Project Title

CAPRISA, South Africa

Project Objectives

Aims: 1. To Develop and execute clinical trials for poverty related infectious diseases and Neglected Tropical Diseases. 2. To gain hands-on knowledge and insight on drug discovery and the path of diagnostic test development. 3. To acquire Advanced laboratory skills, GCLP compliance, laboratory quality systems and safety procedures.

Host Organisation

EDCTP Project Call

EDCTP Clinical Research & Development Fellowship (R&D F)

Study Design

Placement

Project Summary

Context and objectives Researchers from low- and middle-income countries have little opportunities to acquire experience and develop skills for conducting clinical trials outside an academic or public sector setting. The Malaria Research and Training Centre (MRTC) in Bamako has conducted several longitudinal cohort and case-control studies, drug efficacy, and malaria vaccine trials. However, the Centre has little experience in HIV/AIDS and TB clinical research. Therefore, there are very few well-trained researchers in these areas. Work performed As part of my European and Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership (EDCTP) fellowship, I was placed at the Centre for the AIDS Programme of Research in South Africa (CAPRISA) in Durban, South Africa, from June 2022 to May 2023. The training period in the HIV Pathogenesis and Vaccine Research Unit at CAPRISA was spent working with the clinical and laboratory teams to implement the training plan through participation in clinical trials and laboratory activities. Upon arrival at CAPRISA, I went through orientation and got training on Good Clinical and Laboratory Practices; thereafter, I was exposed to clinical and laboratory-based activities. I first visited the different enrolment sites and was based at the eThekwini CAPRISA Research Clinic site, where I followed the conduct of the clinical trial phases. Thereafter, I joined the Doris Duke Medical Research Institute (DDMRI) Laboratory in Durban, South Africa. I drafted a research protocol with the support of my supervisors and colleagues that I presented to the group for amendment and approval. The protocol was about establishing the longitudinal impact of the vaginal microbiota on the pharmacokinetics of passively infused monoclonal antibodies in the vagina. After the protocol was approved, vaginal swab samples were retrieved from the CAP012B and CAP012C studies and processed at CAPRISA Laboratory with the assistance of Dr. Andile Mtshali and under the supervision of my mentors from CAPRISA. Potential impact After 12 months at CAPRISA, Durban, South Africa, I returned to my home country for the re-entry activities. These activities focused on the transfer of knowledge acquired. I visited the clinical research sites of WANECAM 2 and organised a workshop with my supervisors at MRTC from 18 to 20 September 2023. I also visited the Kénédougou Solidarity Reference Centre (CERKES), a non-governmental organisation sponsored by United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) to provide counselling, care, and diagnosis for people living with HIV/AIDS in Sikasso. With the results generated during my placement at CAPRISA, I will draft an abstract and submit it to an international conference as a poster or oral communication. I plan to convert this abstract into manuscripts for publication. Overall, the placement at CAPRISA has contributed to my personal development by acquiring additional skills in conducting and implementing clinical research in Sub-Saharan Africa. This fellowship has built the foundations for future collaborations between the two institutions (University of Sciences Techniques and Technologies of Bamako and CAPRISA), a promising South-South collaboration to improve health conditions in Africa. To conclude my fellowship, I will organize a workshop on clinical trials in Mali, bringing together researchers from home and host institutions. This will be an opportunity for both institutions to learn from each other and further strengthen future collaborations. This event will also include clinical research site visits of the home institution in Mali. I thank USTTB for allowing and helping me to apply for this fellowship. I am grateful to CAPRISA for accepting me into their institution. I’m also thankful to EDCTP for the funding and for allowing me to visit another research institution in the context of improving research in Africa. https://www.mrtc-parasito.org/en/projects

Current Organisation

USTTB

Current Job Title

Postdoc

Biography