About

Cherie S. Blair, MD, PhD, is an Infectious Diseases specialist affiliated with the CARE Center at UCLA Health. She completed her MD and PhD at UCLA School of Medicine, with her MD obtained in 2014 and her PhD in 2021. Her residency in Internal Medicine was completed at UCLA in 2017, followed by a fellowship in Infectious Diseases at UCLA School of Medicine in 2020. She is board-certified in Infectious Disease and Internal Medicine by the American Board of Internal Medicine. Dr. Blair's clinical practice is based at the West Los Angeles CARE Center, located at 1399 Roxbury Drive, Suite 100, Los Angeles, CA. She is also affiliated with several hospitals, including Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, UCLA Santa Monica Medical Center, and UCLA West Valley Medical Center. Her work involves diagnosing and treating infectious diseases, contributing to UCLA's medical research and patient care efforts.

Research topics

• Medicine
• Computer Science
• Artificial Intelligence
• Mathematics
• Operations research
• Internal medicine
• Oncology
• Data science
• Pathology
• Genetics
• Biology

Selected publications

• 645. Expedited Partner Therapy Following Gonorrhea/Chlamydia Infection Among Sexual Minority Men in Peru: A Randomized Controlled Trial

  Open Forum Infectious Diseases · 2026-01-01

  articleOpen access

  Abstract Background Expedited partner therapy (EPT) reduces the risk of recurrent Neisseria gonorrheae (GC) and Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) infection among heterosexuals but its effect among sexual minority men (SMM) remains uncertain. We tested the impact of EPT on partner notification (PN) and recurrent GC/CT infection among SMM in Lima, Peru. Methods We screened 2,428 SMM for GC/CT at any anatomic site between May, 2022 and May, 2023. Individuals with GC/CT were randomly assigned to receive either EPT (antibiotic treatment packets for five of their recent sexual partners) or standard-of-care counseling. Participants returned after 3-4 weeks for repeat STI testing and to report notification outcomes. Participants were followed for 12 months with quarterly HIV/STI testing and partner management according to their original randomization. The frequency of self-reported partner notification and laboratory-diagnosed recurrent GC/CT infection were compared between arms. Results We enrolled 559 SMM with GC (36.1% rectal; 24.3% pharyngeal; 8.9% urethral) and/or CT (42.2% rectal; 5.0% pharyngeal; 9.1% urethral) infection. Median age was 29 years, with 11 partners reported over the previous three months. HIV prevalence at baseline was 50.3% and 18.8% had untreated syphilis (RPR>1:16). Among participants provided EPT, 82.2% reported notifying at least one partner of their exposure, compared to 66.7% of control arm participants (OR: 2.32, 95% CI: 1.56, 3.45), with greater numbers of participants in the EPT arm notifying at least one of their primary (77.0% vs. 67.1%; OR: 1.64 [0.81, 3.37] or casual (58.3% vs. 42.8%; OR: 1.87 [1.34, 2.63] partners. The overall notification frequency was similar between the EPT and Control arms (8.7% and 8.2% of all partners notified, respectively). The cumulative frequency of recurrent GC/CT infection over the 12-month follow-up period was 19.8% (193/974) in the EPT arm and 24.0% (234/975) in the Control arm (Relative Risk: 1.21, 95% CI: 1.02-1.43). Conclusion Expedited partner therapy improves partner notification and reduces the risk of recurrent infection among SMM with GC/CT. Additional research is needed to determine the public health impact of EPT on HIV and STI transmission and to optimize intervention delivery. Disclosures All Authors: No reported disclosures

  PublisherDOI

• Update on HIV Chemoprevention

  Annual Review of Medicine · 2025-01-27 · 4 citations

  reviewOpen access1st authorCorresponding

  Despite rapid advances in the field of HIV prevention and treatment, unacceptably high global HIV incidence rates highlight the ongoing need for effective HIV prevention interventions for populations at risk for HIV acquisition. This article provides an updated review of the current data surrounding HIV prevention strategies, including treatment as prevention (TasP), preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP), and postexposure prophylaxis (PEP), as well as advances in sexually transmitted infection biomedical prevention. This review provides an overview of the multiple PrEP modalities that are available globally, such as oral PrEP, injectable cabotegravir, and the dapivirine vaginal ring, and describes their respective clinical trials, efficacies, and regulatory approvals. We also discuss ongoing research into novel PrEP agents, such as broadly neutralizing antibodies, and efforts toward HIV vaccine development.

