Musa Ismail Abdulahi, PhD Trainee (Nigeria) is working on his PhD program at the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria – Nigeria. His research interest is on Bio-prospecting of drugs from natural products involving isolation, characterization and biological evaluation. He is currently conducting his PhD research work on some species of Ochnaceae family at the Ahmadu Bello University and the National Institute of Pharmaceutical Research & Development, Abuja. Musa, who was educated at the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria and Kings College, Chelsea University of London is completing his dissertation under the mentorship of Dr. Ibrahim Iliya, Department of Medicinal Plant and Traditional Medicine National Institute for Pharmaceutical Research and Development (NIPRD) and Dr. Muhammed Gwarzo, past Fogarty Trainee and currently conducting research at Bayero University, Kano. (UMD Mentor: Dr. Michael Shapiro; Nigerian Mentor; Dr. Ibrahim Iliya)

Andrew Zamani (Nigeria) Mentoring the Mentor Behavior Theory (AD) – a mentor from University of Abuja Teaching hospital will complete a short term Behavioral Theory training under the direction of Drs. Margaret Chesney and Vicki Tepper at the University of Maryland. The design of this short-term training is to build research capacity at a University in the area of discordant couples, adherence, community mobilization and task shifting. Zamani, who holds a doctoral degree from the University of Jos, Nigeria, is currently the head of Clinical Psychology Department of UATH and a member of the hospital’s institutional review board. At the teaching hospital, he has contributed to the success of the IHVN-PEPFAR sponsored HIV/AIDS intervention program as Focal Person for the HIV Counseling and Testing, Care and Support thematic areas. Zamani, whose research interests include mental health epidemiology and service planning, stress, behavioral themes on HIV/AIDS and substance abuse, also supervises the ART Adherence Counseling program at the hospital. (Lead UMD mentor: Dr. William Blattner)

Alfred Nwofor, PhD Trainee is working toward completing his PhD dissertation on TB isolates from HIV infected persons in Nigeria.In order to fully characterize his isolates, Alfred will be applying the new molecular HAIN MTBDRplus test which is based on the DNA line probe technology and permits the molecular genetic identification of the M. tuberculosis complex and its resistance to Rifampin and/or Isoniazid from cultivated samples or pulmonary smear-positive direct patient material. The identification of Rifampin resistance is enabled by the detection of the most significant mutations of the rpoB gene (coding the beta-subunit of RNA polymerase).The katG gene (coding for catalase peroxidase) is examined for high-level isoniazid resistance, and the promoter region of the inhA gene (coding for NADH enoyl ACP reductase) is examined for low-level isoniazid resistance. Since this is a fairly new assay that has been successfully applied in the field during the last year, Alfred will be trained in technology in the laboratory of Dr. Linda Parsons of CDC Global AIDS Program during a short term training at the CDC in Atlanta in Spring 2009. This training will help him gain the necessary laboratory research skills and proficiency to complete his dissertation on the effectiveness of these TB diagnostic techniques compared to TB Culture; and contributes to developing an effective algorithm for detecting TB among patients enrolled under the PEPFAR program.

Sophia Osawe and Ndidi Agala (Nigeria) Research Laboratory Training - will be trained and certified as master trainers in blood processing, lymphocyte separation and characterization according to the standard protocol used internationally for vaccine and clinical trials which is being used at the AIDS Research Immunology laboratory at the National Institute for Communicable Diseases in from June 1, -19, 2009. This center supports the HVTN in South Africa and serves as a reference laboratory for WHO as well. The candidates will receive training on PBMC isolation, viability check, phenotypic characterization by flow cytometry, storage, thawing by the laboratory of Professor Clive Gray, Chief Specialist Scientist, NICD. The trainees will then serve as a trainers for additional laboratory staff at the Institute of Human Virology Nigeria and partnering universities in Nigeria. Sophia was educated at the University of Jos while Ndidi attended the University of Nigeria, Nsukka – Nigeria. (Lead UMD Mentor: Drs. Alash’le Abimiku)

Petronilla Ozumba (nee Nwadike) (Nigeria) Research Laboratory Training - a short-term training will occur to train a research laboratory technician to become a master trainer in sample labeling and storage using a central repository system. Currently, clinical trials are patient sample management is compromised in Nigeria as everything is transcribed several times taking up a lot of time and creating potential for errors. A number of the databases and repository systems currently in use internationally have been created for specific networks and is limited in fields that can be customized to suite local needs. We have however discovered a sample repository system that has been developed with input from NIH and being used at the clinical site in Mali. This training will equip Petronilla to work with database developer at the IHV-UMD to develop the research technical laboratory skills needed in Nigeria to develop and manage central sample repository system in Nigeria and train other colleagues as well. This will create an efficient system to store biological samples from sites participating in international collaborations involving processing, storages and shipment of biological. This training will occur at NIH funded institution in Mali (Lead UMD Mentor: Dr. Alash’le Abimiku ).

Dr. Ibraham Iliya, PhD, past short term Fogarty Trainee completing a Mentor the Mentor program in Nigeria under the leadership of Drs. Abimiku and Shapiro to characterize the antiviral and pharmacological effects of natural products claimed to have activity against HIV, TB and Cancer. The studies will include extraction, identification, isolation and characterization of the chemical constituent(s) responsible for the activity. For anti-HIV detection, the HIV infectivity assay using TZM bl cell line (provided free of charge from the NIH repository) which is sensitive, cheap and safe as it does not require the use of radioactive isotope, will be used. The information obtained from this study will be critical for the development new drugs and the establish a center for the scientific evaluation and validation of plants used for the treatment of HIV, TB, cancer or other diseases at the National Institute of Pharmaceutical Research and Development. As part of capacity building and process of becoming and independent research, Dr. Iliya will be putting together a GRIP submission or an R01 in collaboration with his mentors. He has also begun mentoring a South-to-South trainee, Musa Ismail Abdulahi, under the IHV-UMD Fogarty program in this line of research.

Chuka Anude, PhD Trainee (Nigeria) is completing his PhD in Epidemiology in the Johns Jopkins Bloomberg school of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health as a Hopkins Sommer Scholar and his dissertation work with the Institute of Human Virology at the University of Maryland School of Medicine. Chuka’s dissertation work focuses on the development of prediction models and determination of health system predictors associated with mortality, loss to follow-up and immuno-virologic failures. This will help guide and improve quality related clinical programs to reduce negative HIV treatment outcomes among adults on HIV treatment in PEPFAR funded public ART programs in Nigeria. Chuka is a physician and obtained a medical degree with a distinction from the University of Nigeria Medical School in Enugu, Nigeria and an M.Sc in Medicine from the University of Witwatersrand Medical School in Johannesburg, South Africa, a Diploma in Family Medicine with distinction from the University of Pretoria and a Diploma in HIV Management from the College of Medicine of South Africa (UMD Mentors: Drs. William Blattner and Mary Ann Etiebet).

Adetayo Omoni, PhD Trainee (Nigeria) is completing her PhD in Epidemiology in the Bloomberg Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University and dissertation with the University of Maryland. She is currently in Nigeria researching the infant feeding modality that is most beneficial for HIV+ children receiving treatment in terms of growth, nutritional status and treatment outcomes and, identify growth pattern of HIV+ children receiving treatment including the impact of ARV therapy on growth and nutritional status of HIV+ children. (UMD Mentors: Drs. Manhattan Charurat and John Farley).