Our Research
SHINE Strong Scholars will work a mentored research project based on one of the following community-engaged research studies.
The TEACH Study
The TEACH (Transfemales Empowered to Advance Community Health) Study is San Francisco’s local effort to gather up-to-date and representative health data among trans women. Topics include, but are not limited to: HIV, HCV, mental health, substance use, discrimination and violence, access to health care, and other health disparities.
The SHINE Study
The SHINE Study is the first longitudinal study of risk and resilience among young trans women (aged 16-24) in the San Francisco Bay Area. We spoke to 300 young trans women and learned much about the unique health inequities they face.
The Stripe Study
The Stripe Study is the largest study of adult trans men in the San Francisco Bay Area. Leveraging both respondent-driven sampling (RDS) and time-location sampling (TLS), we deveoped and implemented a new hybrid sampling approach called starfish sampling and recruited 122 trans men.
Trans*National Study
The Trans*National Study is the world's largest health study of trans women. We developed longitudinal cohorts in the San Francisco Bay Area and in Sao Paulo, Brazil and a cross-sectional study in Nanjing, China. We spoke to and surveyed more than 400 trans women in the San Francisco Bay Area, almost 800 trans women in Sao Paulo, Brazil, and 200 trans women in Nanjing, China.
The Partners Study
The Partners Study is a unique study examining the romantic and sexual relationships that trans women have with cisgender men and other trans women. This study is currenty recruiting 300 participants throughout the state of California to understand what the diversity of relationships that trans women have and what factors influence health.
mSN
mSN is a pilot study using implementation science to test a mHealth systems navigation intervention to improve access to mental health and substance use services for trans women living with HIV in San Francisco. We are partnering with the longest standing trans health in the country - Trans Tuesdays - to improve the health of trans women in our city.
Brandy Martell Project
The Brandy Martell Project is a legal empowerment intervention consisting of group-based workshops and free access to a legal services to improve linkage, retention and engagement in HIV care among trans women of color living with HIV. We partnered with TransVision at Tri-City Health Center. This HRSA-funded Special Project of National Significance was named after Brandy Martell, a black trans woman, advocate, and TransVision employee who was murdered in 2012.
Health eNav
Health eNav is a mobile health (mHealth) intervention to support linkage, retention, and engagement in HIV care among young people living with HIV (YPLWH). Leveraging the power of text messaging, Health eNav connects YPWLH with their own digital HIV care navigator - there for you outside of the clinic, outside of business hours, and when you need support and care most.
The STAY Study
The STAY study is one of the first PrEP demonstration projects to focus solely on the trans and nonbinary community in the San Francisco Bay Area. We worked with 5 clinical sites - Tri-City Health Center (Fremont, CA), San Francisco Community Health Center, Castro Mission Health Center, Tom Waddell Urban Health Center, and Bridge HIV - to expand PrEP access and support trans and nonbinary folx’s PrEP-specific needs.
Not One More
This Robert Wood Johnson Foundation funded project is committed to ending the epidemic of violence against trans women, especially trans women of color. This project is a partnership between UCI, SF DPH, and TAJA’s Coalition to examine and characterize anti-trans violence in San Francisco.
No One Asked Us
Funded by the UCI Office of Inclusive Excellence, this project seeks to examine the real-world impact of extremism in the lives of young adult queer and trans BIPOC communities. We use PhotoVoice to invite you into the lived experiences of participants using photography and narrative.
One Ballroom
This project examines intersectional stigma among queer and trans members of the House and Ballroom Community, a historic subcuture of the mainstream LGBTQIA+ community. We partner with pioneers, icons, and legends in the community to identify opportunities to build on community assets and inform HIV prevention interventions.