Leveraging North-South Partnerships to Advance Cell and Gene Therapy Research Training for HIV in Uganda (C&GT-Uganda)

利用南北伙伴关系推进乌干达艾滋病毒细胞和基因治疗研究培训（C

• 批准号: 10688330
• 负责人: CISSY KITYO
• 金额: $ 3.02万
• 依托单位: JOINT CLINICAL RESEARCH CENTER
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 财政年份: 2023
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2023-04-01 至 2025-02-28
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10688330
• 关键词: Address; Admission activity; Africa; Africa South of the Sahara; Cancer Center; Caring; Cell Therapy; Cells; Clinical Research; Clinical Trials; Collaborations; Consultations; Educational Curriculum; Educational workshop; Faculty; Focus Groups; Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center; Genetic Variation; Goals; HIV; HIV therapy; HIV vaccine; Health Personnel; Host resistance; Institution; Interview; Joints; Needs Assessment; Persons; Population Heterogeneity; Process; Research; Research Training; Resources; Science; Scientist; Strategic Planning; Surveys; Teacher Professional Development; Technology; Training; Training Activity; Training Programs; Translational Research; Uganda; United States National Institutes of Health; Universities; Virion; Writing; antiretroviral therapy; gene therapy; graduate student; immunoreactivity; informant; innovation; interest; low and middle-income countries; meetings; programs; prospective; recruit; research and development; success; undergraduate student; virtual

There are ≈ 38 million people living with HIV, 67% of whom are in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Despite the success of antiretroviral therapy (ART), there is no approved HIV vaccine or cure. Research and development (R&D) of gene and cell therapies has made progress e.g. innovative strategies to induce host resistance, immunoreactivity against HIV or making host cells unable to produce viable virions. On-going efforts include ≈40 clinical trials but none include Africa. Given the high genetic diversity of populations in SSA and the fact that the brunt of the burden is in SSA, it is critical that SSA should be involved in ongoing R&D. In 2020, the Joint Clinical Research Center (JCRC), Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center (Fred Hutch) and Caring Cross founded the Global Gene Therapy Initiative (GGTI) to include low-and-middle income countries e.g. Uganda in ongoing HIV cell and gene therapy R&D. A preliminary assessment at JCRC showed health workforce capacity gaps in almost all stages of R&D of gene and cell therapies including translational research. This is also the case at other premier research and tertiary institutions in Uganda. To address this, JCRC has sent her scientists for training in the US, and hereby propose a D71 planning process titled Leveraging North- South Partnerships to Advance Gene and cell Therapy Research Training for HIV in Uganda (G&CT-Uganda) in collaboration with Makerere University (Mak) and Fred Hutch. The goal is to prepare a D43 application for an HIV research training program in Gene and cell Therapy at JCRC and Mak. Specific Aim 1 (develop a robust strategic plan for efficiently leveraging JCRC’s North-South partnerships to plan for a research training program in Gene and cell Therapy for HIV) will be achieved through face-to-face/virtual meetings, consultations and a workshop with leaders from collaborating institutions. Specific Aim 2 (assess the critical faculty development needs in Gene and cell Therapy for HIV research at Ugandan institutions), and Specific Aim 3 (assess the training needs of potential trainees that are interested Gene and cell Therapy for HIV research in Uganda) will be achieved through a training needs assessment i.e. desk review of current training curricular, programs, faculty and resources at collaborating institutions; ii) key informant interviews and on- line surveys among trainers, admissions officers and leaders at collaborating institutions; and iii) focus group discussion among prospective trainees i.e. undergraduate and graduate students and Mak and Mbarara University of Science and Technology. Specific Aim 4 (describe the envisioned research training program in Gene and cell Therapy for HIV and identify/develop new training modules and courses to include), and Specific Aim 5 (describe trainee recruitment approaches) will be achieved through meetings, consultations and workshops with trainers, curriculum developers and leaders at collaborating institutions. Specific Aim 6 (develop and submit a D43 application to the National Institutes of Health) will be achieved through weekly meetings, writing sessions and a 14-day writing retreat involving C&GT program faculty.

全球有1.38亿艾滋病毒感染者，其中67%在撒哈拉以南非洲（SSA）。尽管 尽管抗逆转录病毒疗法（ART）取得了成功，但目前还没有批准的艾滋病毒疫苗或治疗方法。研发 基因和细胞疗法的研究和开发已经取得了进展，例如诱导宿主抗性的创新策略， 这些病毒可以是抗HIV的免疫反应性或使宿主细胞不能产生活的病毒体。正在进行的工作包括 40项临床试验，但没有一项包括非洲。鉴于撒哈拉以南非洲人口的遗传多样性高， 由于负担的主要部分在SSA，因此SSA应该参与正在进行的研究与发展是至关重要的。2020年 联合临床研究中心（JCRC）、弗雷德哈钦森癌症中心（Fred Hutch）和Caring Cross 成立了全球基因治疗倡议（GGTI），将乌干达等中低收入国家纳入其中。 正在进行的艾滋病毒细胞和基因治疗研发。JCRC的初步评估显示，卫生人员队伍 在基因和细胞疗法的几乎所有研发阶段，包括转化研究，都存在能力差距。这是 乌干达其他一流研究机构和高等院校也是如此。为了解决这个问题，JCRC已经发送了 她的科学家在美国的培训，并在此提出了一个D71规划过程，题为利用北方- 南方伙伴关系，以推进乌干达艾滋病毒基因和细胞疗法研究培训（G & CT-乌干达） 与Makerere大学和Fred Hutch合作。我们的目标是准备一个D43应用程序， 在JCRC和Mak的基因和细胞治疗中的HIV研究培训计划。具体目标1（制定 一个强有力的战略计划，有效地利用JCRC的南北合作伙伴关系来规划研究培训 艾滋病毒基因和细胞治疗计划）将通过面对面/虚拟会议实现， 与合作机构的领导人举行协商和讲习班。具体目标2（评估关键 乌干达各机构艾滋病毒研究的基因和细胞疗法方面的师资发展需要）， 目标3（评估对艾滋病毒基因和细胞疗法感兴趣的潜在学员的培训需求 将通过培训需求评估，即对目前的培训进行案头审查， 课程，计划，教师和合作机构的资源; ii）关键线人访谈和- 在合作机构的培训员、招生官员和领导人中进行直线调查;以及三）重点小组 预期受训者（即本科生和研究生）与Mak和Mbarara之间的讨论 科技大学具体目标4（描述设想的研究培训计划， 艾滋病毒的基因和细胞疗法，并确定/开发新的培训模块和课程，包括），以及 具体目标5（描述培训生招聘方法）将通过会议、磋商和其他方式实现。 以及与合作机构的培训员、课程编制者和领导人举办的讲习班。具体目标6 （开发并向美国国立卫生研究院提交D43申请）将通过每周 会议，写作会议和14天的写作务虚会涉及C & GT计划教师。