Michael S. Saag, MD - Principal Investigator

Dr. Saag founded the UAB 1917 HIV/AIDS Clinic in 1988 and established the Clinic Cohort Database in 1992. Over the years he has fostered the career development of numerous students, residents, fellows, and faculty, and conducted innovative outcomes and translational research studies that have informed practice and policy. Dr. Saag has facilitated collaboration of the UAB 1917 Clinic Cohort with numerous national and international observational cohort studies, serving a leadership role with these groups.

Michael J. Mugavero MD, MHSc - Project Director

Dr. Mugavero first participated in research studies with the UAB 1917 Clinic Cohort as an Internal Medicine resident from 2000-2003. After completing an Infectious Diseases fellowship and masters degree in clinical research at Duke University in 2006, he joined the faculty at UAB and embraced a leadership role with the 1917 Clinic Cohort. Dr. Mugavero’s research focuses on all aspects of HIV health services utilization from diagnosis and initial linkage to care to long-term clinical outcomes.

James H. Willig, MD - Medical Informatics

Dr. Willig worked with the UAB 1917 Clinic Cohort during his Infectious Disease training from 2004-2008 and joined the faculty at UAB in 2008. His interests in quality improvement and medical informatics have found expression in both research into quality issues in HIV primary care, as well as the integration of medication dosing decision support into the 1917 Clinic electronic medical record. He spearheaded the creation and deployment of a 100% research data quality control process recognized for excellence.

James L. Raper, CRNP, DSN, JD - Clinic Director

Dr. Raper brings HIV clinical and administrative experience to the UAB 1917 Clinic Cohort dating back to 1995. As a Nurse Practitioner and Chief Operating Officer his major contributions include integral knowledge of the cohort’s history and evolutionary development. Dr. Raper’s interests include quality management and health policy.

Anne Zinski, PhD - Research Program Manager

Dr. Zinski is the Research Program Manager for the 1917 Clinic Cohort. She earned her doctorate in Health Education and Health Promotion in 2008, with a concentration on Health Behavior and HIV. Dr. Zinski’s research experience includes behavioral interviewing and qualitative analysis, patient screening and recruitment, human subjects and regulatory administration, project coordination and management for NIH and CDC-sponsored protocols.

Alfredo Guzman, MEng - Informatics Program Manager

Mr. Guzman joined the 1917 Clinic in 2007. Prior to the Clinic, Alfredo was the Regional Manager for the Technology Department in one of the largest financial institutions back in his country. He currently serves as an IT Project Lead Manager, focusing on the implementation of new applications, hardware/operating system platforms, managing the clinic's network infrastructure and developing/designing several websites, including the 1917 Clinic Cohort website.

Mirjam-Colette Kempf, PhD, MPH - Epidemiology

Dr. Mirjam-Colette Kempf is an Infectious Diseases Epidemiologists with appointments in the Center for AIDS Research and the Center for Minority Health Research at UAB. Her research interest focuses on disparities in Gender and Minority Health for people living with HIV. Following her interest, she has mentored several students and fellows who conducted research projects with the UAB 1917 Clinic Cohort as well as collaborated with several of the UAB 1917 Clinic Cohort investigators on projects since 2004.

Joseph E. Schumacher, PhD - Behavioral Science

Dr. Schumacher is a Professor of Medicine, clinical psychologist and behavioral scientist in the Division of Preventive Medicine and Director of the Center for AIDS Research (CFAR) Behavioral Science Core. The Core Service Unit (CSU) provides CFAR and other investigators with a wide range of behavioral science services and methods. Dr. Schumacher is actively investigating contingency management interventions for substance abuse and treatment for depression and its effect on HIV disease outcome.