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KITSO Training Program
Fogarty International Training Program in AIDS-Related Epidemiology
University of Botswana: The HIV and AIDS Epidemic: Status, Dynamics, and Prospects
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KITSO AIDS Training Program
This training program is geared towards
physicians, nurses, and counselors working in Botswana. It provides
current AIDS care information and training to Botswana’s health care
community through in-country workshops. A key feature of
the program is the international collaboration between the
Ministry of Health of Botswana, Botswana’s medical and health care
communities, Harvard University faculty, and the Harvard AIDS
Institute.
Fogarty
International Training Program in AIDS-Related
Epidmiology(NIH TW 00004)
The
Harvard AIDS Institute seeks
to bridge the gap in AIDS research between developing and
industrialized nations, and also provide scientists from the developing
nations with the skills and capacity to contribute to the global
response to HIV and the AIDS pandemic. For the past 15 years, a
grant from the Fogarty International Training Center, supported by the
United States National Institutes of Health, has helped the Institute achieve
this goal. The
Fogarty International Training
Program in AIDS-Related Epidmiology brings
b
iomedical researchers and health
care workers from developing countries to Harvard University for
training in HIV and AIDS research techniques. Fogarty Fellows choose
a research topic in epidemiology or the basic sciences related to
epidemiology, such as virology, immunology, and molecular biology,
and are prepared to promote HIV and AIDS research upon
returning to their own countries. The program currently funds
trainees from Botswana, China, Senegal, Tanzania, and Thailand. Past
participants have also come from Mexico and India. In order to qualify for
the program’s fellowship, participants must have worked in AIDS-related
research programs in their home countries and must demonstrate a sincere
intention to return to their home countries following the training
program. [Application
details].
University of Botswana: The HIV and AIDS Epidemic: Status, Dynamics, and Prospects
Lectures: Every 2 weeks
This
lecture series
deals with a broad range of topics relating to the public health implications of the AIDS epidemic, including the virology, etiologic hypotheses concerning the origins of the virus, measures to reduce/prevent the spread of infection, various treatment modalities, and the economic impact of the epidemic on development in resource-limited settings. Discussions will cover current practices, unanswered questions and policy implications for now and the future with special emphasis on Botswana and Southern Africa.
Course Seminars:
Novel Prevention Strategies for HIV-1: Issues on Microbicide Development
Friday, 30 November 2001
4PM
University of Botswana, Room 4, New CCE Building
Lecturer: Dr. Mark Wainberg, Director of Research at the Jewish General Hospital in Montreal, Canada and Professor of Medicine and Microbiology at McGill University, Montreal, Canada.
History of the HIV and AIDS Epidemic 1980’s-present/Global Perspective on the HIV and AIDS Epidemic Trends in the past decade (1 lecture)
HIV and AIDS Virology and Molecular Epidemiology (1 lecture)
Background on retroviruses Genetic Diversity of HIV: Strains, subtypes, distribution of subtypes worldwide, recombinants and mutants
Immunobiology and Pathogenesis of HIV (1 lecture)
Determining HIV infection (1 lecture)
Laboratory assays to determine HIV infection and progression of disease: ELISA, Western Blots, RT-PCR, CD4 counts, rapid tests etc.
Voluntary counseling and testing for HIV in Botswana (1 lecture)
HIV and AIDS Treatment (2 lectures)
Principles of anti-retroviral therapy, drug resistance, current treatment modalities/recommendations globally, unanswered questions and current research; state of treatment in Botswana; HIV and AIDS treatment as part of a comprehensive care approach.
HIV and AIDS Prevention: (4 lectures)
Perinatal Transmission of HIV (1 lecture): what is known about mother to infant transmission of HIV; Unanswered questions: current research on preventing mother to infant transmission (Mashi study);Current practices in mother to infant transmission: Botswana national program.
Vaccine Development for HIV (2 lectures)
Vaccine strategies and approaches, promising vaccine candidates with special emphasis on C subtype vaccines; HIV vaccine preparedness studies and current vaccine trials, will cover scientific and ethical issues, examples of vaccine trials in other countries will be discussed including Trinidad, Haiti, Brazil ( HVTN protocols 203 and 046 will be introduced).
Other Prevention Mechanisms (1 lecture)
Behavior modification, Microbicides, Treatment of Sexually Transmitted Infections, Condom use, Anti-retroviral therapy as a prevention strategy (status of interventions in these areas).
Community Perspectives on HIV and AIDS research (1 lecture)
Community education for and involvement in HIV and AIDS programs; will cover social marketing programs etc.
The Economic Impact of HIV and AIDS in Sub- Saharan Africa (1 lecture)
Estimates on the impact of the epidemic on development; studies to look at the cost-effectiveness of different interventions.
Operational research in HIV and AIDS (1 lecture)
Unanswered questions and approaches to answer these questions in Botswana.
Success stories (1 lecture)
Cover successful interventions in Senegal, Uganda, Tanzania, Thailand and other resource-limited settings.
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