HIV Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics Research Training (HIV‑RT)

The UB‑UZ HIV‑RT established a postgraduate fellowship training initiative to conduct clinical and translational pharmacology research in Zimbabwe. The University at Buffalo (UB) and University of Zimbabwe (UZ) faculty provide mentored training with a focus on current and investigational drug treatment and the clinical pharmacology expertise to integrate with multidisciplinary teams to achieve research goals for Zimbabwe and other southern African countries and build research capacity. The program supports graduate students and postdoctoral fellows completing research at the University of Zimbabwe Center of Excellence in Clinical Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Sciences, a lab focused on drug development and clinical pharmacology training.

The program is designed for HRTP fellows to benefit from mentored interactions with faculty and health professionals with established clinical/translational and laboratory research environments. The HRTP infrastructure is broadened to include formalized collaboration with NIAID-funded international, multidisciplinary research networks in Zimbabwe, coordinated through the UZ Clinical Trials Site, as well as other U.S.-supported and Zimbabwe-based research programs. This approach provides opportunities for HRTP fellows to develop their research career during the program and then continue in a collaborative, mentored environment after the training period. The UB-UZ HRTP includes a focused didactic curriculum for postgraduate fellows and an integrated research project experience that includes on-site training at UB and UZ.

The program focuses on a group of highly trained individuals who will then pursue their research programs within the multidisciplinary environment that is present at UZ with continued mentoring and career development. Strong institutional support for the UB-UZ HRTP is evident through participation of faculty and administrative leaders at UZ in recognition of the need to support the development of future researchers to address the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Zimbabwe.

The HIV Research Training (HIV RT) program trains pre‑ and post‑doctoral researchers in HIV clinical pharmacology to advance prevention and treatment strategies. It builds on integrating mentorship, community engagement, and partnerships to address emerging therapies and public health priorities in Zimbabwe.