An experienced international team of investigators building upon a decade-long collaboration are partnering to develop sustainable research capacity for studies on HIV-associated malignancies in Kenya. Our proposal provides an unprecedented opportunity for our partners - the University of Nairobi (UoN), Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH), and the Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI) - 3 highly respected African institutions, enjoined on a dedicated AIDS malignancy NCl collaborative project for the first time. Our fundamental strategic approach is to let clinical studies drive our training program. We have developed 3 highly interactive and inter-dependent training aims focusing on: 1) diagnostic and research pathology;2) tumor virology;and 3) clinical trials, which are vital to ensure a robust translational research program 3 years hence. Our international team is led by Drs. Scot Remick at West Virginia Univ., an AIDS oncologist and clinical trialist (U.S. PI);Leona W. Ayers at Ohio State Univ., HIV/AIDS pathologist;Rosemary Rochford at SUNY Upstate Medical Univ., EBV-associated malignancies and epidemiologist;Walter Mwanda at UoN and KNH, pediatric hematologist and clinical trialist (Kenya Senior Collaborator);and Geoffrey Mutuma at KEMRI, clinical pathologist. Our training program will link to the emerging African trials network and international research agenda led by the NCI-sponsored AIDS Malignancy Consortium (PI: R. Mitsuyasu, CAI21947) under Dr. Remick's leadership;build diagnostic and research pathology and tissue repository capacity to enable tissue-based correlative and translational studies through the NCI-sponsored AIDS Cancer Specimen Resource/Sub-Saharan African Lymphoma Consortium under Dr. Ayers leadership (CA066531);NIH-peer reviewed tumor virology research activities brought to this collaboration by Dr. Rochford's program (CA102667) focusing on strengthening capacity in virus research tools and epidemiological approaches to stimulate and broaden pathologists'and clinicians'interests in research questions and particularly collaborations in AIDS and other viral related tumors;and future NIH research opportunities as they evolve. The overall goal of our training program is to consolidate and strengthen existing capacity in Kenya, which remains a resource-challenged, developing area of the world;and to develop strategic and inclusive multidisciplinary teams that are efficient and productive partners with investigators from developed countries. From our collaboration, we expect to have a well-trained doctoral level and support research staff in place ready to explore questions of diagnostic accuracy, viral etiology, and therapeutic alternatives for AIDS malignancies and other viral tumors. We anticipate serving as a future site in sub-Saharan Africa for research and training in AIDS malignancies and other viral tumors building on our Kenyan-WVU/OSU/SUNY partnership.
This proposal strengthens capacity for the performance of translational research focusing on AIDS- related malignancies in Kenya, a region of the world with the greatest burden of HIV/AIDS. The training plan builds on """"""""trans-NIH"""""""" assets including the NCI-sponsored AIDS Malignancy Consortium, the Mid Region- AIDS &Cancer Resource, and Sub-Saharan Africa Lymphoma Consortium across 3 U.S. and 3 Kenyan academic healthcare institutions to better inform our understanding of pathogenesis, diagnostic accuracy, viral etiology, and therapeutic approach toward AIDS malignancies and other viral tumors.
| Korir, Anne; Mauti, Nathan; Moats, Pamela et al. (2014) Developing clinical strength-of-evidence approach to define HIV-associated malignancies for cancer registration in Kenya. PLoS One 9:e85881 |
| Mwamba, Peter M; Mwanda, Walter O; Busakhala, Naftaliw et al. (2012) AIDS-Related Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma in Sub-Saharan Africa: Current Status and Realities of Therapeutic Approach. Lymphoma 2012: |
| Nagaiah, Govardhanan; Stotler, Christy; Orem, Jackson et al. (2010) Ocular surface squamous neoplasia in patients with HIV infection in sub-Saharan Africa. Curr Opin Oncol 22:437-42 |
