The Kaul lab examines how mucosal (genital and rectal) immunology and the mucosal microbiome influence HIV transmission and disease. Translational clinical studies are ongoing in participant cohorts from Kenya, Uganda and Canada.

Selected publications:

1. Joag VR, Obila O, Shahabi K, Oyugi JO, Kimani J, Anzala AO, Kaul R. Impact of metronidazole treatment on genital immunology and cellular HIV susceptibility in women with bacterial vaginosis (Resubmitted after revision). Clin Infect Dis. 2018.
2. Nelson LE, Tharao W, Husbands W, Sa T, Zhang N, Pierre-Pierre V, Kushwaha S, Thomas-Pavanel J, Baidobonso S, the KALI Study Research Team, Kaul R. The epidemiology of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections in African, Caribbean and black men in Toronto, Canada (Resubmitted after revision). BMC Infect Dis. 2018.
3. Shannon B, Gajer P, Yi TJ, Ma B, Humphrys MS, Thomas-Pavanel J, Chieza L, Janakiram P, Saunders M, Tharao W, Huibner S, Shahabi K, Ravel J, Kaul R. Distinct effects of the cervico-vaginal microbiota and herpes simplex type 2 infection on female genital tract immunology. J Infect Dis. 2017;215(9):1366-1375. PMID: 28201724.
4. Shannon B, Yi TJ, Perusini S, Gajer P, Ma B, Humphrys MS, Thomas-Pavanel J, Chieza L, Janakiram P, Saunders M, Tharao W, Huibner S, Shahabi K, Ravel J, Rebbapragada A, Kaul R. Association of HPV infection and clearance with cervicovaginal immunology and the vaginal microbiota. Mucosal Immunol. 2017;10:1310-19. PMID: 28120845
5. Kim CJ, Rousseau R, Kovacs C, Kandel G, Huibner S, Shahabi K, Benko E, Chun TW, Ostrowski MA, Kaul R. Impact of intensified antiretroviral therapy during early HIV infection on gut immunology and inflammatory blood biomarkers. AIDS. 2017;31(11):1529-1534. PMID: 28463882