Researcher Spotlight: Stephen Gurley

What is your professional background?
I am a fourth-year MD/MPH global epidemiology candidate here at Emory who intends to specialize in internal medicine once I graduate. I’m particularly interested in caring for persons living with HIV (PLWH), and also in studying health disparities among PLWH and how we can work to correct them. Prior to coming to Emory, I went to the College of William & Mary, where I majored in biology. While there, I was introduced to some great mentors that work at the intersection between clinical medicine and public health, which is why I chose to come to medical school at a school like Emory where we have so many great examples of faculty leading both fields.   

In what division do you work, and who is your mentor?
I worked with Drs. Minh Nguyen and Albert Anderson within the Division of Infectious Diseases here at Emory.

Briefly describe your research. Why is it important?
The newest class of antiretroviral (ARV) drugs used to treat HIV, called integrase strand transfer inhibitors (INSTIs), have quickly revolutionized HIV care for several reasons. They’re not only extremely effective, but also have shown to have lower rates of resistance compared to older classes of ARVs, which is why they are now critical components for first line ARV regimens. Despite their now-widespread use, little is known about how INSTI resistance patterns have changed globally over time as use of INSTIs has rapidly increased. Our research reviewed the primary literature and used descriptive analysis to show that, despite their use worldwide, global INSTI prevalence remains low, and it’s likely that newer INSTI agents with even higher barriers to resistance lead to decreased rates of INSTI resistance. This is reassuring, as INSTI use continues to grow. These effective ARVs with high barriers to resistance may help us turn the tide as we work to end the global HIV epidemic.

What do you like most about Emory?
I love the breadth and depth of opportunities available at Emory and in broader Atlanta. I can’t think of a place with more global/public health opportunities coupled with a world-class clinical education. I also love how approachable, supportive, and committed to trainee success the faculty in Emory DOM are.

What is your favorite movie or TV show?
In the spirit of Halloween, I recently really enjoyed the ‘Haunting of Hill House,’ a modern retelling of a classic horror novel that surprisingly beautifully conveys the difficulty many of us face when processing grief, and the tremendous toll that substance use and mental illness can take on a family.

What do you like to do in your spare time?
In addition to spending time with cherished friends and loved ones, I love exploring the city and the surrounding area through hikes, long-distance trail runs, and long bike rides.

What is a fun fact about you?
The events of the book The Hot Zone, about the 1989 outbreak of Ebola in a biomedical research lab in the suburbs of Washington, D.C. took place in my hometown, Reston, VA! I grew up going on runs past the old ‘monkey lab’ where Ebola-Reston was discovered.