HIV and Co-Infections
November 27, 2024
Researchers awarded new grant to test implementation strategies to scale-up transitional care among youth living with HIV in Kenya
Categories: Awards, HIV and Co-Infections, Research
As more children and adolescents living with HIV survive into adulthood, maintaining successful and uninterrupted transitions into adult HIV care clinics has become a priority in the HIV/AIDS research community. Adolescents having “grown up” under pediatric HIV care may experience deep loss of their support system and feel less prepared to assume responsibility for themselves in adult care. The transition is a vulnerable point when adolescents are at risk of disengagement from HIV care altogether. It is critical that they maintain uninterrupted HIV care to stay healthy, maintain low viral load, and reduce further transmission.
Since 2016, Global WACh investigators Drs. Irene Njuguna, Kristin Beima-Sofie, Grace John-Stewart, and Dalton Wamalwa have led efforts to engage the Ministry of Health and local communities in Kenya in the development of the Adolescent Transition Package (ATP), a healthcare worker toolkit that includes structured educational materials and tracking tools to facilitate the transition process. (more…)
October 7, 2024
Laurén Gómez awarded IAS New Investigator Award for research identifying motivators of initiating PrEP in pregnancy
Categories: Awards, HIV and Co-Infections, PrEP, Research
Congratulations to Laurén Gómez, Senior Research Coordinator with Global WACh and current PhD student in UW Epidemiology, for receiving the International AIDS Society’s (IAS) New Investigator Award in PrEP and ARV-based prevention research for the abstract, “Motivations of pregnant women initiating PrEP within antenatal care enrolled in a randomized trial to improve adherence: the mWACh-PrEP study.”
The award recognized six early-career investigators who presented top-rated work at HIVR4P, the 5th HIV Research for Prevention Conference, held from October 6-10, 2024 in Lima, Peru and virtually. (more…)
Dr. John Kinuthia and Julia Dettinger receive IAS award for high-impact paper on PrEP delivery during pregnancy
Categories: Awards, HIV and Co-Infections, Publication, Research
Congratulations to Dr. John Kinuthia (Affiliate Associate Professor, UW Global Health; Head of Research and Programs, Kenyatta National Hospital) and Julia Dettinger (former Research Scientist with Global WACh) for receiving the Journal of the International AIDS Society’s (JIAS) HIV Prevention Impact Award for the co-authored article, “Risk-based versus universal PrEP delivery during pregnancy: a cluster randomized trial in Western Kenya from 2018 to 2019.”
The award was announced at HIVR4P, the 5th HIV Research for Prevention Conference, held from October 6-10, 2024 in Lima, Peru and virtually. (more…)
August 29, 2024
New study aims to evaluate a novel pediatric TB diagnostic tool and treatment response
Categories: Awards, HIV and Co-Infections, Research
Investigators Dr. Sylva LaCourse (UW), Dr. Tony Hu (Tulane University), and Dr. Vidalis Nduba (KEMRI CRDR)
A new five-year study titled “CRISPR-TB for pediatric TB diagnosis and treatment response” funded by the National Institutes of Health will support an evaluation of a CRISPR-based technology to target and detect Mycobacterium tuberculosis cell-free DNA (cfDNA). The study’s findings may provide a deeper understanding of its potential to diagnosis pediatric TB early and accurately and improve treatment responses. (more…)
June 5, 2024
2nd annual Global WACh Student Poster Symposium celebrates and highlights student achievements over the academic year
Categories: Certificate Program, Family Planning, Gut Health and Child Survival, HIV and Co-Infections, Research, students, Talks and Events
On May 28th in the Hans Rosling Center for Population Health, Global WACh hosted its second annual Student Poster Symposium featuring graduate student research aimed at improving the health and well-being of women, adolescents, and children. It was a celebratory end-of-year event to acknowledge students’ training, service, and achievement and give well wishes to those graduating UW.
This year’s symposium featured 14 posters by master’s and doctoral students and a postdoctoral fellow representing several departments and schools – Applied Bioengineering, Epidemiology, Global Health (General and Implementation Science tracks), Nursing, and Social Work. These included 90-hour capstone projects completed by students enrolled in the Global WACh Graduate Certificate Program, and master’s thesis and PhD dissertation-related posters by student supporting Global WACh’s research portfolio. Three posters were featured at scientific conferences over the academic year and shared with the UW global health community. (more…)
June 3, 2024
Global WACh faculty, staff, students attend a team retreat to build community and advance strategic initiatives
Categories: Family Planning, Gut Health and Child Survival, HIV and Co-Infections, Talks and Events
On May 22nd, Global WACh hosted an all-day team retreat at the UW Waterfront Activities Center. 46 faculty, staff, and student trainees spent the day together with the goals of 1) team building across Global WACh’s scientific priorities, and 2) advancing strategic initiatives for scientific impact, deep work, and expanding diversity, equity, and inclusion in our community. The retreat was part of a larger “Think Week” aimed at protecting time and space for creative thinking to expand innovation to improve the health of women, adolescents, and children. (more…)
April 29, 2024
Researchers share pediatric and adolescent HIV and associated neurological research at CROI 2024
Categories: Conferences, HIV, HIV and Co-Infections, Research, students
See below for a list of poster abstracts to view. (more…)
February 27, 2024
MIND collaborators convene in Nairobi to advance childhood development and mental health research in Kenya
Categories: Awards, HIV and Co-Infections, Mental Health
MIND Program collaborators at the Palacina Suites Hotel in Nairobi, Kenya. (Photo: Mugo Mureithi)
In January, nearly 40 collaborators affiliated with the Drug, microbiome, and immune determinants of birth and neurodevelopmental outcomes in children with exposure to HIV infection (MIND) grant attended a two-day convening in Nairobi, Kenya. Launched in early 2023, the project leverages three ongoing childhood development studies in Kenya and supports two core groups that provide access to technologies, services, training, and consultation to successfully execute the studies. The meeting provided a forum to share progress and discuss future directions of research collaborations from UW/Global WACh, Kenyatta National Hospital, University of Nairobi, Emory University, Fred Hutch, and Makerere University. (more…)
Collaborators gather in Nairobi for annual meeting on STD, HIV, and SRH research in Kenya
Categories: HIV and Co-Infections
In January, collaborators from Global WACh and its long-time partner institutions, the University of Nairobi, Kenyatta National Hospital, and Kenya Medical Research Institute, gathered at the Nairobi Serena Hotel in Kenya for an annual meeting centered on STD, HIV, and sexual and reproductive health (SRH) research. The week-long University of Nairobi STD/HIV/SRH Research Group Meeting provided an opportunity to learn about each other’s work and scientific findings, build community within study teams, meet new people across teams, and engage in meaningful discussions to steer future directions of this collaborative research.
Continue reading below for a few presentation highlights and photos. (more…)
January 24, 2024
Announcing New Global WACh Faculty Directors
Categories: Gut Health and Child Survival, HIV and Co-Infections
In late 2023, Global WACh embarked on a search to identify three new Faculty Directors — two internally at Global WACh and one externally among our global partners — to provide key leadership and input on Center-level priorities. They will join the Staff Directors, Kate Rankin and Alyson Shumays. Dr. Grace John-Stewart, the Founding Director, will continue in her role to mentor the new faculty leadership. Together, they will work towards advancing priorities, including social justice initiatives, investing in local and global partnerships, and financial sustainability. We are thrilled to begin the new year with an announcement of the new Faculty Directors: (more…)
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