KENYA AIDS VACCINE INITIATIVE; A CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE FOR HIV

VACCINE/PREVENTION TRIALS IN EAST AFRICA

Prof. Omu Anzala

KAVIUniversity of Nairobi

ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE.

OBJECTIVE #1

TO ESTABLISH KAVI AS A CENTER OF EXCELLENCE FOR THE TRAINING OF HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS IN THE CONDUCT OF CLINICAL TRIALS

• Annual courses covering various aspects of clinical trials, targeted to research staff from the region

• Building internal capacity to conduct research through training of KAVI clinical staff

• Establishment of the KAVI Clinical Research Training Centre  (CRTC)

Progress Report: 2010 - 2013

Establishment of the KAVI Clinical Research Training Centre  (CRTC). Dedicated space within KAVI to house a library of both virtual and physical

resources Eight computers/work stations set up (Beneficiaries- Departmental Staff and

Masters/PhD students enrolled in the program) Internet access Purchase of reference books Access to international journals

Training Development of 3-day GCP training modules for clinical trial staff in the East

African region

Building internal capacity for clinical research Supported 3 staff to train in data management and research methodology

OBJECTIVE #2

TO ENHANCE KAVI’s LABORATORY CAPACITY TO PERFORM STATE-OF-THE ART IMMUNE MONITORING OF HIV VACCINE TRIALS

- Design onsite courses in GCLP- Establish mentorship capacity in immunology for lab staff

and students- Identify two students for training at PhD level in basic

sciences- Establish a mucosal immunology lab

Laboratory Progress Report: 2010- 2013

2 PhD Students in basic science are being supported by the program

Technology Transfer/Infrastructure upgrade

Mucosal immunology lab has been established

Design and delivery of courses:- GCLP – Good Clinical and Laboratory

Practice (80 trained- Kenya/Tanzania) LQMS – Laboratory Quality Management

Systems (35 trained- Kenya)

4 staff have gone for external placements University of Manitoba, University of Toronto and Human Immunology Laboratory (HIL),

Imperial College, LondonJames Onyango: PhD student supported by IDRC program

OBJECTIVE #3

TO BUILD VACCINE LITERACY AND ACCEPTANCE AMONG LOCAL COMMUNITIES AND POLICY MAKERS,

• Develop courses in community issues and vaccine literacy• Identify two students for training in social science at PhD

level• Advocate for vaccines among stakes holders and policy

makers• Improve the knowledge about vaccines among health care

workers

Progress Report: 2010- 2013

Conducted six trainings to provide vaccine information to Kenya Medical Training College (KMTC) Lecturers Trained staff in colleges spanning

from Kisumu to Mombasa KMTC produces >60% of all the

medical personnel in Kenya Plans by KMTC management to

incoporate a unit on vaccines within their training curriculum

Supporting the training of 2 PhD student in social sciences

OBJECTIVE #4

TO ENHANCE THE CAPACITY OF LOCAL ETHICS REVIEW BOARDS AND INSTITUTIONAL ADMINISTRATORS

• Establish the number of ethics review boards in Kenya• Establish the process of review • Develop training materials and offer training to enhance the

review process

Progress Report: 2010- 2013 Collaboration with National

Council for Science and Technology to identify training gaps:

Five accredited Ethics Committees as of Aug 2011

Existence of several Ethics committees that were not accredited by the Council

Developed a training manual for ethics review boards

Conducted regional training workshops for ethics review boards and institutional administrators

Work in Progress…(2013- 2014)

Fresh semen

HIV transmits primarily via mucosal route (horizontal & vertical transmission).

- An ideal vaccine should induce both systemic and mucosal humoral and cellular responses to neutralize HIV at this portal of entry

- Rapid loss of T cells occurs in mucosal tissues post-infection, most notably the gut

Work in progress: Mucosal Studies-

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Acknowledgements

1.GHRI2.International AIDS Vaccine Initiative 3.Afri-Can Forum4.Advisory Board Members –

Prof. Keith Fowke (University of Manitoba), Prof. Rupert Kaul (University of Toronto), Prof. Aboud Said (Tanzania), Prof. Fred Nalugoda (Uganda), Dr. Etienne Karita (Rwanda) and Dr. Robert Kimutai (Kenya)