2011 Opportunities
For the 2011 Global Health Disparities Fellowship, you may apply to no more than two (2) of the research projects described below. Please read the descriptions carefully and ensure that you have the qualifications required to complete the project. If you have any questions, please contact the MHIRT program. Please DO NOT contact the professors directly.
BRAZIL I — Diagnostics for Bacterial Infections
Lee Riley & Sergio Arruda (1 slot)
Background: The Riley laboratory has been involved in collaborative projects in Brazil since 1990. The collaboration has focused on infectious diseases of importance to urban centers, specifically on infectious diseases of urban slums. Brazil has undergone more than 350% increase in its urban population since 1960. This has engendered completely new types of health problems with magnitude not seen in most developing or developed countries. Urbanization and the explosive increase in shantytown populations have created a new set of health problems: chronic infectious (TB, AIDS, post-infectious cardiovascular and renal diseases) and non-infectious diseases (hypertension, diabetes, asthma, and unintentional and unintentional injuries).
Project Description: Exploiting the knowledge gained from basic TB pathogenesis research conducted at UC Berkeley, we are evaluating immunological responses in patients with latent infection, to determine responses predictive of those who may progress to active disease. In addition, we are evaluating a new serologic method to monitor response to treatment in those newly diagnosed to have TB. This is done in collaboration with researchers at Oswaldo Cruz Foundation and Octavio Mangabeira Hospital in Salvador, Brazil. A second project in Salvador, also in partnership with the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, has studied the risk factors and natural history of leptospirosis for 9 years in one favela of a population of 58,000. This collaboration led to the identification of a protein made by the bacterium that causes leptospirosis, which the Brazilian government has adopted to apply for international patent rights for use as a new highly sensitive diagnostic test. Community-based studies have also identified favela-related risk factors that the local city government has made attempts to correct.
Lee Riley, Jason Corburn & TBD (1 slot)
Background: The Riley laboratory has been involved in collaborative projects in Brazil since 1990. The collaboration has focused on infectious diseases of importance to urban centers, specifically on infectious diseases of urban slums. Brazil has undergone more than 350% increase in its urban population since 1960. This has engendered completely new types of health problems with magnitude not seen in most developing or developed countries. Urbanization and the explosive increase in shantytown populations have created a new set of health problems: chronic infectious (TB, AIDS, post-infectious cardiovascular and renal diseases) and non-infectious diseases (hypertension, diabetes, asthma, and unintentional and unintentional injuries).
Project Description: Building on existing infectious disease projects in urban slums, we will initiate a new project that focuses on social and structural determinants of health in slum residents. This project will be done in collaboration with Prof. Jason Corburn of the Dept of Regional and Urban Planning at UC Berkeley.
CHINA I — HIV Transcription Activation
Qiang Zhou & Ruichuan Chen (1 slot)
Title: Functional characterization of novel Tat partners key for activation of HIV-1 transcription.
Background: We are interested in elucidating the mechanisms and identifying host cellular co-factors that control HIV-1 transcription. It was 12 years ago when the human transcription elongation factor P-TEFb was first identified as a host cofactor for activation of HIV-1 transcription by the viral encoded Tat protein. Recruited by Tat to the viral LTR, P-TEFb stimulates RNA polymerase II elongation, a process essential for viral replication. Since 1997, this landmark discovery has provided the basic framework for our understanding of Tat function during the HIV life cycle, and P-TEFb remains the only widely accepted functional Tat partner till this day. However, published data suggest that Tat-transactivation involves more than the interaction between Tat and P-TEFb. A major effort of ours is thus aimed at identifying additional cellular factors that may associate with Tat-P-TEFb to further enhance Tat-transactivation.
Project Description: Recently, our laboratory has successfully identified the first new Tat partners in more than a decade. The MHIRT research apprentice will use a combination of molecular and biochemical techniques to characterize these new factors and determine the mechanism by which they cooperate with Tat and P-TEFb to stimulate HIV-1 transcription. A portion of this project can be conducted in our collaborator's lab led by Dr. Ruichuan Chen in Xiamen University in China.
International Site: The partner site for this project is the HIV Molecular Pathology Lab in the School of Life Sciences at Xiamen University, China. The lab is led by Dr. Ruichuan Chen. Dr. Chen's lab has a demonstrated track record in conducting original and high quality research in the area of mammalian gene expression control, with a special emphasis on the mechanisms controlling HIV transcription and transcriptional control in cancer. The lab and Xiamen University have standard training and educational programs in place for international students at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. His lab is equipped with all the necessary tools and equipment that are required for conducting modern biochemical and molecular biology research. The School of Life Sciences also has many pieces of high-end equipment that are shared by all the members of the school. The visiting student will first be paired with a senior graduate student or a postdoc in the lab in order to become familiar with the daily operations in the lab. After that, the student will be assigned an independent research project and closely supervised by Dr. Ruichuan Chen on a daily basis (approximately 10% of Dr. Chen's time).
Qualifications: Advanced undergraduates or graduate students in MCB will have the appropriate background to complete this project.
