Drenna Waldrop, PhD, is a professor and the associate dean for research at the Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing at Emory University, with a joint appointment in the Department of Behavioral and Sciences and Health Education Studies at Rollins School of Public Health. Dr. Waldrop is a member of the Cancer Prevention and Control Research Program at Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University. She also serves as co-director of the Emory Center for AIDS Research (CFAR) Developmental Core.
Education
Dr. Waldrop received her PhD in Counseling Psychology from the University of Memphis, her MS in Counseling Psychology from the University of Southern Mississippi, and her BA in Psychology from the University of Alabama. She is a licensed psychologist with neuropsychology and behavioral research.
Titles & Roles
Professor and Associate Dean for Research
Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing of Emory University
Research
Dr. Waldrop's primary research and scholarly interest is in treatment adherence, cognitive and affective symptoms, and health literacy among persons living with HIV/AIDS. She has been principal investigator on multiple NIH grants and over the past 20 years has led and collaborated on numerous studies investigating the overarching symptoms associated with HIV infection, including health literacy and cognition, and their impact on health disparities among persons living with HIV.
Her most recent research studies the effects of aerobic exercise on cognitive function among people living with HIV. She is also investigating virtual and mobile app-based interventions to address chronic disease and medication adherence.
Dr. Waldrop-Valverde has published broadly in peer reviewed journals and is a reviewer on national and international peer journals. She has been invited to present her findings at numerous national and international conferences.
