Aleya Khalifa, PhD, MPH
- Postdoctoral Research Scientist in the Department of Population and Family Health
On the web
Overview
Dr. Aleya Khalifa (she/her) is a Postdoctoral Research Scientist in the Heilbrunn Population and Family Health Department whose work examines how large-scale demographic processes shape health and health systems globally. An epidemiologist and global health practitioner, she applies GPS-based and survey methods to study population mobility – ranging from daily movement to permanent migration – and how it relates to sexual and reproductive health. Her research focuses on vulnerable populations in low-resource settings, particularly those often excluded from traditional health research.
In collaboration with the Rakai Health Sciences Program and funded by the National Institute of Mental Health, her doctoral work investigated the HIV epidemic among mobile populations and their sexual-spatial networks in southern Uganda. She also trained with ICAP as a predoctoral fellow in the Global HIV Implementation Science training program.
Previously, Dr. Khalifa worked as a Statistics Officer at UNICEF, monitoring the HIV epidemic among pregnant women, children, and adolescents. She also served as a Global Health Fellow with the CDC in Tanzania and across Africa, where she worked with Ministries of Health to implement surveys and strengthen clinical surveillance systems. She holds a PhD in Epidemiology from Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health and an MPH in Epidemiology from Tulane University’s School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine.
Academic Appointments
- Postdoctoral Research Scientist in the Department of Population and Family Health
Credentials & Experience
Education & Training
- PhD, Epidemiology, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health
- MPH, Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine
Honors & Awards
- 2025, Anna C. Gelman Award for Excellence in Epidemiology, Columbia University
- 2023 – 2025, Ruth L. Kirschstein Predoctoral Individual National Research Service Award (F31)
- 2020 – 2023, T32 Fellowship in Global HIV Implementation Science, ICAP at Columbia University
Research
Research Interests
- Epidemiology
- Forced Migration
- HIV/AIDS
- Implementation Science
- population health
- Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights
Selected Publications
Khalifa A, Wallach S, Grabowski MK, Duncan DT, Nalugoda F, Abdool Karim Q, Mathema B. Measuring mobility in HIV research in sub-Saharan Africa: a scoping review. J Int AIDS Soc. 2025;28(6):e26508.
Khalifa A, Beres LK, Anok A, et al. Leveraging Ecological Momentary Assessment Data to Characterize Individual Mobility: Exploratory Pilot Study in Rural Uganda. JMIR Form Res. 2024;8:e54207.
Khalifa A, Kim B, Regan S, et al. Examination of multidimensional geographic mobility and sexual behaviour among Black cisgender sexually minoritized men in Chicago. Geospat Health. 2024;19(1).
Khalifa A, Ssekubugu R, Lessler J, et al. Implications of rapid population growth on survey design and HIV estimates in the Rakai Community Cohort Study (RCCS), Uganda. BMJ Open. 2023;13(7):e071108.
Khalifa A, Findley S, Gummerson E, et al. Associations between mobility, food insecurity and transactional sex among women in cohabitating partnerships: an analysis from six African countries 2016-2017. JAIDS Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes. 2022.
Mantell JE, Khalifa A, Christian SN, et al. Preferences, beliefs, and attitudes about oral fluid and blood-based HIV self-testing among truck drivers in Kenya choosing not to test for HIV. Front Public Health. 2022;10:911932.
Khalifa A, Stover J, Mahy M, Idele P, Porth T, Lwamba C. Demographic change and HIV epidemic projections to 2050 for adolescents and young people aged 15-24. Glob Health Action. 2019;12(1):1662685.
Suthar AB, Khalifa A, Yin S, et al. Evaluation of approaches to strengthen civil registration and vital statistics systems: A systematic review and synthesis of policies in 25 countries. PLoS Med. 2019;16(9):e1002929.
Suthar AB, Khalifa A, Joos O, et al. National health information systems for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. BMJ Open. 2019 May 16;9(5):e027689.