Biography

Dr. Aima A. Ahonkhai, MD, MPH, is an Infectious Diseases physician-scientist and implementation and health equity researcher whose work focuses on strengthening HIV prevention and treatment health outcomes for minoritized communities across diverse settings. She is Associate Professor of Medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School and Director of the Community Engaged Research Program at the Harvard University Center for AIDS Research. Dr. Ahonkhai’s cross-cutting research focuses on the convergence of epidemiologic, behavioral, and implementation research to understand drivers of health disparities among people living with HIV. Dr. Ahonkhai’s research applies hybrid effectiveness-implementation designs to understand what works and how it works across real-world systems. She is particularly interested in the health needs of adolescents and young adults, and utilizing novel strategies (digital health tools, behavioral economics, multimedia communication, etc) in partnership with communities to improve care.

Dr. Ahonkhai’s portfolio includes innovative HIV prevention and care interventions that elevate youth voice, integrate mental health, reduce stigma, and leverage trusted community spaces through task-shifting beyond traditional clinical settings. Spanning the United States and West Africa, her work bridges clinical science, behavioral health, and systems innovation to advance equitable and sustainable improvements in youth health.