  PublisherDOI

• Evaluating Linkage to Care Among Patients With HIV Viremia in Los Angeles, California

  Cureus · 2025-09-04

  articleOpen access1st authorCorresponding

  Multiple barriers hinder retention in the HIV care continuum, including structural, systemic, and individual factors. We conducted a retrospective study to characterize people living with HIV (PLH) in our health system, with detectable HIV-1 viral loads, and identify factors associated with achieving virologic suppression. We included patients with at least one detectable viral load (HIV RNA >200 copies/mL) and at least one clinical encounter during the study period (from January 1, 2021, to August 31, 2023). We collected demographic, clinical, and healthcare utilization data. Patients were stratified by whether they achieved virologic suppression (HIV RNA <200 copies/mL) following a detectable result. Statistical comparisons were performed to identify significant differences. For the included 216 patients, the median age was 53 years (IQR: 39-61), with 91% (n = 196) male participants. The cohort was racially diverse, with 34% (n = 74) White, 25% (n = 54) Hispanic/Latine, and 20% (n = 43) Black/African American. Most patients (92%) had an active antiretroviral therapy (ART) prescription during the study period. Of the 117 patients with follow-up encounters, those who achieved virologic suppression were significantly older (median 56 vs. 50 years, p = 0.020) and more likely to initiate or modify ART after their first detectable viral load (74%, n = 39, vs. 50%, n = 32 already on ART, p = 0.009). Hepatitis B/HIV co-infection was observed only among patients with persistent viremia (3.1%, n = 2, vs. 0%, p = 0.002). Patients who achieved suppression underwent more HIV RNA testing (median 3 tests vs. 1 test, p < 0.001), had more total healthcare encounters (median 9 vs. 7, p = 0.003), and had five or more outpatient visits (66%, n = 35, vs. 39%, n = 25, p = 0.027). Conversely, patients with persistent viremia were more likely to be seen in a dedicated HIV clinic (77%, n = 49, vs. 49%, n = 25, p = 0.002). Older age, ART initiation or modification after detectable HIV viremia, and higher frequency of monitoring and encounters were associated with virologic suppression. Structured follow-up and timely ART interventions may support better outcomes for PLH with detectable viral loads.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Machine learning to detect the SINEs of cancer

  Science Translational Medicine · 2024-01-24 · 21 citations

  articleOpen access

  We previously described an approach called RealSeqS to evaluate aneuploidy in plasma cell-free DNA through the amplification of ~350,000 repeated elements with a single primer. We hypothesized that an unbiased evaluation of the large amount of sequencing data obtained with RealSeqS might reveal other differences between plasma samples from patients with and without cancer. This hypothesis was tested through the development of a machine learning approach called Alu Profile Learning Using Sequencing (A-PLUS) and its application to 7615 samples from 5178 individuals, 2073 with solid cancer and the remainder without cancer. Samples from patients with cancer and controls were prespecified into four cohorts used for model training, analyte integration, and threshold determination, validation, and reproducibility. A-PLUS alone provided a sensitivity of 40.5% across 11 different cancer types in the validation cohort, at a specificity of 98.5%. Combining A-PLUS with aneuploidy and eight common protein biomarkers detected 51% of the cancers at 98.9% specificity. We found that part of the power of A-PLUS could be ascribed to a single feature-the global reduction of AluS subfamily elements in the circulating DNA of patients with solid cancer. We confirmed this reduction through the analysis of another independent dataset obtained with a different approach (whole-genome sequencing). The evaluation of Alu elements may therefore have the potential to enhance the performance of several methods designed for the earlier detection of cancer.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Sexual network characteristics, condomless anal intercourse, and the HIV care cascade among MSM living with controlled versus uncontrolled HIV infection in Lima, Peru: a population-based cross-sectional analysis

