Allison Lorna Agwu, MD, SCM
Pediatric Infectious Diseases
Highlights
Johns Hopkins Affiliations:
- Johns Hopkins School of Medicine Faculty
About Allison Lorna Agwu
Primary Academic Title
Professor of Pediatrics
Background
Dr. Allison L. Agwu, MD, ScM, FAAP, FIDSA is Professor of pediatric and adult infectious diseases at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. Her clinical interests include HIV/AIDS and infectious disease.
Dr. Agwu earned her medical degree from the University of Maryland School of Medicine. She completed a residency in pediatrics and internal medicine at Case Western Reserve University (University Hospitals of Cleveland/ Rainbow Babies and Children’s Hospital), and a combined fellowship in pediatric and adult infectious diseases at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine.
Dr. Agwu's clinical and research interests focuses on children, adolescents, and young adults who are at-risk or living with HIV and their families. Clinically, she provides inpatient and outpatient pediatric infectious diseases' consultations and leads the Pediatric Adolescent HIV/AIDS Program, which provides multidisciplinary for those living with or affected by HIV. Further, she leads the young adult transition clinic, the Accessing Care Early (ACE) Clinic. Both programs are longstanding Ryan White Federal Grant-funded programs.
Her overarching research goal is to decipher, address, and minimize disparities in treatment and outcomes for those living with HIV. Toward this goal, she oversees her own independent, longstanding, federally funded clinical research program and serves as principal investigator of the Johns Hopkins sites of the International Maternal, Pediatric, and Adolescent AIDS Clinical Trials (IMPAACT) Network and the Adolescent Trials' Network (ATN). Her research interests include optimizing outcomes for youth at-risk for and living with HIV, management and treatment strategies, and minimizing disparities in the use of antiretroviral therapy (ART) and outcomes. Other special interests include epidemiologic approaches to HIV, drug resistance, and clinical trials.
She is a member of the Infectious Diseases Society of America, the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society, and the American Academy of Pediatrics. Dr. Agwu is Chair of the HIV Medicine Association.
Centers and Institutes
Clinical Trial Keywords
International Maternal; Pediatric; and Adolescent AIDS Clinical Trials (IMPAACT) Network; Adolescent Trials' Network
Additional Academic Titles
Joint Appointment in Medicine
Research Interests
Adolescents and Youth with HIV-1, Disparities in Utilization of Antiretroviral Therapy, Drug Resistance in HIV Patients, Epidemiologic Approaches to HIV, HIV/AIDS, Outcomes, Management Strategies, Clinical Trials, Treatment Strategies, Youth (Adolescents and Young Adults)
Research Summary
Dr. Agwu is deeply committed to improving the lives of young people living with HIV. She serves as Principal Investigator for the Johns Hopkins site of both the International Maternal, Pediatric, and Adolescent AIDS Clinical Trials (IMPAACT) Network and the Adolescent Trials Network (ATN). In parallel with her leadership in these national collaborative efforts, she directs an independent research program focused on HIV/AIDS among adolescents and young adults. Her scholarly interests include treatment strategies, health disparities in antiretroviral therapy, and long-term management outcomes.
A central aim of her work is to optimize clinical care for this underserved population. Dr. Agwu currently chairs the HIV Medical Association and was recognized with the 2023 American Society for Clinical Investigation Award, which honors early-career physician-scientists for significant contributions to the advancement of clinical research.
Selected Publications
Jao J, Agwu A, Mhango G, Kim A, Park K, Posada R, Abrams EJ, Hutton N, Sperling RS. “Growth patterns in the first year of life differ in infants born to perinatally vs. nonperinatally HIV-infected women.” AIDS. 2015 Jan 2;29(1):111-6. doi: 10.1097/QAD.0000000000000501.
Lee L, Rand CS, Ellen JM, Agwu AL. “Factors informing HIV providers' decisions to start antiretroviral therapy for young people living with behaviorally acquired HIV.” J Adolesc Health. 2014 Sep;55(3):358-65. doi: 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2014.03.006. Epub 2014 Apr 29.
Yehia BR, Fleishman JA, Agwu AL, Metlay JP, Berry SA, Gebo KA; HIV Research Network. “Health insurance coverage for persons in HIV care, 2006-2012.” J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr. 2014 Sep 1;67(1):102-6. doi: 10.1097/QAI.0000000000000251.
Yehia BR, Herati RS, Fleishman JA, Gallant JE, Agwu AL, Berry SA, Korthuis PT, Moore RD, Metlay JP, Gebo KA; HIV Research Network. “Hepatitis C virus testing in adults living with HIV: a need for improved screening efforts.” PLoS One. 2014 Jul 17;9(7):e102766. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0102766. eCollection 2014.
Yehia BR, Rebeiro P, Althoff KN, Agwu AL, Horberg MA, Samji H, Napravnik S, Mayer K, Tedaldi E, Silverberg MJ, Thorne JE, Burchell AN, Rourke SB, Rachlis A, Mayor A, Gill MJ, Zinski A, Ohl M, Anastos K, Abraham AG, Kitahata MM, Moore RD, Gebo KA; for the North American AIDS Cohort Collaboration on Research and Design (NA-ACCORD). “The Impact of Age on Retention in Care and Viral Suppression.” J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr. 2014 Dec 31. [Epub ahead of print]
Memberships
- American Academy of Pediatrics
- HIV Medical Association
- Infectious Diseases Society of America
- Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society
Locations
- Rubenstein Child Health Building
- 200 North Wolfe Street, Rubenstein BLDG Lower Level, Baltimore, MD 21287
- phone: 443-997-5437
- fax: 410-955-1491
- The Johns Hopkins Hospital
- 1717 East Monument Street, Park Building, Ground Level, Baltimore, MD 21287
- phone: 410-955-1725
- fax: 443-287-4173
- Rubenstein Child Health Building
- 200 North Wolfe Street, Building 1, Baltimore, MD 21287
- phone: 410-955-5710
- fax: 410-367-2907
Expertise
Education
Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
Graduate School, ScM, 2010Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
Fellowship, Infectious Diseases, 2007Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
Fellowship, Pediatric Infectious Diseases, 2006UH Rainbow Babies & Childrens Hospital
Residency, Medicine and Pediatrics, 2003University of Maryland School of Medicine
Medical Education, MD, 1999Board Certifications
Pediatric Infectious Diseases
American Board of Pediatrics, 2007Insurance
- Aetna
- CareFirst
- Cigna
- First Health
- Geisinger Health Plan
- HealthSmart/Accel
- Humana
- Johns Hopkins Health Plans
- MultiPlan
- Pennsylvania's Preferred Health Networks (PPHN)
- Point Comfort Underwriters
- Private Healthcare Systems (PHCS)
- UnitedHealthcare
- Veteran Affairs Community Care Network (Optum-VACCN)