HIV and Co-Infections
November 13, 2019
Postdoctoral Fellow, Dr. Erica Lokken, joins Global WACh to study role of vaginal bacteria in HIV acquisition among Kenyan women
Categories: HIV and Co-Infections, Research
Global WACh is pleased to welcome new Postdoctoral Fellow, Dr. Erica Lokken, to our team at UW! Dr. Lokken successfully defended her PhD in Epidemiology dissertation in August and received a National Institute of Health F32 postdoctoral fellowship in October. This fellowship will support her long-term career goal to become an independent investigator conducting research that informs interventions to improve women’s sexual and reproductive health, including outcomes such as STI/HIV acquisition, fertility, and miscarriage. The three-year fellowship will allow Dr. Lokken to study how alterations in the vaginal microbiota may partly explain the increased risk of HIV acquisition among pregnant and postpartum women compared to non-pregnant women. Understanding the relationship between high-risk bacterial species and vaginal inflammation across the pregnancy and postpartum periods may inform the development of prevention strategies to reduce risks of reproductive health complications.
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August 5, 2019
Dr. Kristin Beima-Sofie awarded 2019 CFAR NIA to design strategies for data-informed caregiver intervention to improve adolescent HIV outcomes
Categories: Awards, HIV and Co-Infections, Youth
We are delighted to announce Dr. Kristin Beima-Sofie (Acting Assistant Professor, Global Health) is a recipient of the 2019 UW/Fred Hutch Center for AIDS Research (CFAR) New Investigator Award! The award offers start-up funding for junior investigators to conduct independent HIV/AIDS research to support future scholarly endeavors. Dr. Beima-Sofie’s study titled, “Developing a data-informed caregiver intervention to improve adolescent HIV,” will explore perspectives of caregivers of adolescents living with HIV (ALHIV) and key stakeholders in Kenya to design an intervention that equips caregivers with the knowledge and social support skills to most effectively improve ALHIV health outcomes. (more…)
Dr. Arianna Means awarded 2019 CFAR NIA to improve identification and treatment of malnutrition for HIV-exposed children
Categories: Awards, Gut Health and Child Survival, HIV and Co-Infections
We are pleased to announce Dr. Arianna Means (Acting Assistant Professor, Global Health) received a 2019 UW/Center for AIDS Research (CFAR) New Investigator Award! This award offers start-up funds to junior investigators to conduct independent HIV/AIDS research that supports their future scholarly endeavors. Dr. Means’ project titled “Improved identification and treatment of acute malnutrition for HIV-exposed children in Kenya,” focuses on using implementation science methods to evaluate adherence to HIV nutrition guidelines among HIV-infected and HIV-exposed uninfected (HEU) children under two years of age and identify opportunities for strategic improvement. (more…)
July 26, 2019
Global WACh at IAS 2019
Categories: Conferences, HIV and Co-Infections
This week, more than 10 Global WACh researchers attended the 10th International AIDS Society (IAS) Conference on HIV Science, the world’s most influential meeting on HIV research and its applications. Our researchers also attended and presented at IAS-related events—the 11th International Workshop on HIV Pediatrics and the TB/HIV Symposium: “A new era in TB prevention: Implications for people living with HIV.”
Among all three scientific gatherings, Global WACh had 17 poster abstracts, 2 oral abstracts, and 1 oral symposia abstract accepted to present. Our collaborator from Kenyatta National Hospital in Kenya, Dr. John Kinuthia, co-chaired the oral abstract discussion titled “HIV testing: Pushing the envelope.” Click here for a full list of the accepted abstracts with links to available abstracts, electronic posters, and presentation slides. (more…)
June 7, 2019
Dr. Sylvia LaCourse awarded two R21 awards to investigate novel TB diagnostic methods in HIV-infected pregnant women and children
Categories: Awards, HIV and Co-Infections, Research
Tuberculosis (TB) contributes to substantial morbidity and mortality among HIV-infected peripartum women and their children. We are pleased to announce that Dr. Sylvia LaCourse (Acting Assistant Professor, Medicine and Co-Director, HIV and Co-Infections Scientific Priority Area) received two National Institutes of Health-funded R21 awards to investigate novel TB diagnostic methods in HIV-infected children and TB-specific immune responses in pregnant women. (more…)
May 29, 2019
Dr. Irene Njuguna awarded 2019 CFAR Mentored International Investigator Award to improve adolescent and young adult health in Kenya
Categories: Awards, HIV, HIV and Co-Infections, Research
Congratulations to Dr. Irene Njuguna (PhD Candidate in UW Epidemiology; Infectious Disease Researcher, Kenyatta National Hospital) who is the recipient of the 2019 UW/Fred Hutch Center for AIDS Research (CFAR) Mentored International Investigator Award! Dr. Njuguna’s new two-year project entitled, “Causes and risk factors for death in HIV positive adolescents and youth in Kenya,” aims to fill critical gaps in understanding cause-specific and underlying contributing factors to adolescent and young adult (AYA) deaths. Despite improvements in recent years to link HIV positive AYA to treatment and management to keep viral loads low, they remain at high risk of dying for reasons not well documented at many low-resource health facilities. (more…)
March 22, 2019
World TB Day 2019: Global WACh’s emerging research contributes to global efforts to end TB
Categories: Education, HIV and Co-Infections, Research
World TB Day, held each year on March 24, aims to raise public awareness about the devastating health, social, and economic consequences of tuberculosis (TB) and to step up efforts to end the global TB epidemic. The theme of World TB Day 2019 – “It’s Time” – urges global health organizations and government leaders to accelerate the TB response and ensure access to care.
Global WACh researchers are working hard to discover more effective diagnostic, treatment, and prevention measures for a TB-free world. They are collaborating with investigators on a number of studies, including HIV/TB immunopathogenesis and protection in infants and pregnant women, improved TB screening and novel non-sputum based diagnostics in HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected children and adults, and implementation of TB prevention in adolescents. Continue reading for a summary of studies and a collection of publications. (more…)
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