectious Diseases at Washington University in St. Louis. He received his MD and MPH degrees from Columbia University, followed by post-doctoral fellowship training at the University of California, San Francisco, where he was faculty in the Division of HIV, Infectious Diseases and Global Medicine from 2009 to 2019, before joining WashU in 2019, where he is a tenured Professor of Medicine and Director of the Center for Dissemination and Implementation — one of the leading centers globally for implementation research — as well as director our NIH funded Center for AIDS Research.

“I am always looking for opportunities to collaborate, and some background might help identify potential links.  

• I lead a robust research enterprise and am well connected to many groups globally — with research collaborations based in the US, Europe, Zambia, South Africa, Kenya and other locations. Across these settings, this work involves has over 100 students, staff and faculty.  We tackle leading edge problems such as person-centered public health and engagement in HIV services, using methods drawn from social sciences (e.g., choice experiments).  We use novel experimental (e.g., sequential randomization) and observational approaches (e.g., double sampling using sampling-based weights). 

• Based on my research activities, I teach, mentor and advance the scientific careers or trainees and junior faculty.  I am supported by a K24 mechanism from the NIH to provide mentorship, and I have 19 mentees or advisees who have successfully obtained NIH K-series or other career development awards in the past 10 years.   Recently, I launched the HIV, Infectious Diseases and Global Health Implementation Research Training Institute, which brings together leading faculty and fellows in implementation science globally – the agenda and many of the training materials are on line.   Currently, I am advising two doctoral candidates pursuing the concentration in Implementation Research at Washington University (Helen Eta’yale and Debbie Dada). 

• In addition, I serve in advisory and service roles, including on the WHO HIV Department Guideline Development Group (2016, 2021) — where I have helped shape the prioritization agenda and provided evidence reviews. I am also currently a member of the WHO Guideline Review Committee (2024-2027) that reviews guidelines across all of World Health Organization departments. I contribute to the scientific community as an Academic Editor at PLOS Medicine, Editor-in-Chief of of Implementation Science Communications, and serve on the editorial board of the Journal of the International AIDS Society (each of these editorials is linked to my role at the journal).   I am a member of the Scientific Advisory Board for the US President’s Emergency Fund for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR)”.

Languages – English, Chinese, Mandarin