Dima Dandachi Accepted to CAPS Visiting Professor Program
March 17, 2026
This month, we highlight Dima Dandachi, MD, MPH, Co-Director of the Midwest D-CFAR Scientific Working Group. Dr. Dandachi was recently accepted into the UCSF Center for AIDS Prevention Studies (CAPS) Visiting Professor Program, which assists investigators already conducting HIV-prevention research with communities disproportionately impacted by HIV to improve their programs of research and obtain additional funding for their work. Many thanks to Dr. Dandachi for taking the time to speak with us!
Dima Dandachi, MD, MPH
Can you share a little about your professional background and what led you to focus on HIV research and care?
Dr. Dandachi: I am an infectious diseases physician and Associate Professor of Medicine at the University of Missouri–Columbia. I currently serve as the Medical Director of the HIV Treatment and Prevention Program at MU Health Care and the Medical Director of Columbia/Boone County Public Health and Human Services. My work sits at the intersection of clinical care, public health, and implementation research, with a particular focus on improving access to HIV prevention and treatment in rural and underserved communities.
What inspired your interest in infectious diseases and HIV medicine?
Dr. Dandachi: What drew me to infectious diseases and HIV medicine particularly is the unique intersection of medical science, public health, and social impact. People living with HIV have historically faced stigma and significant structural barriers to care. This field provides an opportunity to improve patient outcomes while advocating for patients and a more equitable and accessible healthcare system.
Congratulations on being accepted into the CAPS Visiting Professor Program! Are there specific collaborations or learning opportunities you are most excited about?
Dr. Dandachi: I am particularly interested in engaging with CAPS investigators working in implementation science, behavioral health, and HIV prevention. Many of the challenges we face in the Midwest - such as geographic barriers to care, workforce shortages, and structural inequities - require innovative models that bridge research and real-world clinical practice.
I hope to exchange ideas around implementation strategies for long-acting HIV prevention, telehealth-enabled care models, and interventions that improve retention in care. I am especially excited about the potential to develop collaborative projects that extend evidence-based interventions into rural health systems.
What projects do you currently have ongoing?
Dr. Dandachi: My current work focuses on several areas. One is improving re-engagement in HIV care for individuals who have fallen out of treatment through accelerated and simplified models of care delivery. Another area involves expanding access to HIV prevention, including long-acting PrEP, particularly in rural communities. I am also interested in how telehealth can reduce geographic and structural barriers to care.
What advice would you offer to early-career investigators engaging in HIV research?
Dr. Dandachi: It is important to engage people with lived experiences and the communities we serve in our research in a meaningful way. Some of the most important research questions emerge directly from patient care and community engagement. This is something we actively try to advance through the Midwest D-CFAR Developmental Scientific Working Group. Together with my colleagues, Dr. Michael Durkin and Kneeshe Parkinson, we work to connect community partners with researchers so that studies are informed by real-world needs and priorities and ultimately lead to interventions that are both effective and relevant to the communities most affected by HIV.
Looking ahead, what are your hopes for the future of HIV research, collaboration, and community engagement?
I am optimistic about the future of HIV research. Advances in prevention, long-acting therapies, and implementation science are bringing us closer to the goal of ending the HIV epidemic. However, investment in public health infrastructure and strong partnerships with communities are essential to ensure that these advances reach everyone who needs them.
Written by Kneeshe Parkinson. Edited by Kate Gershwin.