Nancy Padian

Education

Syracuse University; University of California, Berkeley.

Career

She is senior director of prevention at the Pangaea Global Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome Foundation. Padian has been described as among the "world"s foremost experts on the heterosexual transmission of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome."

Padian received an undergraduate degree in child development and education from Syracuse University. Though initially interested in psychology, she was drawn to epidemiology by its potential to improve the lives of many people.

She subsequently received a master"s degree and a doctorate from the School of Public Health at the University of California, Berkeley.

Beginning her graduate studies during the early stages of Human Immunodeficiency Virus/Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome research, Padian was among the first to conduct large-scale studies proving heterosexual transmission of Human Immunodeficiency Virus, establishing risk factors which can be avoided to minimize harm. Padian has been involved in several scientific studies, one which was led by her, was a 10 year study which was regarded as the longest and largest epidemiological study of the heterosexual transmission of Human Immunodeficiency Virus at the time.

Achievements

• Padian is married to Kevin Padian, Professor of Integrative Biology at the University of California, Berkeley, Curator of Paleontology, University of California Museum of Paleontology and President of the National Center for Science Education.