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

Joint Clinical Research Center, Kampala

Investigators

Abstract

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.