The UNC CFAR congratulates the Malawi HIV Implementation Research Scientist Training (M-HIRST) program, which was competitively renewed with partners at Kamuzu University of Health Sciences (KUHeS). This program is funded by the Fogarty International Center at the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH). The M-HIRST program will continue to strengthen Malawi’s capacity for mentored HIV and implementation research training.
During this new cycle, Dr. Victor Mwapasa, Professor of Epidemiology and Public Health at KUHeS, will assume program leadership, while Dr. Mina Hosseinipour, Scientific Director of UNC Project-Malawi, will continue as multi-principal investigator. In addition, alumni Linda Mipando Nyondo and Maganizo Chagomerana have been named as eventual leadership.
A wide-range of training activities at KUHeS and UNC Project-Malawi in Lilongwe will continue to be offered, including doctoral research support in HIV and implementation science, mentored postdoctoral fellowships, pilot grants, and data internships and short courses to broaden technical expertise.
To date, 89 trainees have benefited across multiple levels — from master’s and doctoral students to postdoctoral fellows and data interns — creating a growing cohort of researchers. By leveraging existing programs and conducting most activities in Malawi and South Africa, M-HIRST maximizes cost-effectiveness while ensuring training remains locally relevant. Learn more about the M-HIRST Fellowship here.