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Shobha Swaminathan, MD

Associate Professor

Dr. Swaminathan is an Associate Professor of Medicine at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School (NJMS). She is the Clinical Research Site Leader for the NIH funded Clinical Trials Unit at Rutgers NJMS and is the Medical Director of the Infectious Diseases Practice (IDP) at University Hospital, Newark, NJ. She completed her Internal Medicine Residency at Englewood Hospital and Medical Center and served as Chief Medical Resident. She completed her Infectious Diseases Fellowship at the combined program of Montefiore Medical Center/Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY.

Dr. Swaminathan started her career at Rutgers NJMS in 2004 as Assistant Professor of Medicine. She developed a co-located HIV-Hepatitis C Treatment Center within the Infectious Diseases Practice. This “one-stop shop” care delivery has become the model for treatment of other co-morbidities within the practice. In 2014, she became the Medical Director of the IDP. Under her leadership the program has undergone significant expansion and now provides an umbrella of services that includes medical case management, medical nutrition therapy, mental health and substance use treatment, support groups and peer navigation. With state funding she implemented an HIV Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) program in the practice and has worked extensively with the community to ensure the program continues to provide key services to the community.

In her role as Site Principal Investigator for the Division of AIDS funded Clinical Research Site, she has successfully implemented multiple NIH-funded HIV treatment and prevention studies at Rutgers NJMS. Under her direction, Rutgers NJMS has been one of the leading sites for the enrollment of women and minority populations. More recently, with the COVID-19 pandemic, Rutgers NJMS is now an NIH-funded site for COVID Treatment and Prevention Studies. The site has launched multiple treatment and prevention studies for COVID-19, including COVID vaccine studies. She is passionate about her work and continues to find ways to engage with the community to ensure that the clinical trials offered at the center reflect the needs of the community.

Despite the multiple responsibilities, Dr. Swaminathan receives the greatest satisfaction and reward from providing clinical care to her patients. She also loves to spend time with her family and children, reading to them and playing trivia games.

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Publications

  • Glutathione and growth inhibition of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in healthy and HIV infected subjects, Venketaraman V, Rodgers T, Linares R, Reilly N, Swaminathan S, Hom D, Millman A, Wallis R, Connell N, AIDS Res Ther.,Feb 20; 3(1):5, 2006

  • Concomitant disseminated histoplasmosis and cryptococcosis in a person with AID, Swaminathan S, Imrit K, Green J, Das K, AIDS Reader; Nov;16(11):602-6, 2006

  • Two-Step Tuberculin Skin Testing in Drug Users, Swaminathan S, Schoenbaum EE, Klein RS, Howard AA, Lo Y, Gourevitch MN, J. Addict. Dis. 26 (2):71-9, 2007

  • A case of military TB complicated by ARDS and pancytopenia, Imrit K, Green J, Zitter JN, Swaminathan S, J. Resp. Dis.; 28 (6): 212-216, 2007

  • Glutathione levels and immune responses in tuberculosis patients. Microbial Pathogenesis, Venketaraman, V; Millman, AC; Salman, M; Swaminathan, S; Goetz, M; Lardizabal, A; Hom, D; and Connell, N. D., 44: 255-261, 2008

  • Mycobacterium marinum Hand Infection in a “Sushi Chef", Cennimo D, Agag R, Fleegler E, Lardizabal A, Klein KM, Wenokor C, Swaminathan, S. , Eplasty; 9:e43, 2009

  • INSIGHT SMART Study Group. Electrocardiographic Spatial QRS-T Angle and Incident Cardiovascular Disease in HIV-Infected Patients (from the Strategies for the Management of Antiretroviral Therapy [SMART] Study), Dawood FZ, Khan F, Roediger MP, Zhang ZM, Swaminathan S, Klinker H, Hoy J, Lundgren JD, Neaton JD, Soliman EZ, Am J Cardiol. Jan 1;111(1):118-24. doi: 10.1016; .2013

  • Evaluation of a Smoking Cessation Program for HIV Infected Individuals in an Urban HIV Clinic: Challenges and Lessons Learned. AIDS Research and Treatment., Chew D, Steinberg MB, Thomas P, Swaminathan S, and Hodder SL., Volume 2014 (2014), Article ID 237834

  • eHIV Review Presented by The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and the Institute for Johns Hopkins Nursing, Swaminathan S. Dever LL. HIV and HCV Co-Infection: Role of New Direct Acting Agents, Volume 2, Issue 9, March 2015

