News
New Genome BC Funded Project Aims to Bring BC Closer to Ending HIV Transmission
Vancouver — British Columbia has made remarkable progress in reducing HIV transmission and researchers now believe the province is closer than ever to achieving sustained control of new infections. To support this next stage, Genome British Columbia (Genome BC) is funding a new project that employs advanced genomic and artificial intelligence (AI) enabled tools to
Opinion: Lack of investment now in HIV response will cost Canadians in the long-term
We either pay a little now, or a lot more later. Money talks. And as we stand at a precipice in the global response to HIV, with cases rising at alarming rates, it is no longer a question about science that sits at the forefront of the conversation, but rather one of dollars and cents.
Canada Must Show Leadership for Global Fund’s 8th Replenishment – Organizational Sign-on Letter
Please click here to add your organization’s name to this open letter. The Right Honourable Mark Carney, P.C., M.P.Prime Minister of Canada80 Wellington StreetOttawa, OntarioK1A 0A2 Dear Prime Minister The Eighth Replenishment of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis (TB) and Malaria (the Global Fund) will take place in November this year, co-hosted by
Trump stopped the global fight against HIV/AIDS in its tracks. Canada can help fix it
‘A global problem needs a global solution,’ says UNAIDS director Winnie Byanyima is trying to hold onto hope in the face of what she calls unbelievable cruelty. She is the director of UNAIDS, the United Nations agency that, until recently, was on track to meet its target of ending AIDS as a public health threat
B.C. doctor says ‘inexcusable’ to see rising rates of HIV infections in Canada
The executive director of the BC Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS is calling on governments across the country and abroad to implement a comprehensive strategy to reduce deaths and infections after new research identified solutions towards the goal of an HIV-free generation. Dr. Julio Montaner’s call comes after research published in the Lancet HIV journal
An STI ‘morning-after’ pill? What you need to know about DoxyPEP — and who can get it
Doctors working to limit the spread of syphilis, chlamydia and gonorrhea — and their potential complications if left untreated — are turning to a promising new means of prevention. It’s known as DoxyPEP, which stands for doxycycline (an antibiotic) post-exposure prophylaxis. Some liken it to a “morning-after pill,” as you take it after sexual activity
2024 FHS Undergraduate Awards
Megan Obermayer: FHS Award for Outstanding Service to the Faculty of Health Sciences Throughout her undergraduate degree, Megan Obermayer was involved in various aspects of the health sciences community, including volunteering with the Health Sciences Undergraduate Journal and the FHS Peer Mentorship Program. One of her most memorable experiences was creating the SFU Lung Health
Four FHS students secure scholarships for graduate research
The Faculty of Health Sciences is pleased to highlight the work of four students who received funding from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) in support of their graduate research. Maggie Duncan CIHR Canada Doctoral Graduate Scholarship 2023 competition Doctoral candidate Maggie Duncan has always
Expanded clinic will deliver more mental-health, addictions care for people in the DTES
VANCOUVER – An expanded Hope to Health clinic will help more people with complex health, mental-health and addiction challenges in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside (DTES). “When someone makes the brave decision to ask for help, they need to be met with compassion, support and receive immediate access to treatment,” said Premier David Eby. “The Hope to
B.C. moves to ban drug use in public spaces, taking more steps to keep people safe
B.C. is taking action to make illicit drug use illegal in all public spaces, including inside hospitals, on transit and in parks. It’s part of several new measures introduced by the Province, focused on providing police with more tools to address public safety while offering support and access to treatment for people living with addictions.
Province takes action to eliminate hepatitis C
VANCOUVER – People in B.C. will be better protected against the hepatitis C virus (HCV) as the Province takes further action to accelerate the elimination of the disease and provide better supports for people living with HCV. To better help government measure the reduction of the viral infection, the Province is bringing together the BC
Dr. Julio Montaner (Division of Infectious Diseases) wins the 2023 CIHR-IPPH Trailblazer Award (Senior Career Researcher)
The CIHR-IPPH Trailblazer Award in Population and Public Health Research is a career achievement award that recognizes exceptional contributions in the area of population and public health research. The CIHR-IPPH Trailblazer Award is designed to recognize the exemplary efforts and activities of exceptional Canadian researchers at different career stages who have created a highly influential
AIDS Vancouver launches campaign to have injectable HIV treatment covered in B.C.
Although it was approved for use in Canada in March 2020, an injectable HIV treatment is still not covered under B.C.’s public health care system. AIDS Vancouver is calling on the government to change that. “It’s stressful,” said Vancouver resident George Astakeesic. Living with HIV has been a long journey for Astakeesic, who navigates a
Collaborating to close the gap in women’s health care and research
March 8 marks International Women’s Day, an event to celebrate women’s achievements, raise awareness of bias, and take action for equality. Despite the leaps and bounds we have made in science and health care over the past few decades, there remains a lack of equality when it comes to women’s health research. It continues to
Postdoc Spotlight: Dr. Francis Mwimanzi
Dr. Francis Mwimanzi started his CTN Mark Wainberg Postdoctoral Fellowship in the summer of 2022. A biomedical scientist who specializes in virology and immunology, Dr. Mwimanzi has embarked on a project to improve our understanding of the immune response to COVID-19 vaccines among people living with HIV. But how did he get to where he
‘I feel pretty liberated’: How UBC students access PrEP
Alexander Tsang, a third-year Sauder student, started using PrEP in summer 2020 after a Grindr hookup. “It was pretty sketchy,” he recalled of the hookup. Tsang, who is from Vancouver, said he contacted a few clinics around the city before he was able to get on PrEP through the BC Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC).
Five key recommendations to advance the sexual and reproductive health and rights of women living with HIV
Love Positive Women is an international movement that invites us to celebrate women living with HIV around the globe. This annual event is an opportunity to engage in acts of caring for the women living with HIV in our community, both in private acts and in pushing for systems change. In Canada, women make up
First study of its kind on HIV genetic diversity for Ghana developed by MSc student
In Ghana, remarkably diverse HIV strains cocirculate, but the full extent of this diversity remains unresolved. Faculty of Health Sciences (FHS) MSc student Anna Appah published a study examining HIV-1 subtype diversity in Ghana, increasing the country’s mere 31 full-genome HIV sequences in the public domain by over 200%. Up-to-date information on HIV diversity, subtype
More Evidence COVID Vaccines Work Well for People With HIV
People with suppressed HIV respond well to mRNA vaccines, but individuals with a low CD4 count may not be adequately protected. People living with HIV generally respond well to COVID-19 vaccines—especially if they receive booster shots—thereby dramatically reducing their risk of severe illness and death, according to several recent studies. But those with poorly controlled