About the INSHHR Group
The Interdisciplinary Sexual Health & HIV Research (INSHHR) group was formed in 2014 by School of Nursing clinical and research faculty, postdocs, and PhD students. The INSHHR group leverages investigator diversity, creativity, experience, and skills across multiple disciplines to increase innovation, productivity, and impact in the conduct of research aimed at improving sexual health and HIV-related outcomes with a focus on marginalized and vulnerable populations.
News & Updates
PUBLICATION
Chen Zhang Co-Authors Study in 'Current HIV/AIDS Reports'
Chen Zhang, PhD, MPH, and Sten Vermund, MD, PhD, dean of the Yale School of Public Health, co-authored "Voluntary Medical Male Circumcision (VMMC) for HIV Prevention: A Global Overview" in October's Current HIV/AIDS Reports. Zhang and Vermund revisit the role of VMMC in HIV prevention to inform health professionals, policymakers, and advocates or opponents in this new era. In conclusion, they suggest that health authorities in high HIV incidence areas with low circumcision coverage should implement VMMC within the context of complementary biomedical and behavioral prevention strategies.


AWARD
Natalie Leblanc named NBNA Nurse Researcher of the Year
Natalie M. Leblanc, PhD, MPH, RN, BSN, received the National Black Nurses Association’s (NBNA) Nurse Researcher of the Year Award, which honors a nurse researcher who has completed an outstanding research study and who has excellent potential to develop and implement a program of research that contributes to the well-being and health care of minorities. An assistant professor and the Harriet J. Kitman’s Dean Endowed Fellow in Health Disparity at the University of Rochester School of Nursing, Leblanc's research aims to contextualize and improve sexual health and HIV-related outcomes.
OTHER UPDATES
INSHHR News & Updates
Members of the INSHHR group have a broad and expanding network of geographically dispersed research collaborators, working on active projects involving a wide array of content areas in sexual health and HIV science. Follow us on Twitter as we talk about our work and the latest developments in sexual health & HIV science or read more about our recent publications and projects.
This team of #URNursing researchers spent the weekend in Tampa at the @ANACnurses conference, where Chen Zhang (@srph10) gave two presentations, and MS-PhD student Faith Lambert presented about her experience as a 2021 ANAC diversity, equity & inclusion fellow. #ANAC2022 #INSHHR pic.twitter.com/hvV0J8c87D
— University of Rochester School of Nursing (@UofRSON) November 22, 2022

Natalie Leblanc, PhD, MPH, RN, BSN
Chair, Interdisciplinary Sexual Health and HIV Research (INSHHR) group
Harriet J. Kitzman Endowed Fellow in Health Disparities
Assistant Professor, School of Nursing
Natalie Leblanc, PhD, MPH, RN, BSN, has a 20-year career in public health, nursing, and health research. Her work investigates the ecological, cultural, and systemic factors (social determinants of health) that influence health and wellness outcomes. As a former public health specialist, Leblanc is able to critically assess health issues from both public health and clinical perspectives — globally and domestically. As a nurse researcher, Leblanc seeks to address and investigate determinants of health disparity, assets within these factors that can be leveraged toward achieving health equity to inform intervention implementation.