HIV/AIDS & Global Health Research Programme
The HIV/AIDS & Global Health Research Programme (HAGH) at the University of Venda, South Africa is a multidisciplinary team of investigators (virologists, clinicians, biomathematicians, infectious diseases epidemiologists, clinical psychologists, data managers), and communities seeking solutions, through research, to biomedical problems with national and international relevance. Investigations of the Programme are informed by the National Development Plan of South Africa, the African Union Agenda 2063, and United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. These imperatives are embedded in the training of students and fellows for leadership in global health http://bessongthemicrobiologist.com/training.
Vision
The vision of HAGH is to become a reference programme for global health research and human capacity development
Mission
The mission of HAGH is to conduct high quality research for policy development and practice, and train the next generation of researchers with local and global perspectives.
AIDS Virus Research Laboratory
The AIDS Virus Research Laboratory (AVRL) is a component of HAGH. The laboratory is configured and equipped with a biosafety level II facility; a tissue culture facility; a next generation sequencing platform; and sections for molecular biology, bio-specimen bank and cryopreservation, general equipment room, data management, and offices for research associates, postdoctoral fellows and postgraduate students. It was established in its current configuration in 2012.
Research competences
Our core competences include:
- Establishment and maintenance of community-based prospective birth and adult cohorts
2. Observational / interventional biomedical investigations
3. Next-Generation sequencing (NGS-llumina platform)
Research thrusts
Antimicrobial resistance
HIV drug resistance and molecular epidemiology: To understand the biologic and psychosocial determinants of drug resistance in the pretreatment population; determinants of poor viral suppression, and the sustainability of first line antiretroviral drugs. Our lab has provided almost all the data of HIV drug resistance and viral diversity from northern South Africa.
Antibiotic resistance at the community level: Using an Escherichia coli model to understand the onset, burden, and development of antibiotic resistance in the apparently healthy population; the impact of gut microbiota on antibiotic resistance development and selection in persons receiving antiretroviral therapy.
SARS-CoV-2 tracking and molecular epidemiology
Our response to the Covid-19 pandemic was to establish a wastewater-based surveillance system to provide early warning data and identify hotspots for SARS-CoV-2 in local communities. Data is provided weekly to municipal and health authorities for targeted and timely interventions in the form of awareness programmes to strengthened adherence to non-pharmaceutical interventions to prevent the transmission of Covid-19. This activity is carried out within a network of collaborating institutions and universities across the country. The data is also supplied to the national dashboard of the South African Medical Research Council. The lab is also genetically characterizing the SARS-CoV-2 in northern South Africa. https://www.samrc.ac.za/wbe/
Our funders
We acknowledge and are very grateful for the generous support we have received, over the years, from several funding agencies. We would not be able to achieve our research objectives without these different streams of support.
Social media
You can also keep up to date with news and developments on HAGH at the following links:
HAGH – University of Venda, South Africa (@aids_health) / Twitter