Come and hear from those with first hand experience of the way HIV and AIDS are affecting real people, from the sex workers of India, to the rural communities of Ghana, to the patients of the biggest HIV hospice in Zambia.

Also hear about the very latest advances in HIV vaccination research from Lucy Dorrell, a key researcher in the lab of the world-famous Professor Andrew McMichael.

Be challenged about the problem of HIV on a global social and economic scale. What can we do? What can YOU do?


OUR SPEAKERS:

LUCY DORRELL

Dr Dorrell's principal areas of research are HIV therapeutic vaccines and HIV immunology.

Dr Dorrell began her research career in 1993 as a Clinical Research Fellow in Communicable Diseases and Genitourinary Medicine at Imperial College, London with Professor Jonathan Weber. She was awarded a DM degree in 1998 from the University of Southampton for her research into antigen-presenting cell function in HIV infection. She was subsequently awarded an MRC Clinical Training Fellowship to study immunological mechanisms of resistance to HIV-1 and HIV-2 under Professor Sarah Rowland-Jones at MRC Laboratories, The Gambia and at the Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine. In 2000 she was awarded an MRC Clinician Scientist Fellowship, which she took up in 2002 after completing clinical specialist training and obtaining a CCST in HIV/GUM. With Professor Andrew McMichael she set up a programme of translational research evaluating therapeutic immunisation in HIV-1 infection with novel DNA and modified vaccinia virus Ankara-vectored HIV-1 vaccines developed at MRC Human Immunology Unit. She was awarded a HEFCE Clinical Senior Lectureship in 2007. Her research team is conducting further clinical therapeutic vaccination studies while also investigating mechanisms which determine success or failure of host immune control of HIV.


AMRIT VIRK

HIV scenario in India

Amrit's research interests are primarily in the broad areas of globalization, HIV/AIDS, risk environments and  behaviours. Before coming to Oxford, Amrit worked on issues of HIV/AIDS and sexual and reproductive health among affected communities, including, sex workers and MSM in India.

She is currently a research student at the department of Social Policy.


BETH SUTTON and CLAIRE STRAUSS

Beth and Claire will talk about the Apam hospital in Ghana. The hospital provides pre and post-test counseling, and has recently started up an ART program in the hospital to enable local patients to access medication programs.

Beth is a 4th year biochemist and Claire is a fourth year medic. They are both at Trinity college.


JOE PIPER

Joe spent this summer volunteering in the Mother of Mercy Hospice in Chilanga, Lusaka. He will speak on "A model for integrated healthcare in Zambia: The 'Mother of Mercy' Hospice in Chilanga"

The Mother of Mercy Hospice in Chilanga is one of the biggest in Zambia; a country with a staggering 17% HIV positive rate and a life expectancy of 41 (UNICEF). The Hospice's ART and TB clinics cater for more than 1500 patients, as well as providing HIV counselling and adherence support. It also has 20 inpatient beds, a community orphanage school and an outreach bus. This talk will portray the different healthcare provision and describe some of the people involved.

Joe is a first year graduate entry medic at Worcester College.