Lauren Ziemba
Lauren Ziemba is a biostatistician and a statistical project manager at the Statistical and Data Analysis Center (SDAC) at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. She is a member of the IMPAACT 2010/VESTED, IMPAACT P1092, and IMPAACT 2019 protocol teams.
1. What have you enjoyed most about working with the IMPAACT Network?
I’ve really enjoyed the moments where I get to show results to protocol team members. After so much investment from the team, other IMPAACT statisticians, and study participants, it’s rewarding to present an end result and hear the team discuss how our studies could help improve care for pregnant people or children. It’s also where we begin to celebrate what we do and enjoy the fruits of our labor.
2. A lot has happened with your studies in the last year between P1092 (publishing of primary results), IMPAACT 2010/VESTED (primary results released), and IMPAACT 2019 (preliminary results released). Congratulations! Tell us a little bit about what working on these studies has meant to you and your experience being a part of presenting these outcomes.
I’m honored to have worked under the direction of world-class investigators who are committed to answering important clinical questions for populations who are often left out of clinical research. It is surreal that my daily work on these IMPAACT studies has the potential to change the lives and well-being of people around the world, and I’m so glad I get to be a part of that. It’s really gratifying to see how we gain insight on clinical care for these populations with every new presentation of results.
3. What has been the most defining experience so far in your career?
Watching Shahin Lockman and Lameck Chinula (co-chairs of IMPAACT 2010) present the IMPAACT 2010 primary results of pregnancy and neonatal outcomes at CROI 2020. It not only was a large accomplishment from the team and the 1,000+ participants involved in the study, but it emphasized the importance of including pregnant people and their infants in research by showing differences in safety outcomes based on antiretroviral therapy used during pregnancy. I’m looking forward to building on this work within IMPAACT.
4. What do you enjoy doing when you are not working?
When I’m not working, I enjoy getting outside and exploring Boston with the people I love. I enjoy travelling, reading, and listening to live music. All things considered, my favorite days involve community regardless of the activity, like enjoying a meal with old or new friends, spending time with family, or taking time to connect with my church community.