Elaine Abrams

Elaine Abrams, MD, is director of the MTCT-Plus Initiative and Professor of Pediatrics and Epidemiology at the Columbia University College of Physicians & Surgeons and the Mailman School of Public Health. As director of MTCT-Plus, Dr Abrams received her AB degree from Princeton University and her MD from Columbia University College of Physicians & Surgeons. She is board certified in pediatrics and holds appointments in pediatrics and epidemiology.

Dr. Abrams began her career as a pediatrician at Harlem Hospital just as the first cases of pediatric HIV infection were being identified.  Over the next 15 years Dr. Abrams was responsible for the care and treatment of more than 1500 HIV-exposed infants and their families.  She was Director of the Family Care Center at Harlem Hospital and developed and implemented a comprehensive HIV care and research program for children and families with HIV.  In addition, she was the principal investigator for several longstanding research collaborations and clinical trials focusing on prevention of mother-to-child HIV transmission and pediatric treatment. She recently stepped down as Director but continues to provide care to children at the Center. 

More recently, as the scope of the pediatric epidemic in the United States has diminished, Dr. Abrams has shifted her work to focus on maternal-child health care needs in high HIV prevalence settings.  In addition to the work at ICAP, she is Chair of the NIH-funded IMPAACT Network’s Primary Therapy Scientific Committee, responsible for developing pediatric therapeutic clinical trials for a large NIH-funded international network.  She is also a member of both the WHO and USPHS guidelines committees for both pediatric HIV treatment and for prevention of mother-to-child transmission.