  The Lancet Regional Health - Americas · 2024-03-27

  articleOpen access

  Background: Despite high rates of HIV transmission among men who have sex with men (MSM) in Lima, Peru, limited data exist on the sexual network characteristics or risk factors for secondary HIV transmission among MSM with uncontrolled HIV infection. We report the frequency of serodiscordant, condomless anal intercourse (CAI) and associated sexual network characteristics among MSM in Lima with detectable HIV viremia and compare to those with undetectable viremia. Methods: This cross-sectional analysis includes MSM who tested positive for HIV-1 during screening for a trial of partner management and STI control (June 2022-January 2023). Participants were tested for HIV, gonorrhoea, chlamydia, and syphilis, and completed questionnaires on their demographic characteristics, sexual identity and behaviour, sexual network structures and engagement in HIV care. Findings: Of 665 MSM, 153 (23%) had detectable (>200 copies/mL) viremia. 75% (499/662) of men living with HIV were previously diagnosed, with 94% (n = 469/499) reporting that they were on ART, and 93% (n = 436/469) virally suppressed. 96% (n = 147/153) of men with detectable viremia reported serodiscordant CAI with at least one of their last three sexual partners, and 74% (n = 106/144) reported the same with all three of their recent partners. In contrast, 62% (n = 302/489) of men with undetectable viral load reported serodiscordant CAI with all of their last three partners (p < 0.01). Interpretation: 23% of men living with HIV in Peru had detectable viremia, of whom almost all (96%) reported recent serodiscordant CAI. The primary gap in the HIV care cascade lies in awareness of HIV serostatus, suggesting that improved access to HIV testing could be a key prevention strategy in Peru. Funding: Funding for this study was provided by NIH/NIMH grants R01 MH118973 (PI: Clark) and R25 MH087222 (PI: Clark).

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Managing Stimulant Use Among People With HIV: Harm-Reduction Strategies From Behavior to Medication.

  PubMed · 2024-12-23 · 2 citations

  reviewOpen access1st authorCorresponding

  Stimulant use disorder poses substantial challenges to the health and well-being of people with HIV, contributing to increased HIV transmission risk and poor clinical outcomes. This article highlights the cultural significance of stimulant use, its epidemiology, and the latest evidencebased interventions for stimulant use disorder among individuals with HIV. Contingency management has emerged as the most effective treatment, with harm-reduction approaches serving as vital tools for improving the health of individuals unable or unwilling to achieve abstinence. Integrated care models that combine behavioral interventions, pharmacotherapy, and harm reduction offer a promising framework to improve health outcomes for people with HIV who use stimulants, addressing the intersection of stimulant use and HIV in care settings.

  PublisherOA PDF

• Social Networks Play a Complex Role in HIV Prevention Knowledge, Attitudes, Practices, and the Uptake of PrEP Through Transgender Women Communities Centered Around Three “Casas Trans” in Lima, Peru: A Qualitative Study

  Journal of the International Association of Providers of AIDS Care (JIAPAC) · 2023-01-01 · 5 citations

  articleOpen accessSenior author

  Transgender women's (TW) social networks may facilitate HIV prevention information dissemination and normative reinforcement. We conducted a qualitative study of social networks among 20 TW affiliated with 3 "casas trans" (houses shared among TW) in Lima, Peru, using diffusion of innovations theory to investigate community-level HIV prevention norms. Participants completed demographic questionnaires, social network interviews, and semistructured in-depth interviews. Median age was 26 and all participants engaged in sex work. Interviews revealed high HIV prevention knowledge and positive attitudes, but low engagement in HIV prevention. Respondents primarily discussed HIV prevention with other TW. Network members' opinions about pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) frequently influenced respondents' personal beliefs, including mistrust of healthcare personnel, concern that PrEP efficacy was unproven, fear of adverse effects, and frustration regarding difficulty accessing PrEP. Patterns of influence in TW networks may be leveraged to improve uptake of HIV prevention tools, including PrEP.

  PublisherDOI

• Seq-ing the SINEs of central nervous system tumors in cerebrospinal fluid

  Cell Reports Medicine · 2023-08-01 · 18 citations

  articleOpen access

  It is often challenging to distinguish cancerous from non-cancerous lesions in the brain using conventional diagnostic approaches. We introduce an analytic technique called Real-CSF (repetitive element aneuploidy sequencing in CSF) to detect cancers of the central nervous system from evaluation of DNA in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). Short interspersed nuclear elements (SINEs) are PCR amplified with a single primer pair, and the PCR products are evaluated by next-generation sequencing. Real-CSF assesses genome-wide copy-number alterations as well as focal amplifications of selected oncogenes. Real-CSF was applied to 280 CSF samples and correctly identified 67% of 184 cancerous and 96% of 96 non-cancerous brain lesions. CSF analysis was considerably more sensitive than standard-of-care cytology and plasma cell-free DNA analysis in the same patients. Real-CSF therefore has the capacity to be used in combination with other clinical, radiologic, and laboratory-based data to inform the diagnosis and management of patients with suspected cancers of the brain.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Sexual network characteristics and partnership types among men who have sex with men diagnosed with syphilis, gonorrhoea and/or chlamydia in Lima, Peru