  • Evaluation of FIB-4 Index as a Marker for Hepatocellular Carcinoma in HIV - Hepatitis C Co-Infection, Nizami. S, Zucker J and Swaminathan S. , J AIDS Clin Res 2016, 7: 570. doi: 10.4172/2155-6113.1000570

  • Identifying Areas for Improvement in the HIV Screening Process of a High-Prevalence Emergency Department, Zucker J, Cennimo D, Sugalski G, Swaminathan S. , AIDS Patient Care and STDs. Jun 2016, 30(6): 247-253

  • Missed Opportunities for HIV Screening and Early Diagnosis in an Urban Tertiary Care Center, Derose J, Zucker J, Cennimo D, Swaminathan S., AIDS Research and Treatment. July 2017.

  • Safety and Tolerability of Maraviroc-Containing Regimens to Prevent HIV Infection in Women: A Phase 2 Randomized Trial., Gulick RM, Wilkin TJ, Chen YQ, Landovitz RJ, Amico KR, Young AM, Richardson P, Marzinke MA, Hendrix CW, Eshleman SH, McGowan I, Cottle LM, Andrade A, Marcus C, Klingman KL, Chege W, Rinehart AR, Rooney JF, Andrew P, Salata RA, Siegel M, Manabe YC, Frank I, Ho K, Santana J, Stekler JD, Swaminathan S, McCauley M, Hodder S, Mayer KH., Ann Intern Med. 2017 Aug 22:1-10. doi: 10.7326/M17-0520.

  • Self-Renewal and Toll-like Receptor Signaling Sustain Exhausted Plasmacytoid Dendritic Cells during Chronic Viral Infection., Macal M, Jo Y, Dallari S, Chang AY, Dai J, Swaminathan S, Wehrens EJ, Fitzgerald-Bocarsly P., Immunity. 2018 Apr 17;48(4):730-744.e5. doi: 10.1016/j.immuni.2018.03.020.

  • HIV virologic response better with single-tablet once daily regimens compared to multiple-tablet daily regimens. HIV virologic response better with single-tablet once daily regimens compared to multiple-tablet daily regimens., Kapadia SN, Grant RR, German SB, Singh B, Davidow AL, Swaminathan S, Hodder S. , SAGE Open Med. 2018 Dec 4;6:2050312118816919. doi: 10.1177/2050312118816919.

  • Outcomes of a Career Development Program for Underrepresented Minority Investigators in the AIDS Clinical Trials Group., Velasquez GE, Huaman MA, Powell KA, Cohn SE, Swaminathan S, Outlaw M, Schulte G, McNeil Q, Currier JS, DelRio C, Castillo-Mancilla J., Open Forum Infectious Diseases, ofz069, 11 February 2019.

  • Perspectives of US Women participating in a candidate PrEP study: adherence, acceptability and future use intentions, Amico KV, Ramirez C , Caplan MR, Montgomery BE , Stewart J, Hodder S, Swaminathan S, Wang J, Darden-Tabb NY, McCauley M, Mayer KH, Wilkin T, Landovitz RL, Gulick R, and Adimora AA. , J Int AIDS Soc 2019 Mar;22(3):e25247. doi: 10.1002/jia2.25247.

  • Low rate of sex-specific analyses in presentations at the Conference of Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI) meeting, Gandhi M, Smeaton LM, Vernon C, Scully E, Gianella S, Poongulali S, Sheth AN, Van Schalkwyk M, Klingman, KL, Short WR, Opollo VS, Cohen SE, Scarsi KK, Firnhaber C, Bares S, Swaminathan S, Mngqibisa R, Connick E. , 2018: Room to improve. JAIDS 2019 2019 Apr 19. doi: 10.1097/QAI.0000000000002073.

  • Antiretroviral therapy and vaginally administered contraceptive hormones: a three-arm pharmacokinetic study., Scarsi KM, Cramer YS, Rosenkranz SL, Aweeka F, Berzins B, Coombs RW, Coughlin K, Moran LE, Zorrilla CD, Akelo V, Aziz M, Friedman RK, Gingrich D, Swaminathan S, Godfrey C, and Cohn SE., Lancet HIV. 2019 Sep;6(9):e601-e612. doi: 10.1016/S2352-3018(19)30155-9

  • Acceptability of a long-acting injectable HIV prevention product among US and African women: findings from a phase 2 clinical Trial (HPTN 076), Tolley EE , Li S , Zangeneh SZ , Atujuna M, Musara P, Justman J, Pathak S, Bekker LG , Swaminathan S, Stanton J, Farrior J and Sista N. , JAIDS 2019 Oct; 22 (10) :e25408. doi: 10.1002/jia2.25408.

