Linda-Gail Bekker

Bekker was born in Zimbabwe.[1] She studied medicine at the University of Cape Town.[2] She intended on becoming a geriatrician, but completed a clinical rotation in KwaZulu-Natal and became interested in HIV and TB research.[3] She saw young people dying from HIV/AIDS and was frustrated that she couldn't help them.[4] Her PhD was funded by the John E. Fogarty International Center.[1] She worked in the Rockefeller University on host immunology.[1] Her doctoral advisor was Gilla Kaplan and she continues to work with her today.[5][4]

In 2009 she won the Royal Society Pfizer Award for her research into tuberculosis epidemiology.[6][7] The funding supported her research in the Nyanga Primary Health Clinic in Cape Town.[7] Bekker is passionate about engagement with communities and peer led education programs.[8] Her community work looks to overcome stigma related to HIV and Tuberculosis.[9] The Desmond Tutu HIV Foundation, where Bekker serves as Chief Operating Officer, supports the wellbeing of people in South Africa's poorest communities.[10] Her husband, Robin Wood, serves as the Director and CEO.[11] She developed a mobile health van, known as the Tutu tester, which offers screening for pregnancy, high blood pressure, diabetes, HIV/AIDS, TB and obesity.[12][9] She is Director of the Desmund Tutu HIV Centre at the University of Cape Town, where she integrates best practise and evidence-based information about adolescent treatment and prevention in a robust platform.[13] The centre is funded by the National Institutes of Health.[14] She developed Choices for Adolescent Methods of Prevention in South Africa (CHAMPS); which challenges young men's attitudes to circumcision, encourages young women to use contraception and investigates Pre-exposure prophylaxis.[15] She has also worked on Pregnancy and HIV/AIDS Seeking Equitable Study (PHASES) funded by the National Institutes of Health.[16] She studies the roll out of antiretroviral therapies.[17][18] She is excited about HIV self-testing.[19]

In 2016 she was elected President of the International AIDS Society.[20] She gave the opening address at the International AIDS Society Conference in Paris, where she spoke about new prevention options such as Pre-exposure prophylaxis.[21] In 2018 she was elected to the board of the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative.[13] She is concerned about Donald Trump undermining the global HIV response.[22][23] She has been a keynote speaker at World AIDS Day.[24]

She has contributed to The Conversation.[25][26][27][28] Bekker enjoys painting and has used street theatre in her community work.[9]

Bekker serves as an advisor to the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief.[29]