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Lashonda Spencer, MD

TitleProfessor
InstitutionCharles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science
DepartmentPediatrics
Address1731 E. 120th Street
Los Angeles CA 90059
PhoneNot Available
FaxNot Available
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    Biography
    education and training
    University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CABA1992Integrative Biology
    University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CAMD1997
    University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UTInternship1999Internal Medicine/Pediatrics
    University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UTResidency2001Internal Medicine/Pediatrics
    LAC+USC Medical Center, Los Angeles, CAFellowship2003Infectious Diseases
    awards and honors
    1997Dean's Scholar, University of Southern California, Keck School of Medicine
    2012Medical Provider Leader Award, Los Angeles HIV/AIDS Women's Task Force
    2021Provider Award, Los Angeles County Mental Health Task Force

    Overview
    overview
    Dr. LaShonda Spencer is a Professor of Clinical Pediatrics and Director of Drew CARES at Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science (CDU). Dr. Spencer serves as the Clinic Director of OASIS Clinic at MLK Outpatient Ambulatory Center. She provides primary and preventive HIV care to adolescent and adult patients at MLK Oasis Clinic and also serves as the Medical Specialist for adolescent girls/young women on CDU's Zambia project Her areas of research interest are HIV disease in women and adolescents and Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis in LGTBQI and CSEC populations. Importantly, Dr. Spencer is a MPI for the recently funded NIH UCLA-CDU CFAR. Dr. Spencer has participated in multiple observational and therapeutic trials and has been site principal investigator (PI) for several IMPAACT studies as well as PI for her own investigator-initiated trials and pharmaceutical studies which have resulted in several peer-reviewed publications. Dr. Spencer recently completed an implementation science grant from AIDS United as well as received funding for Patient Navigation services from the California Department of Public Health (CDPH). Currently, Dr. Spencer serves as a technical advisor to HRSA Special Projects of National Significance (SPNS)-funded Black Women's First Initiative. Dr. Spencer's committee responsibilities include the Los Angeles County Commission on HIV (COH), COH Women's Caucus, and the OASIS Quality Improvement Committee.
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    Bibliographic
    selected publications
    Publications listed below are automatically derived from MEDLINE/PubMed and other sources, which might result in incorrect or missing publications. Faculty can login to make corrections and additions.
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    PMC Citations indicate the number of times the publication was cited by articles in PubMed Central, and the Altmetric score represents citations in news articles and social media. (Note that publications are often cited in additional ways that are not shown here.) Fields are based on how the National Library of Medicine (NLM) classifies the publication's journal and might not represent the specific topic of the publication. Translation tags are based on the publication type and the MeSH terms NLM assigns to the publication. Some publications (especially newer ones and publications not in PubMed) might not yet be assigned Field or Translation tags.) Click a Field or Translation tag to filter the publications.
    1. Ayafor V, Downes A, Lewis-Chery S, Cabral HJ, Zhang X, Goodwin R, Spencer LY, Rajabiun S. Cancer Screening Rates, Disparities by Immigration Status, and Predictors of Cancer Screening Among Black Women With HIV. J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr. 2026 Jun 01; 101(6):597-603. PMID: 41587045.
      Citations:    Fields:    Translation:Humans
    2. Rajabiun S, Heath CD, Spencer LY, McClair TL, Cabral HJ, Chen CA, Dugas JN, Dakin A, Downes A, McKinney-Prupis E, Scott J, Lewis-Chery S, Walter AW, Cuca YP. Using Bundled Interventions to Improve Health Outcomes for Black Cisgender and Transgender Women: Findings From the Black Women First Initiative. Am J Public Health. 2025 Apr; 115(S1):S46-S56. PMID: 40138641; PMCID: PMC11947488.
      Citations: 1     Fields:    Translation:Humans
    3. Spencer LY, Cuca YP, Davis K, Ayafor V, Lewis-Chery S, Chen CA, Cabral HJ, Furton L, Goodwin R, Solomon-Brimage N, Rajabiun S. Differences in HIV Outcomes and Quality of Life Between Older and Younger Black Women With HIV in the United States, 2021-2023. Am J Public Health. 2025 Apr; 115(S1):S57-S67. PMID: 40138647; PMCID: PMC11947479.
      Citations:    Fields:    Translation:Humans
    4. Walter AW, Rocco M, Scott JC, Carhee A, Ayafor V, Goodwin R, Lewis-Chery SA, Downes A, Spencer LY, Martinez LS. Beyond Survival: Harnessing Sustainability Frameworks to Assess and Support Programs Implementing Bundled Interventions for Black Women With HIV. Am J Public Health. 2025 Apr; 115(S1):S28-S37. PMID: 40138648; PMCID: PMC11947485.
