My research focuses on understanding the natural history of viral infections, particularly HIV and the hepatitis viruses, in both domestic and international settings. The ALIVE (AIDS Linked to the Intravenous Experience) study is a long-standing and productive cohort that characterizes the natural history of HIV infection among intravenous drug users in Baltimore, MD. Our research in ALIVE ranges from pathogenesis to clinical to behavioral. In particular, I focus on the non-AIDS outcomes of HIV including cancer, liver and lung diseases. I also work on related topics with international collaborators, primarily in Africa. The interaction of viral, environmental and genetic factors is an important determinant in progression of many viral diseases. My research employs genetic, proteomic, and other novel laboratory and imaging methods to help understand and identify individuals at greatest risk for clinically relevant outcomes from HIV, HBV and HCV infections. The long-term goal of this research is to translate these markers into targeted interventions to help reduce the burden from these infections.

hepatitis B virus, HBV;hepatitis C virus, HCV; HIV / AIDS; HAART; non-AIDS outcomes (lung, liver disease); drug use; epidemiology; liver cancer; biomarkers; proteomics; genetic susceptibility; ALIVE study; The Gambia; Uganda;

1994-1997, American Cancer Society, Physician Training Award in Preventive Medicine

1995, Delta Omega National Public Health Honor Society

1996, AMA Glaxo-Wellcome Resident Leadership Award for Outstanding Community Service

1997, Fellowship for Research Training in Cancer, International Agency for Research on Cancer

1998, Visiting Scientist, International Agency for Research on Cancer

2002, American Society of Microbiology, George McCracken Infectious Disease Fellow Award

2002, NIH Fellow’s Award for Research Excellence

2003, Phi Beta Kappa, JHBSPH

Strickler HD, Kirk GD, Figueroa JP, Ward E, Braithwaite AR, Escoffrey C, Drummond J, Goebel B, Waters D, McClimens R, Manns A. HPV-16 antibody responses in Jamaica and the United States reflects differences in cervical cancer rates. Int J Cancer, 1999; 80: 339-4.

Kirk GD, Camus-Randon AM, Mendy M, Goedert JJ, Merle P, Trepo C, Brechot C, Hainaut P, Montesano R. Ser-249 p53 mutations in plasma DNA of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma from The Gambia. J Natl Cancer Institute, 2000: 92: 148-53.

Wild CP, Yin F, Turner PD, Chemin I, Chapot B, Mendy M, Whittle H, Kirk GD, AJ Hall. Environmental and genetic determinants of aflatoxin-albumin adducts in The Gambia, Int J Cancer, 2000; 86: 1-7.

Kirk GD, Lesi OA, Mendy M, Akano OA, Sam O, Goedert JJ, Hainaut P, Whittle H, Montesano R. The Gambia Liver Cancer Study: Infection with hepatitis B and C and the risk for hepatocellular carcinoma in West Africa. Hepatology, 2004; 39: 211-9.

Wojnowski L, Turner PC, Pedersen B, Hustert E, Brockmoller J, Kirk GD, Wild CP. Increased levels of aflatoxin-albumin adducts are associated with CYP3A5 polymorphisms in The Gambia, West Africa. Pharmacogenetics, 2004; 14: 691-700.

Kirk GD, Turner PC, Gong Y, Lesi OA, Mendy M, Goedert JJ, Hainaut P, Montesano R, Wild CP. Hepatocellular carcinoma and polymorphisms in carcinogen-metabolizing and DNA repair enzymes in a population with aflatoxin exposure and hepatitis B virus endemicity. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev, 2005; 14: 373-9.

Vlahov D, Galai N, Safaeian M, Duggal P, Lin M, Winkler C, Galea S, Kirk GD, Lucas G, Sterling TR. Effectiveness of HAART among injection drug users with late-stage HIV infection. Am J Epidemiol, 2005; 161: 999-1012.

Kirk GD, Lesi OA, Mendy M, Whittle H, Goedert JJ, Hainaut P, Montesano R. 249ser TP53 mutation in plasma DNA, hepatitis B virus infection, and risk of hepatocellular carcinoma. Oncogene, 2005; 24: 5858-67.

Mendy M, Kirk GD, VanderSande M, Jeng-Barry A, Lesi OA, Hainaut P, Sam O, Whittle H. Hepatitis B surface antigenemia and alpha-fetoprotein detection from dried blood spots: Applications to field-based studies and to clinical care in hepatitis B virus endemic areas. J Viral Hepatitis, 2005; 12: 642-7.

Lleonart ME*, Kirk GD*, Villar S, Lesi OA, Dasgupta A, Goedert JJ, Mendy M, Hollstein MC, Montesano R, Groopman J, Hainaut P, Friesen MD. Quantitative analysis of plasma TP53 249Ser-mutated DNA by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev, 2005; 14; 2596-62.

Wilson LE, Torbenson M, Astemborski J, Faruki H, Spoler C, Rai R, Mehta SH, Kirk GD, Afdhal N, Thomas DL. Liver fibrosis progression among hepatitis C virus infected injection drug users. Hepatology, 2006; 43: 788-95.

Kirk GD, Bah E, Montesano R. Molecular epidemiology of human liver cancer: etiology, pathogenesis and prevention in The Gambia, West Africa. Carcinogenesis, 2006; 27: 2070-82.

Qi Y, Martin MP, Gao X, Jacobson L, Goedert JJ, Buchbinder S, Kirk GD, O’Brien SJ, Trowsdale J, Carrington M. KIR3DS1/HLA-B Bw4-80I pleiotropism: Protection against both HIV and opportunistic infections. PLoS Pathogens, 2006; 2: e79.

Vlahov D, O’Driscoll P, Mehta SH, Ompad D, Gern N, Galai N, Kirk GD. Risk factors for methadone outside treatment programs: implications for HIV treatment among injection drug users. Addiction. 2007 feb 15; (Epub).

Mehta SH, Lucas GM, Astemborski J, Kirk GD, Vlahov D, Galai N. Early immunologic and virologic responses to highly active antiretroviral therapy and subsequent disease progression among HIV-infected injection drug users. (In Press) AIDS Care.

Kirk GD, Merlo C, Driscoll P, Mehta S, Galai N, Vlahov D, Samet J, Engels E. HIV infection is associated with an increased risk for lung cancer independent of smoking. (In Press) Clin Infectious Diseases.

An P, Wang L-H, Hutcheson H, O'Brien SJ, Donfield S, Goedert JJ, Phair J, Buchbinder S, Kirk GD, Winkler CA. Functional regulatory polymorphisms in the gene encoding cyclophilin A influence HIV-1/AIDS” (In Press) PLoS Pathogens.

Kirk GD, Vlahov D. “"Improving Survival Among HIV-infected Injection Drug Users: How Should We Define Success?" (In Press) Clin Infectious Diseases.

Lucas GM, Mehta SH, O’Driscoll P, Atta MG, Kirk GD, Galai N, Vlahov D, Moore RD. “The epidemiology of kidney disease from 1988 to 2004 in a cohort of African American HIV-1-infected and at-risk HIV-1-seronegative participants.” (In Press) AIDS.

Martin MP, Qi Y, Gao X, Yamada E, Martin JN, Pereyra F, Colombo S, Brown EE, Shupert WL, Phair J, Goedert JJ, Buchbinder S, Kirk GD, Telenti A, Connors M, O’Brien SJ, Walker BD, Parham P, Deeks SG, McVicar DW, Carrington M. “Innate partnership of HLA-B and KIR3DL1 subtypes on HIV-1 infection.” (Epub) Nature Genetics.