Head of the Genital Mucosal and STI group: Assoc Prof Jo-Ann Passmore

The Genital Mucosal and STI (GEMS) group in the Institute of Infectious Diseases and Molecular Medicine, University of Cape Town is led by Associate Professor Jo-Ann Passmore. The group focuses on investigating the local immune environment in the female and male genital tracts and possible drivers of inflammation, including sexually transmitted infections (STIs), microflora and contraceptive use. The primary aim of this work is to achieve a better understanding of how local immune responses may influence HIV acquisition and disease progression, as well as HPV genital warts, cervical cancer, and reproductive complications in women.