  • Hepatitis C virus treatment response to ledipasvir/sofosbuvir among patients coinfected with HIV and HCV: Real world data in a black population., Banga J, Nizami S, Slim J, Nagarakanti S, Portilla M, Swaminathan S., Medicine (Baltimore) 2020 Mar;99(11):e19140. doi: 10.1097/MD.0000000000019140

  • Safety and tolerability of injectable Rilpivirine LA in HPTN 076: A phase 2 HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis study in 2020., Bekker LG, Lib S, Pathak S, Tolley EE, Marzinked MA, Justman JE , Mgodi NM . Chirenje M, Swaminathan S , Adeyeye A , Farrior J , Hendrix CW , Piwowar-Manning E , Richardson P, Eshelman SH, Redinger H, Williams P , Sista ND, on behalf of the HPTN 076 Study Team, E Clinical Medicine Apr 6;21:100303. doi: 10.1016/j.eclinm.2020.100303.

  • The Burden of COVID-19 in People Living with HIV: A Syndemic Perspective.AIDS and Behavior, Shiau S, Krause KD, Valera P, Swaminathan S, Halkitis PN., 2020 Apr 18. doi: 10.1007/s10461-020-02871-9.

  • Multicenter Evaluation of the Cepheid Xpert Xpress SARS-CoV-2 Test. J Clin Microbiol., Loeffelholz MJ, Alland D, Butler-Wu SM, Pandey U, Perno CF, Nava A, Carroll KC, Mostafa H, Davies E, McEwan A, Rakeman JL, Fowler RC, Pawlotsky JM, Fourati S, Banik S, Banada PP, Swaminathan S, Chakravorty S, Kwiatkowski RW, Chu VC, Kop J, Gaur R, Sin MLY, Nguyen D, Singh S, Zhang N, Persing DH., 2020 May 4. pii: JCM.00926-20. doi: 10.1128/JCM.00926-20. PMID:32366669

  • Remdesivir for Severe COVID-19 versus a Cohort Receiving Standard of Care., Olender SA, Perez KK, Go AS, Balani B, Price-Haywood EG, Shah NS, Wang S, Walunas TL, Swaminathan S, Slim J, Chin B, WeWit S, Ali SM, Viladomiu AS, Robinson P, Gottlieb RL, Tsang TK, Hu H, Haubrich RH, Chokkalingam AP, Lin L, Zhong L, Bekele BN, Mera-Giler R, Phulpin C, Edgar H, Gallant J, Diaz-Cuervo H, Smith LE, Osinusi AO, Brainard DM, Bernardino JI, for the GS-US-540-5773 and GS-US-540-5807 Investigators, Clinical Infectious Diseases 24 July 2020.

Awards & Distinctions

  • Honors Student

    Undergraduate, Graduate, & Medical School 1991, Government Medical College, Nagpur, India

  • Best Medical student, 1994 Government Medical College, Nagpur, India

    Medical School

  • Valedictorian First Year Medical School, 1991 Government Medical College, Nagpur, India

    Medical School

  • Intern of the Year 1998, Department of Medicine

    Post-doctoral Englewood Hospital and Medical Center, an Affiliate of Mount Sinai School of Medicine

  • Resident of the Year 1999, Department of Medicine

    Post-doctoral Englewood Hospital and Medical Center, an Affiliate of Mount Sinai School of Medicine

  • Joseph Caltabiano Award for Humanism, 2000

    Post-doctoral Englewood Hospital and Medical Center, an Affiliate of Mount Sinai School of Medicine

  • Nominated Golden Apple Award 2010

    Faculty Awards

  • Nominated Golden Apple Award 2007

    Faculty Awards

  • Nominated Golden Apple Award 2006

    Faculty Awards

  • Nominated Department of Medicine Faculty Teaching Award 2014

    Faculty Awards

  • Rutgers New Jersey Medical School Clinical Faculty of the Year 2020

    Faculty Awards