EUEmory University · Pharmacology
Maternal Health and Substance Use Lab
Dionna Whitney Williams · Atlanta, Georgia
Research Focus
Dr. Dionna Whitney Williams leads a research lab focused on understanding how substance use, specifically cocaine and cannabis, affects pregnant women living with HIV and their placentas. The lab investigates the mechanisms by which these substances may disrupt antiretroviral treatment effectiveness and promote inflammation, which can lead to adverse outcomes for both mothers and their babies. The research aims to identify ways to improve health interventions and treatment for this vulnerable population.
HIVart efficacysubstance abuseplacental functionmaternal-fetal interface
Research Aims
3AIM 01Investigate how cocaine and cannabis use affect the efficacy of antiretroviral therapies in the placenta.
AIM 02Elucidate the immunologic and virologic mechanisms impacted by substance use and HIV on placental health.
AIM 03Examine markers of inflammation and dysfunction in placentae and maternal blood among HIV-positive and negative pregnancies.
Skills the Lab Values
cell cultureimmunologic assaysmolecular biology techniquesflow cytometry3-dimensional organoid modelsRNA sequencingdata analysis using statistical software
Output against the department
Publications70bottom 14% of dept.394th of 462
this lab
most publishedleast published
Citations1.7kbottom 10% of dept.415th of 462
this lab
most citedleast cited
Career totals from OpenAlex, compared against labs that share a department. A department spans everything from one paper to tens of thousands, so bar heights are on a log scale — otherwise the largest lab would flatten every other bar to a line.