Next generation training in HIV research: Immunity in the First 1000 days in mother-infant dyads (TIGRIS)

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This application describes the development of an innovative and unique HIV training program entitled: NexT generation traininG in HIV Research: Immunity in the First 1000 days in mother-infant dyadS” (TIGRIS). The program will leverage existing NIH funding to investigate specific hypotheses related to how HIV infection in the pregnant woman leads to adverse birth outcomes and ensuing pediatric immune dysfunction to develop rigorous clinical and basic science laboratory training for mentees. TIGRIS will be a multidisciplinary, international and pan-African HIV training program. The program will be implemented at Stellenbosch University in South Africa along with the Mayo Clinic, Rochester, USA. It will include Training Faculty in the US (Morehouse School of Medicine, Stanford University, Duke University, Weill Cornell Medical College, University of Cincinnati and Seattle Children’s Research Institute), the UK (Imperial College London and University of Oxford) to contribute to a number of research topics that will provide a basis for a more focused D43 HIV training program. The aim of TIGRIS will be to strengthen HIV research by studying reproductive and neonatal immunology in Africa and specifically around health in the mother-infant dyad during maternal HIV infection. This D71 application sets forth a series of immediate goals that will feed into longer terms goals in a subsequent D43 application: 1) Develop a curriculum and structured Post-Graduate Diploma in Reproductive and Neonatal Immunology that would be relevant for MMed (clinical), MSc, and PhD degrees. The program will incorporate preceptors from our assembled expert HIV specialist Faculty at SU and utilize existing HIIV- associated funded projects from our collaborators in the US and UK; 2) Develop a Reproductive Immunology Research Consortium in Africa (RIRCA). Leveraging on training programs, we will create a hub of excellence in reproductive and neonatal immunology research and training that caters for students from low-and-middle- income countries (LMICs) in Africa; 3) Expand and integrate collaborations with other LMIC countries in Africa, where we will initially focus on networking with Cameroon, Benin, Gabon, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi and Uganda. The specific objectives of the D71 planning phase will be to: 1) Hold two Faculty-wide network meetings to define a focused research training program; 2) Develop an accredited reproductive and neonatal immunology curriculum with a strong research training component in placental immunology and neonatal and infant immune ontogeny in the context of maternal HIV infection; 3) Develop a series of short- and long-term training programs; 4) Strengthen and expand inter-African and US partnerships and 5) Submit a D43 application.