HIV Research All-Star Celebrated by the Red Sox

Researchers at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC), the official hospital of the Red Sox, are at the core of advancing the extraordinary care provided to patients every day. Kathryn Stephenson, MD, MPH, an investigator in the Center for Virology and Vaccine Research at BIDMC, is no exception—she’s dedicated her career to the fight against HIV and AIDS.

While taking care of patients who are infected with HIV, she leads a research team that is developing and testing new medications to prevent and treat HIV. “There are more than 5,000 new HIV infections every day. We need an HIV vaccine if we are ever going to stop this worldwide epidemic,” she says.

Dr. Stephenson oversees clinical trials as part of her team’s research. “Our trials are constantly recruiting new participants,” she says. “If you want to join in the fight, consider signing up as a volunteer.”

The Red Sox honored Dr. Stephenson on June 7 as a Medical All-Star for her outstanding contributions to the field. Get to know this all-star outside of the hospital.

Q: Are you a baseball fan?

KS: Yes! I grew up around professional baseball because my parents made the Major League Baseball (MLB) schedules for almost 25 years. ESPN actually did a story about them: The Schedule Makers. Because of my parents’ jobs, we never had true “favorites,” so we just rooted for all New York teams. I think I’m the only person who grew up rooting for both the Yankees and the Mets!

Q: What’s your favorite baseball memory?

KS: I have so many memories as a fan, including attending the 1986 World Series at Shea Stadium as a kid. But one of the most special memories for me is the ALCS in 2001. I was in medical school in downtown Manhattan during 9/11, and this series was only about a month after the attacks. The sense of community was very strong.

Q: Who did you bring with you to the June 7 game?

KS: My husband, Chris Bavitz, and our two sons, Henry (10) and Theodore (8), and my parents. I may have grown up as a New York fan, but we all really love the Red Sox!