Jennifer Jain, PhD

My research focuses on the intersection of substance use, HIV, and related infectious diseases among priority populations, including people who inject drugs (PWID), female sex workers (FSW), men who have sex with men (MSM), and transgender women. Over the past decade, I have developed and evaluated interventions to improve HIV prevention, treatment, and overall health outcomes among individuals living with HIV and those at heightened risk for HIV, sexually transmitted infections, and hepatitis C.

My work integrates social epidemiology, behavioral science, and multilevel frameworks to examine how behavioral, social, and structural factors shape substance use and HIV-related outcomes. A central focus of my research is the development and implementation of trauma-informed, harm reduction–oriented, and female-centered interventions to improve HIV care engagement and well-being in real-world settings.

At University of California, San Francisco and in the Mexico–U.S. border region, I have conducted research on HIV prevention and treatment, substance use, syndemic conditions, and sex differences in risk environments among PWID, FSW, MSM, and transgender women. Collectively, my research seeks to inform scalable, evidence-based interventions that address the social and structural conditions shaping substance use and HIV outcomes in both domestic and international settings.