Barbara Van Der Pol, PHD, MPH

is a Professor of Medicine and Public Health at the University of Alabama at Birmingham and the Director of the UAB STD Diagnostics Laboratory. Her research focuses on understanding the biological and behavioral factors that affect susceptibility to, and prevention of sexually transmitted infections (STIs), and she is active on projects designed to improve access to sexual health for underserved and minority populations. She currently serves as the President of the International Society for STD Research.