Technology Training and Dissemination Core (Technology Train Dis) The C-THAN Technology Training and Dissemination Core (Technology Train Dis) leverages over 12 years of teaching and expertise in conducting needs assessments for POC technologies from the Northwestern University Kellogg School of Management (Kellogg). Since 2006, our proposed Technology Train Dis team has trained over 300 MBA students conducted POC technology needs assessment in the following 18 countries: Botswana, Brazil, Cambodia, China, India, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Uganda, Vietnam, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. We have conducted these needs assessments for a variety of product developers, including Northwestern University, Abbott Diagnostics, Alere, Becton Dickinson, Quidel Corporation, Minute Molecular, FIND, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and the Northwestern Global Health Foundation. From these needs gathering experiences, we know that assessing need and a POC technologies ability to meet a need is not a one-time process. Rather, needs assessment is a constant and iterative process. The C-THAN Technology Train Dis will train and/or conduct needs assessments for POC technology product developers throughout the product development lifecycle. Investigators will train and conduct similar needs assessments for POC technology developers selected by C- THAN. The Technology Train Dis specific aims are: 1. facilitate and enhance interdisciplinary training on the development, evaluation, implementation, and commercialization of POC technologies related to HIV/AIDS in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), 2. conduct needs assessments of POC technologies for HIV/AIDS infected patients in LMICs, and 3. Disseminate the results of clinical needs and user assessment and impact analysis to relevant stakeholders. The primary goal of the Technology Train Dis is to provide infrastructure and services dedicated to needs assessment of POC technologies. Our needs assessment approach is unique in that we ensure POC technology developers have considered a variety of stakeholders including, end users, patients, policy makers, funders, manufacturing partners, and distributors. This multi-stakeholder approach ensures technology prototypes supported under C- THAN will have a high rate of success for market adoption and sustainability.
