This D43 planning grant is to establish a Latin American AIDS Research and Training Program (LAARTP) in Peru to provide training and research opportunities responsive to the need of regional researchers and healthcare providers in the prevention and treatment of HIV infection. This in a joint effort directed by Investigacions Medicas en Salud (INMENSA) in collaboration with academic and research institutions in Peru and supported by the University of Washington (UW). Jorge Sanchez, Principal Investigator of the US NIH/NIAID/DAIDS-funded Peruvian Clinical Trials Unit (CTU), and Carey Farquhar, Director of the UW IARTP will serve as Co-Director. Collaborating Peruvian institutions include the U. Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, the U. de San Martin de Porres, de U.S. Naval Medical Research Center Detachment and IMPACTA Salud y Educacion, sites where many former UW IARTP scholars currently work. This proposal is built upon 20-year collaboration between UW and Peruvian institutions, over 10 NIH-funded research sites associated with the Peruvian CTU, the Andean CIPRA, the Peruvian INSIGHT and the NISDI grants. The overarching goal of the LAARTP is to provide region-specific training and research opportunities involved in HIV prevention and care in Latin American (LA) countries. Specific aims are to: 1) assess the research training needs at U.S. NIH-funded clinical research sites in LA, 2) further strengthen collaborative relationships between research and academic institutions within Peru and other LA for conducting HIV prevention, treatment and vaccine research;and 3) develop an application for a full IARTP proposal. A training Steering Committee composed by representatives from Peruvian collaborating institutions, the UW FIC-funded training programs will direct operations of this program. Ah External Advisory Committee composed by Directors of US IARTP working in LA;PI from US NIH/NIAID/DAIDS network (HVTN, HPTN, ACTG), and a representative of the Peruvian Government will review and endorse progress results and advise on future developments. Two operational cores will direct activities, including and Administrative Core in charge of developing and implementing activities and Focal Points composed by LA PI will be in charge of operation in the home country. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: (See instructions): Join effort of all NIH-funded research sites in LA directed by many former IFC trainees will provide training, research and technology transfer to regional promising young HIV researchers and health providers. We envision this training program will be the first step for reducing the burden of new trainees to US IARTP and forming the critical mass of professionals in charge of the continuum from HIV prevention to care in a region with incipient AIDS Control Program and overwhelmed need of new HIV research development.
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