Lara E. Pereira

Lara E. Pereira, Ph.D., is currently serving as the Associate Deputy Director and Team Lead of the TEPHINET Secretariat at The Task Force for Global Health, Inc., where responsibilities include leading initiatives to enhance global field epidemiology and laboratory training programs. Previously, Lara held the position of Unit Lead at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, specializing in syphilis serodiagnostic test development and animal model research within the Immunology & Animal Models Unit. As a Senior Research Analyst, Lara designed and executed projects focused on HIV immunology and prevention strategies for high-risk populations. Earlier training included a postdoctoral fellowship at Emory Vaccine Center and a Ph.D. in Microbiology from The University of Georgia, complemented by several certifications in infectious diseases and project management.