At post-graduate level has a Ph.D in Clinical Epidemiology from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. Although clinically trained in infectious diseases, her focus has been in the field of sexual health in general, and sexually transmitted infections (including HIV) in particular. She has undertaken research in this area since 1991, in the UK, West and East Africa, and south Asia. Dr. Hawkes' work in south Asia has focused on the prevention and control of sexually transmitted infections, with a particular emphasis on their control in situations of low prevalence. She has published both epidemiological and policy work in this area, and the latter has been taken up by WHO at a global level. She works as a Clinical Senior Lecturer at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.