University of Pittsburgh – Mozambique HIV Research Training Program
Institutions
University of Pittsburgh (Pitt)
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States
One of our training sites is the University of Pittsburgh, where post-doctoral fellowships will be offered. Pitt was founded in 1787 and is one of the oldest institutions of higher learning in the United States. The University’s 3,800 faculty members serve more than 32,000 students in 18 undergraduate, graduate, and professional schools. Over 30% of the student population is enrolled in a doctoral degree or professional program. The University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine (SOM) has been ranked in the top ten list of recipients of NIH funding since 1998 and in 2020 was ninth, with research awards totaling $570 million; research in infectious diseases contributes substantially to the funding portfolio. The comprehensive array of HIV/AIDS-related programs at Pitt and Magee-Women’s Research Institute together accounted for $67.1 million in research support from the NIH in 2020.
The Polana Caniço Health Research and Training Center (CISPOC)
Maputo, Mozambique
CISPOC is an organization within the Mozambican National Institute of Health. CISPOC was established in 2011 with the goal of generating and promoting the incorporation of scientific and technological solutions to the main health conditions and problems in Mozambique through the development of clinical research, knowledge generation, and national and international collaboration. CISPOC´s vision is to become a national reference center for clinical research. A wide range of research activities, from epidemiological research to clinical trials, with focus on HIV and HIV co-morbidities, are being conducted at CISPOC both with local and international support. Training of personnel is a key priority at INS and CISPOC. Dr. Edna Viegas was until recently CISPOC Director. However, she was recently promoted as the Head of the INS branch in Maputo, which oversees research at CISPOC.
CISPOC has four main intervention areas: clinical research, surveillance, training, and community engagement. CISPOC has a highly engaged community advisory board that meets monthly. The organization has more than 150 staff, of whom around 60% are women. CISPOC was an HVTN clinical research site (CRS) from 2013-2019 and continues to participate in HVTN studies.
CISPOC has a deep HIV research portfolio which will provide a rich research environment for Pitt-MozHRTP trainees. CISPOC studies involve a broad array of designs including observational clinical epidemiologic studies, clinical trials, and basic laboratory studies. A partial sample of planned, ongoing, and recent research studies is shown in Table 1. Many of the studies that are relevant to CCD-PWH at CISPOC and CIOB (below) are COVID-19-related, which is a result of the need to urgently respond to the pandemic. Taken together with the research activities (described below), funding, and expertise of our mentorship team, our trainees will also have excellent opportunities to study CVD and diabetes in PWH.
Stellenbosch University
Cape Town, South Africa
The Stellenbosch University was founded in 1918 and is a research institution with around 29,000 students. SU is included as a training site for the Pitt-MozHRTP because of its strong HIV research and training program; the fact that a Pitt Department of Epidemiology faculty member, Dr. Jean Nachega (Program Co-Director) is based there; and the geographic proximity of South Africa to Mozambique. SU is among the top three universities in Africa and has ten schools, including the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences (FMHS). In addition to the MBChB (medical) degree, FMHS has multiple undergraduate and postgraduate programs. FMHS has as its mission is excellence in research, education and clinical training, and improvement of health in South Africa, the African continent and beyond. FMHS research programs in HIV/AIDS; tuberculosis; chronic diseases, such as CVD, and diabetes are particularly strong. Research funding sources include the U.S. NIH, USAID, PEPFAR, and Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
Universidade Eduardo Mondlane (UEM)
Maputo, Mozambique
Universidade Eduardo Mondlane (UEM), established in 1962 and located in Maputo, Mozambique, is the country’s oldest and largest higher education institution. It offers a broad spectrum graduate programs across disciplines including sciences, engineering, humanities, and social sciences. UEM is integral to Mozambique’s academic and research landscape, playing a significant role in advancing knowledge and addressing local and regional public health challenges.
The university is distinguished by its dynamic research environment, which focuses on critical areas such as health, agriculture, and environmental sustainability. UEM’s research initiatives are closely aligned with national priorities and aim to deliver practical solutions for community development.