Faculty

Jen Balkus

Clinical Associate Professor, Epidemiology


Education

PhD Epidemiology, University of Washington, 2012
MPH Epidemiology, University of Washington, 2005
BA Women Studies, Wesleyan University, 2000

Contact


Public Health Seattle and King County
401 Fifth Avenue
Suite 1250
Seattle, WA 98104

Bio

Dr. Balkus (she/her/hers) is an infectious disease epidemiologist whose work spans across the fields of sexual and reproductive health. She is the Senior Epidemiologist for the HIV/STI/HCV Program at Public Health – Seattle & King County. Her work in public health practice and research is centered in health equity and focusses on approaches to understanding which communities are most impacted by HIV, STIs and hepatitis C in King County and informing novel approaches for intervention and communication to reduce disease burden. Dr. Balkus is open to working with students who are interested in these topic areas who are seeking to gain experience in public health practice-related epidemiology. 

Previously, Dr. Balkus was core faculty in the Epidemiology Department where her research focused on sexual health across the lifecourse. She has expertise in conducting both clinical trials and observational studies, in the US and globally, and led multiple NIH-funded projects related to vaginal health and STIs among people assigned female sex at birth. In addition to her research, Dr. Balkus developed and taught undergraduate and graduate courses in the School of Public Health and served as the inaugural faculty co-chair or the Department’s Equity and Diversity and Inclusion Committee.

Research Areas

Research Interests

  • Vaginal microbiome
  • STI prevention
  • HIV risk prediction
  • Hormonal contraception
  • Women
  • Africa

Recent Publications (PubMed)

Validation of Rapid Point-of-Care Diagnostic Tests for Sexually Transmitted Infection Self-Testing Among Adolescent Girls and Young Women.
(2025 Jun 25)
Diagnostics (Basel) 15(13):
Reddy K, Hao J, Sigcu N, Govindasami M, Matswake N, Jiane B, Kgoa R, Kew L, Ndlovu N, Stuurman R, Mposula H, Balkus JE, Heffron R, Palanee-Phillips T
Safety and drug quantification of the dapivirine vaginal ring and oral pre-exposure prophylaxis in breastfeeding mother-infant pairs (MTN-043): a phase 3B, open-label, randomised trial.
(2025 Mar)
Lancet HIV 12(3): e180-e190
Noguchi LM, Owor M, Mgodi NM, Gati Mirembe B, Dadabhai S, Horne E, Gundacker H, Richardson BA, Bunge K, Scheckter R, Song M, Marzinke MA, Anderson PL, Livant E, Jacobson C, Piper JM, Chakhtoura N, Hillier SL, Balkus JE, MTN-043 Study Team
Comparison of Chlamydia trachomatis Seroprevalence and Risk Factors for Infection Among Women by Gender/Sex of Sex Partner, United States, 2013-2016.
(2025 Jun 1)
Sex Transm Dis 52(6): 325-332
Paris KS, Khosropour CM, Balkus JE, Waters MB, Kreisel KM, Manhart LE
Impact of six-month COVID-19 travel moratorium on Plasmodium falciparum prevalence on Bioko Island, Equatorial Guinea.
(2024 Sep 27)
Nat Commun 15(1): 8285
Hergott DEB, Guerra CA, García GA, Mba Eyono JN, Donfack OT, Iyanga MM, Nguema Avue RM, Abeso Nsegue CN, Ondo Mifumu TA, Rivas MR, Phiri WP, Murphy SC, Guthrie BL, Smith DL, Balkus JE
Acceptability of the Dapivirine Vaginal Ring and Daily Oral Pre-exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) during Pregnancy in Malawi, South Africa, Uganda, and Zimbabwe.
(2024 Nov)
AIDS Behav 28(11): 3615-3628
Young AM, Stoner MCD, Mathebula F, Mohuba R, Baez A, Seyama L, Mutero P, Etima J, Fabiano Z, Fairlie L, Mayo AJ, Balkus JE, Song M, Bunge K, Piper J, Balan IC, van der Straten A, Montgomery ET
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