  Sexually Transmitted Infections · 2023-12-14 · 2 citations

  articleOpen accessSenior author

  OBJECTIVES: Sexual networks are known to structure sexually transmitted infection (STI) transmission among men who have sex with men (MSM). We sought to estimate the risks of STI diagnosis for various partnership types within these networks. METHODS: and Wilcoxon rank-sum tests compared participants without an STI to those diagnosed with (1) syphilis, (2) NG and/or CT (NG/CT) and (3) syphilis and NG/CT coinfection (coinfection). RESULTS: 40.8% (n=561/1376) of participants were diagnosed with an STI (syphilis: 14.9%, NG/CT: 16.4%, coinfection: 9.5%). 47.9% of all participants were living with HIV and 8.9% were newly diagnosed. A greater proportion of participants with syphilis and coinfection were living with HIV (73.5%, p<0.001; 71.0%, p<0.001) compared with those with NG/CT (47.8%) or no STI (37.8%). Participants with syphilis more often reported sex-on-premises venues (SOPVs) as the location of their last sexual encounter (51.7%, p=0.038) while those with NG/CT tended to meet their last sexual partner online (72.8%, p=0.031). Respondents with coinfection were the only STI group more likely to report transactional sex than participants without an STI (31.3%, p=0.039). CONCLUSIONS: Sexual networks and partnership types of Peruvian MSM are associated with differential risks for STIs. Participants diagnosed with syphilis tended to meet single-encounter casual partners at SOPV, while MSM with NG/CT were younger and often contacted casual partners online. Coinfection had higher frequency of transactional sex. These findings suggest the potential importance of public health interventions through combined syphilis/HIV screening at SOPV, syphilis screening at routine clinic appointments for MSM living with HIV and directed advertisements and/or access to NG/CT testing through online platforms.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• 1517. Sexual Network Characteristics of MSM with Detectable Viremia Living with HIV in Lima, Peru

  Open Forum Infectious Diseases · 2023-11-27

  articleOpen access

  Abstract Background In Lima, Peru, the HIV epidemic is concentrated among men who have sex with men (MSM) and transgender women (TW). Few data exist on the sexual network characteristics of MSM with detectable HIV-1 viremia, yet these networks have important implications to control transmission. We report data on frequency of sero-discordant, condomless anal intercourse (CAI) among MSM in Lima with detectable viremia. Methods This cross-sectional secondary analysis includes MSM screened for a STI trial in Lima, Peru between June 2022 and January 2023. Participants completed questionnaires on demographics, sexual identity and role, and sexual network characteristics. Participants were screened for HIV infection and those who tested positive were included and HIV-1 RNA was measured. Descriptive and comparative statistics are reported for those with detectable and undetectable viremia. Results 665 MSM with HIV were included. 153 (23%) had detectable ( &amp;gt;200 copies/mL) viremia. Among those with detectable viremia, the median (IQR) age was 29 (25, 35) years. 70% identified as homosexual and 57% identified their sexual role during intercourse as “moderno” or “versatil”. The median (IQR) number of sexual partners in the last 3 months was 15 (5,20). 55/153 (35.6%) of the detectable group were aware of their HIV diagnosis, 33/55 (60%) reported being on anti-retroviral therapy (ART) and 15/32 (47%) believed they were virally suppressed. Among all participants living with HIV, 499/662 (75%) were aware of their HIV status, 469/499 (94%) reported to be on ART and 436/469 (93%) were virally suppressed. 147/153 (96%) of men with detectable viremia reported sero-discordant CAI with at least one of their last three sexual partners, and 106/144 (74%) reported this with all three of their last partners. In the undetectable group, 302/489 (62%) reported sero-discordant CAI with all three of their last partners (p &amp;lt; 0.01). Conclusion In this sample of MSM living with HIV in Lima, Peru, almost all men with detectable HIV-1 viremia reported sero-discordant CAI, more often than those with undetectable viremia. The primary gap in the HIV care cascade was participant awareness of their HIV status, suggesting that broader HIV testing and improved access to resources for secondary HIV prevention are key objectives in Peru. Disclosures Jordan Lake, MD, Gilead Sciences: Grant/Research Support|Theratechnologies: Advisor/Consultant

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

Frequent coauthors

• Chetan Bettegowda

  Johns Hopkins Medicine

  151 shared

• Christopher Douville

  111 shared

• Natalie Silliman

  Johns Hopkins University

  104 shared

• Janine Ptak

  Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center

  104 shared

• Maria Popoli

  Johns Hopkins University

  98 shared

• Lisa Dobbyn

  Cancer Genetics (United States)

  98 shared

• Nickolas Papadopoulos

  University of Baltimore

  96 shared

• Bert Vogelstein

  Howard Hughes Medical Institute

  96 shared