Supplement: Fogarty Training in HIV- and AIDS Associated Diseases/Malignancies

University Of Nebraska Lincoln, Lincoln NE

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Abstract

[unreadable] DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Our Fogarty International Center Training Program in HIV- and AIDS-Associated Diseases/Malignancies provides training for Zambian and Chinese scientists and healthcare providers, enhancing in-country capacity to perform biomedical, behavioral, and preventative research on HIV- and AIDS-associated malignancies. During the past 8 years, 30 Zambian and 12 Chinese fellows have participated in the program. This Revision Award proposal capitalizes upon the momentum of our Fogarty program and will extend the breadth and depth of our AIDS-associated malignancies training capacity for our Zambian and Chinese partners. Our objective is to enhance pathology services in Zambia and China to support cancer diagnosis and cancer genetics using basic and molecular tools. The specific aims of our Revision Award request are to: 1) provide a 6-month lab rotation in basic pathology training for 4 Zambian fellows; 2) provide a 1-year lab rotation in molecular pathology and cancer gene analysis for 2 Chinese fellows; and 3) sponsor in-country workshops targeted toward local need. Workshops will be offered to extend our training in pathology and gene expression profiling beyond the lab rotation. The aims we propose are strategically designed to complement the research infrastructure and the research skills of Zambian and Chinese scientists and clinicians established by our Fogarty Program. Development of competency in the preparation, staging, and pathologic analysis of tumors is absolutely essential to provide appropriate care for patients afflicted with cancer. The lack of trained personnel in pathology has proven to be a challenge to the development of clinical translational research in AIDS oncology. Since the needs of our international partners our different, we will tailor training opportunities for fellows from each country. For Zambia, this includes basic pathology and molecular diagnostic training, eventually expanding to genetic approaches. For China, since basic pathology services and routine cancer diagnostics are in place, training will focus on more contemporary genetic and molecular approaches. These basic and contemporary approaches and tools will be invaluable for improving the diagnosis and management of cancers such as lymphoma. The addition of such expertise and training is a primary impetus for our Revision Award request. The Nebraska Fogarty Training Program already has a cancer focus, but this is an opportune time to leverage previous work and take our program to the next level. To support and complement the robust research enterprise Fogarty support has helped create in Zambia and China, it is essential to enhance in country pathology services and cancer gene expression profiling capabilities (an emerging research area not currently covered by our training program). [unreadable] [unreadable] [unreadable]