Category: Infectious Diseases
Scientists Create Long-acting Injectable Drug Delivery System for Tuberculosis
Martina Kovarova, PhD Led by Martina Kovarova, PhD, Miriam Braunstein, PhD, and J. Victor Garcia, PhD, UNC School of Medicine researchers showed in vivo efficacy of a long-acting injectable formulation of the anti-TB drug rifabutin. Read more.
Sustained Efficacy of Long-Acting Cabotegravir for PrEP Among Cisgender Women – Findings from HPTN 084 Study
Dr. Mike Cohen Researchers from the HIV Prevention Trials Network (HPTN) presented updated results from the HPTN 084 long-acting cabotegravir (CAB) for pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) study at the AIDS 2022 conference in Montreal. New findings show reductions in HIV incidence were sustained in the 12 months following trial unblinding (November 5, 2020, through November 5, 2021). … Read more
Addressing Racism’s Role in the US HIV Epidemic: Qualitative Findings from Three “Ending the HIV Epidemic” Prevention Projects
Lisa Hightow-Weidman, MD, MPH Researchers from the Institute for Global Health and Infectious Diseases, the Gillings School of Global Public Health, and Center for Health Equity Research reviewed qualitative data from three “Ending the HIV Epidemic” (EHE) projects, published in the July issue of Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (JAIDS). In the article, Kate Muessig, … Read more
Victoria Shelus Studies Antimalarial Drug Use and Practice at Drug Shops in Uganda
Victoria Shelus studies antimalarial drug use and practice at drug shops in Uganda, building on the work of Dr. Ross Boyce. Victoria Shelus, a PhD candidate working with Dr. Ross Boyce, explores client and vendor health behavior and practice after a study confirmed more than half of all antimalarials administered in Uganda come from drug shops. In the remote villages of Bugoye su … Read more
Juliano Receives $3.4 million to Study the Increase of Relapsing Malaria Species in Africa
Jonathan Juliano, MD, MPSH, Professor of Infectious Diseases and Associate Director of the Institute for Global Health and Infectious Diseases, with fellow IDEEL investigators Jessica Lin, MD, MSCR, and Jonathan Parr, MD, MPH, and co-PIs from the University of Florida (UF) and Centre Pasteur Cameroon, has received a $3.4 million R01 grant award to study the changing epidemiology … Read more
Department of Medicine Grants & Funding: August 1 – August 31, 2022
Division of Rheumatology, Allergy and Immunology Amanda Nelson, MD, MSCR, RhMSUS, received, a 5-Year, $3.4M NIH grant to investigate intestinal permeability in multi-joint osteoarthritis Saira Sheikh, MD, and team receive $500K NIH U01 “Innovation Award” from FDA’s Office of Minority Health & Health Equity, to advance diversity and representation in lupus. Amanda Nelson, MD, … Read more
Juliano Honored With IDSA Designation
Jonathan J. Juliano, MD, MSPH, has been named Fellow by the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA), the nation’s leading infectious diseases professional society. Fellowship in IDSA is one of the highest honors in the field of infectious diseases. It recognizes distinguished physicians and scientists from the United States and around the world who have achieved professiona … Read more
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Scientists Create Long-acting Injectable Drug Delivery System for Tuberculosis
Martina Kovarova, PhD In 2020, more than 1.5 million people around the world died of tuberculosis (TB), marking the first time in more than a decade that annual TB deaths had increased and demonstrating the global need for better access to treatments. To address that problem, scientists with the UNC Department of Medicine, the UNC Institute for Global Health and Infectious Diseas … Read more
Study shows the positive effect of preventative therapy for malaria is mediated by gestational weight gain, influenced by intestinal pathogens
Andreea Waltmann and the late Steve Meshnick. Malaria in pregnancy (MiP) is a major public health problem with substantial risks for mothers and their babies. The combination treatment sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine (SP), given for intermittent preventive therapy of malaria in pregnancy (IPTp), is one of the few existing interventions that improve outcomes for both mother and baby, de … Read more
CDC renews five-year funding for vector-borne disease threats
Ross Boyce, MD The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has announced the five-year funding renewal of the Southeastern Center for Vector-Borne Diseases (SECVBD), an interdisciplinary team of researchers that includes UNC’s Ross Boyce, MD, MSc, a member of the UNC Institute for Global Health & Infectious Diseases and assistant professor in infectious diseases and e … Read more
Department of Medicine Grants & Funding: July 1 – July 31, 2022
Division of Hematology Patrick Ellsworth, MD, received a grant for his project titled “Mechanistic Investigation of Factor IX/Ixa Synergy with Emicizumab” from Novo Nordisk “Access to Insight” Division of Nephrology and Hypertension Gang Xi, PhD, and Prabir Roy-Chaudhury, MD, PhD, FRCP(Edin), were recently awarded a $2.7 million grant by the National Institute of Diabetes and Dig … Read more
Integrating HIV Prevention into Rural Clinics
Yakubov Alim / Getty Images In 2019, North Carolina ranked 6th for new HIV diagnoses, with a concentrated epidemic among young sexual and gender minorities, including men who have sex with men and transgender women. In North Carolina, two-thirds of all new adult or adolescent HIV infections were among African Americans/Blacks. With a grant from the National Institutes of Health, … Read more