Dr. Lara Pereira leads a diverse portfolio of projects that strengthen and support sustainable global public health systems and continuous learning strategies. She joined TEPHINET after nine years with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), where she most recently served in the Division of STD Prevention as a Unit Lead for immunodiagnostic research and development. Prior to that, she evaluated HIV prophylactic methods involving women’s reproductive health at CDC’s Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention with partners in private, nonprofit and governmental sectors. A scientist by training, Dr. Pereira has a strong technical background in infectious diseases and extensive experience in multidisciplinary research study design, project implementation, data analysis, and development of evidence-based guidelines and initiatives for public health programs. 

She holds a Bachelor of Science in microbiology and minor in chemistry from the University of Wisconsin, a PhD in microbiology from the University of Georgia, and completed her postdoctoral fellowship at Emory University.