Walter Sisulu HIV Vaccine Research Unit

Experience

Walter Sisulu HIV Vaccine Research Unit was inaugurated as a site affliated to the South African AIDS Vaccine Initiative,a lead programme of the Medical Research Council in 2006.It became operative in 2009 when the necessary infrastructure for conducting HIV Vaccine research was set up.The site has completed a study to explore the participation of adolescents in HIV vaccine research from the persepective of adolescents and their parents and and observation study to establish the seroprevalence of antitat antibodies in the target population of the research unit relating this to syphylis,hepatitis B and Human Papiloma virus infection and pap smear results..The studies were funded by the European and Deloping Countries Clinical Trials Partinership and the Italian Institute of Health accordingly.

Research interests

Partnerships, Collaborations and Networks:
Medical Research Council, South African AIDS Vaccine Initiative, Desmond Tutu HIV Vaccine research Unit, Medunsa Clinical Research Unit, AURUM Reseach Unit, CAPRISA,RHI.
In communicaation HVTN and IAVI.

Disease areas

• HIV
• Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs)
• TB

Other information

The site is open to other HIV related research eg TB,STI etc.Currently an incidence and prevalence of HIV in the target population is being planned.The site basic staff which includes a Principal Investigator,Project Manager,Lab. manager,Study Co-ordinator,Research Nurse.,Lab Technologist,Community Liaison Officer,secretary receptionist and a General Assistant.An active community Advisory board.It is linked to Mthatha district hospital and Nelson Mandela Academic Hospital.The site is easily accessable nationally and internationally by air ,road and rail.It is one hour away by road from the world famous Wild Coast on the Indian Ocean coast line

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