Paul A. D’Avanzo Joins the Rutgers School of Public Health

Paul A. D’Avanzo, Ph.D., has joined the Rutgers School of Public Health’s Department of Health Behavior, Society and Policy as an assistant professor.

D’Avanzo’s research focuses on HIV and sexually transmitted infection (STI) prevention, with an emphasis on enhancing communication between patients and providers and improving adherence to HIV/STI prevention strategies and clinical guidelines.

His recent work includes research on doxycycline post-exposure prophylaxis (Doxy PEP), an emerging intervention aimed at reducing bacterial STIs among cisgender men and transgender women. He was awarded a research fellowship from the American Sexually Transmitted Diseases Association to investigate both patient and provider factors crucial to the equitable and safe implementation of Doxy PEP.

“I'm thrilled to welcome Dr. D'Avanzo,” said Perry N. Halkitis, dean of the Rutgers School of Public Health. “He represents another of the new generation of public health scholars who we have been able to recruit to our school whose work advances four of our areas of excellency: sexual & reproductive health, violence prevention, LGBTQ health, and mental health & substance use. Dr D'Avanzo is also an exceptional methodologist and community advocate. He embodies keeping the ‘public’ in public health.”

In addition, D’Avanzo previously served as project director for the P18 Cohort Study. The longitudinal investigation examined the syndemic impact of HIV, other STIs, substance use, and mental health conditions among sexual minority men living in New York and New Jersey.

“We are delighted to welcome Dr. D’Avanzo to the Department, and I expect he will thrive here at Rutgers,” said Paul Duberstein, professor and chair of the Department of Health Behavior, Society and Policy.

“Our students in social and behavioral health sciences, health systems and policy, population aging, and population mental health will benefit not only from his in-depth knowledge of public health but also form his mental health training,” Duberstein added. “It’s always a win when you can recruit a faculty member who can teach in all four departmental concentrations.”

D’Avanzo received his Ph.D. in Social and Behavioral Health Sciences from Temple University’s College of Public Health. Prior to joining Rutgers, he was a NIMH T32 Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the HIV Center for Clinical and Behavioral Studies at Columbia University and the New York State Psychiatric Institute.

“I am joining the Rutgers School of Public Health with both excitement and determination,” said D’Avanzo. “This is a critical moment for public health – and HIV and sexual health in particular. I look forward to supporting the School of Public Health's mission of advocating for and striving to promote health equity.”