Dr. Charlene Flash is an Assistant Professor of Medicine in the Section of Infectious Diseases at Baylor College of Medicine. Dr. Flash developed a comprehensive HIV prevention program for high risk heterosexuals and men who have sex with men who present for HIV walk up testing in a free-standing HIV clinic. One of the first programs to prescribe HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis in the region, it demonstrates effective PrEP implementation among serodiscordant individuals. Dr. Flash is currently investigating changes in risk behavior and risk perception among heterosexuals and MSM on PrEP in a real-world setting. She has investigated knowledge and PrEP perceptions among primary care providers in a high-incidence, resource-limited setting. In a national evaluation of PrEP prescribing patterns, Dr. Flash has demonstrated demographic and regional shifts. Her earlier work relates to the recognition of limited data for at risk women in the United States. Her work provided some of the earliest data on PrEP acceptability among U.S. women. She has also investigated the role of changes in HIV testing policy in advancing prevention. Trained in Internal Medicine and Pediatrics with an MPH in Quantitative Health Care Assessment, she is board certified in Internal Medicine and adult Infectious Diseases.
Dr. Giordano is Associate Professor of Medicine with tenure at Baylor College of Medicine, with a dual appointment at the Center for Innovations in Quality, Effectiveness, and Safety (iQuESt; a VA Health Services Research Center of Innovation at the Houston Veterans Affairs Medical Center). He is the Medical Director of HIV Services for the Harris Health System, which includes the Thomas Street Health Center, one of the largest HIV clinics in the United States. He is a member of the DHHS Panel on Antiretroviral Guidelines for Adults and Adolescents, and has served on the Food and Drug Administration Antiviral Drug Advisory Council. He is also a member of a scientific review panel for the NIH. His research focus is access and retention in care for adults with HIV infection, especially persons from minority and disadvantaged backgrounds. Dr. Giordano received his undergraduate education at John Carroll University, his MD at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, and his MPH at the University of Texas Houston School of Public Health. He completed Internal Medicine residency at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania and a fellowship in adult Infectious Diseases at Baylor College of Medicine.
Dr. Patel is an Assistant Professor of Medicine in the Section of Infectious Diseases at Baylor College of Medicine (BCM) and has a Master’s of Science in Clinical Investigation. She is a Clinical Investigator at the BCM Vaccine Research Center and also the Clinical Director for the Houston Local Performance Site Thomas Street Health Center (TSHC) of the South Central AIDS Education and Training Center (SCAETC). Dr. Patel has provided care for patients living with HIV/AIDS since 2003 and also serves on the Houston Ryan White Planning Council. She and the Houston AETC team have provided trainings and expertise to strengthen the capacity of health care professionals to care for people living with HIV/AIDS.