Chiang Mai University (CMU), Thailand, is proposing to establish the CMU HIV/AIDS Clinical Trials Unit, Thira Sirisanthana, Principal Investigator. The CMU CTU consists of an administrative component located at the Research Institute for Health Sciences (RIHES), CMU, where the main resources for specimen collection, processing and shipping, clinical laboratory assessments, data management, pharmacy, regulatory compliance, fiscal management and administration are housed. Clinical facilities within walking distance are located at the Faculty of Medicine, CMU. This CTU will have 3 Clinical Research Sites (CRSs), the GMU AIDS Clinical Trials Group Clinical Research Site (CMU ACTG CRS), Khuanchai Supparatpinyo, site leader, affiliated with the newly formed Aids Clinical Trials Group (ACTG) network; the HIV Vaccine Trial Network Clinical Research Site (CMU HVTN CRS), Vinai Suriyanon, site leader, affiliated with the newly formed HIV Vaccine Trial Network (HVTN); and the Pediatrics-Obstetrics Clinical Research Site (CMU PEDOB CRS), Virat Sirisanthana, site leader, which will focus on research priorities in mother-to-child transmission of HIV, as well as optimization of clinical management and translational research in children, adolescents, and pregnant women. RIHES and its collaborators began research in HIV/AIDS in 1988 in studios mounted to monitor infectious disease markers among blood donors. In 1991 with a grant from the Rockefeller Foundation, RIHES studied the epidemiology of HIV infection in military conscripts and later expanded to include other populations, such as sex workers, STD clinic patients, IDUs, non-injecting drug users, factory workers, couples with an infected male partner, and community populations. Collaborative partnership have been formed with the Johns Hopkins University, the Royal Thai Army and the Ministry of Public Health. Research grant support has come from NIAID, NICHD, NIDA, NIMH, CDC/CONRAD, AIDSCAP/USAID, WRAIR, WHO, and the Rockefeller Foundation. Thailand was the first country in Asia with a major AIDS epidemic. The Thai epidemic curve leads those in India, China, and Vietnam by 5 - 10 years. With the countries of Asia having similar culture, Thailand has the infrastructure and the experience to lead them in the HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment research. Finally, Thailand is perhaps the only county in the world where the CRF_01 AE form of HIV can be optimally studied. ? ? ? ADMINISTRATIVE COMPONENT: ? ?
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