      Citations: 2     Fields:    Translation:Humans
    5. Kelley CF, Acevedo-Qui?ones M, Agwu AL, Avihingsanon A, Benson P, Blumenthal J, Brinson C, Brites C, Cahn P, Cantos VD, Clark J, Clement M, Creticos C, Crofoot G, Diaz RS, Doblecki-Lewis S, Gallardo-Cartagena JA, Gaur A, Grinsztejn B, Hassler S, Hinojosa JC, Hodge T, Kaplan R, Lacerda M, LaMarca A, Losso MH, Valdez Madruga J, Mayer KH, Mills A, Mounzer K, Ndlovu N, Novak RM, Perez Rios A, Phanuphak N, Ramgopal M, Ruane PJ, S?nchez J, Santos B, Schine P, Schreibman T, Spencer LY, Van Gerwen OT, Vasconcelos R, Vasquez JG, Zwane Z, Cox S, Deaton C, Ebrahimi R, Wong P, Singh R, Brown LB, Carter CC, Das M, Baeten JM, Ogbuagu O, PURPOSE 2 Study Team. Twice-Yearly Lenacapavir for HIV Prevention in Men and Gender-Diverse Persons. N Engl J Med. 2025 Apr 03; 392(13):1261-1276. PMID: 39602624.
      Citations: 85     Fields:    Translation:HumansPHPublic HealthCTClinical Trials
    6. McAndrew BM, Gil N, Lee DP, Teklehaimanot S, Schrode KM, Bailey S, Jordan W, Spencer LY, Rothman E, Harawa NT, Daniels J. An exploratory study to characterize the HIV testing-to-care continuum to improve outcomes for Black and Latinx residents of South Los Angeles. PLoS One. 2022; 17(8):e0268374. PMID: 36040966; PMCID: PMC9426881.
      Citations: 1     Fields:    Translation:Humans
    7. Rajabiun S, Childs E, Fortu K, Spencer LY, Niles-Carnes LV, Wahome R, Downes A, Heath CD. Unmet Needs Among Out of Care and Recently Diagnosed Women of Color With HIV: Opportunities for Focused Interventions. J Public Health Manag Pract. 2022 Mar-Apr 01; 28(2):135-142. PMID: 33208715.
      Citations: 2     Fields:    Translation:Humans
    8. Spencer LY, Christiansen S, Wang CH, Mack WJ, Young M, Strickler HD, Anastos K, Minkoff H, Cohen M, Geenblatt RM, Karim R, Operskalski E, Frederick T, Homans JD, Landay A, Kovacs A. Systemic Immune Activation and HIV Shedding in the Female Genital Tract. J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr. 2016 Feb 01; 71(2):155-62. PMID: 26334738; PMCID: PMC4712091.
      Citations: 8     Fields:    Translation:HumansCells
    9. Wohl AR, Dierst-Davies R, Victoroff A, James S, Bendetson J, Bailey J, Daar E, Spencer L, Kulkarni S, P?rez MJ. Implementation and Operational Research: The Navigation Program: An Intervention to Reengage Lost Patients at 7 HIV Clinics in Los Angeles County, 2012-2014. J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr. 2016 Feb 01; 71(2):e44-50. PMID: 26484741.
      Citations: 33     Fields:    Translation:Humans
    10. Homans J, Christensen S, Stiller T, Wang CH, Mack W, Anastos K, Minkoff H, Young M, Greenblatt R, Cohen M, Strickler H, Karim R, Spencer LY, Operskalski E, Frederick T, Kovacs A. Permissive and protective factors associated with presence, level, and longitudinal pattern of cervicovaginal HIV shedding. J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr. 2012 May 01; 60(1):99-110. PMID: 22517416; PMCID: PMC3334315.
      Citations: 27     Fields:    Translation:HumansCells
    11. Operskalski EA, Mack WJ, Strickler HD, French AL, Augenbraun M, Tien PC, Villacres MC, Spencer LY, Degiacomo M, Kovacs A. Factors associated with hepatitis C viremia in a large cohort of HIV-infected and -uninfected women. J Clin Virol. 2008 Apr; 41(4):255-63. PMID: 18243785; PMCID: PMC3493623.
      Citations: 24     Fields:    Translation:Humans
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