Linda-Gail Bekker is a physician scientist with a keen interest in HIV, tuberculosis, and related diseases. Her doctoral work focused on the host response to tuberculosis both with and in the absence of HIV co-infection. Subsequently her research interests have expanded to include programmatic and Health Service research around antiretroviral roll-out and TB integration, prevention of HIV in women, youth and men who have sex with men. She is passionate about community development and engagement; her most recent community projects have included community based HIV treatment, peer led community education, mobile health services (Tutu testers) to the most needy populations, a comprehensive youth center providing recreation, education and SRH services to youth from periurban settings and dedicated adolescent HIV care services. Professor Bekker has served as advisor to the US President’s Emergency Plan For AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) Program. Her interest in prevention sciences, the testing of biomedical technologies including HIV vaccines, Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) and microbicides has given her international renown in these fields. More recently, the Centre, under her leadership has developed expertise in a number of key populations including pregnant women, adolescents, men who have sex with men and other more difficult to reach and engage populations.