Christopher Watson

Accomplished public health leader dedicated to advancing health equity globally through research, advocacy, mentorship, and transformative community partnerships. Recognized architect of frameworks diversifying clinical trials. Directing a $33MM HIV treatment marketing portfolio while holding academic appointments focused on translating research into public health practice. Currently serving in a dual capacity role, contributing to both public and private industries.

• 2022-01-01, Present, Visiting Professor, Morgan State University
• 2022-01-01, Present, Senior Research Scientist, Center for Urban Health Equity, Morgan State University

• 2017-01-01, 2019-01-01, Member, CDC Scientific Advisory Council
• 2015-01-01, 2017-01-01, Chair (Emeritus), HIV Prevention Trials Network (HPTN) Black Caucus
• 2014-01-01, 2016-01-01, Co-Chair, HPTN Global Community Working Group

• Development of a Black Caucus Within the HIV Prevention Trials Network: Representing the Perspectives of Black Men Who Have Sex With Men, Int J Environ Res Public Health, 17, 3, 871, 2020-01-01, Contributed to the establishment of a critical network for Black MSM.
• Development of a telehealth intervention to promote care‐seeking among transgender women of color in Washington, DC, Public Health Nurs, 37, 2, 262-271, 2020-01-01, Pioneering work in telehealth for transgender women of color.
• Sexual Risk Behaviors Among Black Men Who Have Sex With Men Who Also Report Having Sex With Transgender Partners, AIDS Educ Prev, 29, 5, 418-431, 2017-01-01, Impactful insights into sexual risk behaviors.
• Receipt of HIV Prevention Interventions is More Common in Community-Based Clinics Than in Primary Care or Acute Care Settings for Black Men who Have Sex with Men in the District of Columbia, AIDS Care, 28, 5, 660-664, 2016-01-01, Highlighted the effectiveness of community-based interventions.
• Navigating Opportunities, Learning and Potential Threats: Mentee Perspectives on Mentoring in HIV Research, AIDS Behav, 20, 258-264, 2016-01-01, Contributions to mentorship in HIV research.
• Engaging, Recruiting, and Retaining Black Men Who Have Sex With Men in Research Studies, J Public Health Manag Pract, 20, 6, E1-E9, 2014-01-01, Significant work on engagement strategies.

• Identifying Gaps in Biomedical HIV Prevention Research for Black MSM in the US, Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections, 2020-03-01, Boston, MA, Highlighted critical gaps in HIV prevention research.
• The Impact of Diversity in Clinical Trial Leadership on Study Implementation, American Public Health Association Annual Meeting, 2018-11-01, San Diego, CA, Stressed the importance of diversity in clinical trials.
• Ensuring Inclusion of Sex and Gender Minorities in the Global HIV Response, International AIDS Society Conference, 2018-07-01, Amsterdam, Netherlands, Advocated for inclusive global HIV responses.
• Transforming Industry Through Diversity and Inclusion Efforts, Conference on HIV Science and Practice, 2017-05-01, Miami, FL, Contributions to industry transformation through diversity and inclusion.
• Innovation in Mobile Health Promotion for MSM, Conference on LGBT Health, 2016-04-01, Chicago, IL, Innovative approaches in mobile health promotion.