Building Capacity for Patient Oriented Research in HIV-associated Kaposi Sarcoma

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DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Kaposi sarcoma (KS) and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) are malignancies with markedly increased incidence as well as high morbidity and mortality in the setting of uncontrolled HIV infection. Rates of HIV associated malignancies have increased in low- and middle- income countries affected by the HIV, and KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) is the epicenter of the global HIV/AIDS epidemic. Preliminary data suggest a large burden of disease for these two malignancies in the province. Furthermore, management of HIV-associated malignancies in KZN is complicated by the heavy burden of co-morbid tuberculosis (TB). Research towards improved prevention and treatment strategies for these HIV-associated malignancies in resource-limited settings is urgently needed. The objectives of this training grant are to further develop research capacity so as to advance parallel expertise in both patient-oriented clinical research and public-health oriented epidemiologic studies in the field of HIV-associated malignancies. Towards these objectives, we will train one postdoctoral trainee with an epidemiology focus and one postdoctoral trainee with a clinical research focus in the epidemiology and biostatistics methodologies necessary to develop the local capacity to design and analyze patient-oriented studies. We will also train one predoctoral student in Kaposi sarcoma herpes virus (KSHV) and HIV virologic laboratory methods appropriate for developing local expertise in biomarker studies, with the goal of applying this expertise in both clinical and epidemiologic research. Training will consist of coursework at Columbia University and University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN), modular sessions taught by Columbia University faculty at UKZN, and structured mentorship. Furthermore, we will pilot two workshops for primary care providers with the goal of increasing early detection of HIV-associated KS in Black South Africans. Through this training grant, we hope to expand a core of researchers capable of studies in the prevention, early detection and improved treatment of HIV-associated KS and NHL in resource-limited settings. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: Rates of HIV-associated malignancies have increased in low- and middle- income countries affected by the HIV, and KZN is the epicenter of the global HIV/AIDS epidemic. Morbidity and mortality from HIV-associated KS and NHL in KZN is high, and research towards improved prevention and treatment strategies for these HIV-associated malignancies in resource-limited settings is urgently needed.