Dr. Katharine Bar is an Infectious Disease physician, clinical trialist, and physician-scientist who studies the basic mechanisms and translational impact of virus transmission, pathogenesis and persistence of HIV-1, SARS-CoV-2, and other viral pathogens. Her research uses innovative sequencing and molecular techniques to identify and characterize the viruses that establish productive infection and drive pathogenesis and persistence. Much of her recent work focuses on the translation of basic science discovery through preclinical testing in the nonhuman primate (NHP) model and human clinical trials. Her lab currently has three main areas of interest (i) characterizing the viral dynamics and host immune responses during ART suppression and analytical treatment interruption (ATI), (ii) developing viral reagents for NHP models that faithfully recapitulate HIV-1 latency and rebound following ATI, and (iii) determining the mechanisms and effects of broadly neutralizing antibody (bNAb)-based interventions. Dr. Bar holds leadership positions in the AIDS Clinical Trials Group and the HIV Vaccine Trials Network, and serves as chair, co-chair, virologist or investigator on trials of HIV and COVID-19 prevention, treatment and cure.