CHINA II - HIV & Prostratin
Qiang Zhou & Ruichuan Chen (1 slot)
Title: The mechanism of Prostratin activation of HIV-1 transcription
Background: Despite the fact that Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy (HAART) can significantly reduce the HIV virus load in the blood, infected patients still harbor approximately 10^5 - 10^6 memory CD4+ T-cells that contain fully integrated but transcriptionally silent HIV proviruses. While small in number, these latently infected cells form the drug-insensitive reservoir that contributes to the life-long persistence of HIV infection. How to eradicate this latent HIV pool has been a major challenge facing the entire HIV field. One attractive strategy is to activate the transcription of latent proviruses present in infected quiescent T-cells, which can then be killed by HAART.
Project Description: The goal of this project is to investigate how Prostratin, a potential anti-HIV latency drug, activates HIV-1 transcription. Emphasis is placed on the identification of cellular signaling pathway(s) that are essential for mediating the stimulatory effect of Prostratin on HIV-1 transcription. The research will focus on members of the protein kinase PKC and PKD families as potentially important for Prostratin transcription activation. The MHIRT student will use a combination of molecular biology and biochemistry techniques to identify the signaling pathway(s) involved. The project will be conducted initially in Dr. Qiang Zhou's laboratory at UCB and then in our collaborator, Prof. Ruichuan Chen's laboratory at Xiamen University in China.
Required Qualifications: Advanced undergraduates or graduate students in MCB will have the appropriate background to complete this project.
International Site:: The partner site for this project is the HIV Molecular Pathology Lab in the School of Life Sciences at Xiamen University, China. The lab is led by Dr. Ruichuan Chen, who has a demonstrated track record in conducting original and high quality research in the area of mammalian gene expression control, with a special emphasis on the mechanisms controlling HIV transcription and transcriptional control in cancer. The lab is equipped with all the necessary tools and equipment that are required for conducting modern biochemical and molecular biology research. The visiting student will first be paired with a senior graduate student or a postdoc in the lab in order to become familiar with the daily operations in the lab. After that, the student will be assigned an independent research project and closely supervised by Dr. Ruichuan Chen on a daily basis (approximately 10% of Dr. Chen's time).
CHINA III – Schistosomiasis Diagnostics Development
Robert Spear, Lee Riley and Xiao Ning (1slot)
Title:The development of highly sensitive diagnostics to identify people and bovines with schistosomiasis in areas where the disease has reemerged
Background: Due to intense control efforts, schistosomiasis, a water-borne parasitic infection that infects an estimated 200 million people worldwide, has been declining in some regions, prompting the consideration of local schistosomiasis elimination. The success of disease control efforts has created new challenges as traditional diagnostic tests for schistosomiasis infection perform poorly when infection intensities are low. New diagnostic methods are needed to identify people and other mammalian hosts with low-level infections. The ability to identify all infected hosts can aid in eliminating all infections in a region through treatment. It can also allow for monitoring for schistosomiasis reemergence in controlled areas. PCR-based methods have been developed for the diagnosis of S. japonicum, the schistosome species found in China,but have not been evaluated using population-level infection surveys.
Project Description: The goal is to develop a highly sensitive method to diagnose S. japonicum in humans, cows and/or water buffalo, starting with previously published methods. The challenge will be to develop a method that can be used to screen large numbers of samples in an efficient and cost-effective manner. Once developed, the method will be used to test samples that have been collected from regions where schistosomiasis has reemergenced in Sichuan province, China as part of our on-going study of the social and environmental determinants of schistosomiasis reemergence. The new method will be compared to traditional diagnostic methods.
International site: Our research partner for nearly 20 years is the Institute of Parasitic Diseases (IPD), at the Sichuan Center for Disease Control and Prevention, located in Chengdu, China. The laboratory has the necessary equipment for PCR-based methods. In China, the student will likely partner with a graduate student at the West China School of Public Health -- such partnerships have, in the past ensured the development of local knowledge of new methods as well as helped orient US students to the laboratory.
Required qualifications: Highly motivated advanced undergraduates or graduate students with previous laboratory experience, including conducting PCR. Epidemiology coursework and mandarin language skills desirable but not essential.
INDIA I — Women’s Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights
Art Reingold & Suneeta Krishnan (1 slot)
Title: Building the Capacity of the Municipal Primary Health Care System to Promote Women’s Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights: A Pilot Program in Bengaluru, India
Background:This project aims to evaluate the effectiveness of an intervention to build capacity among health care providers (HCPs) in urban primary care settings in Bangalore to promote women’s sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) and respond to gender-based violence (GBV), a key violation of SRHR.
Project Description: The study is being implemented by a joint research program of the St. John’s Research Institute, Bengaluru (SJRI) and RTI International, San Francisco. SJRI, established in 2004, strives to achieve excellence in academic education as well as service to society. Our vision is to improve the health of the community and patients through research and the development of a center of excellence in research in India. SJRI’s mission is to make a significant impact on health through basic and clinical research, promotion of evidence based health care and population health research initiatives. SJRI currently is made up of 33 research investigators and staff with advanced degrees (PhDs or MDs) in the sciences. We have several core group clusters (e.g., Statistics and Epidemiology) and research group clusters (e.g., Maternal and Child Health, Mental Health).
Qualifications: We seek an undergraduate student intern to assist with the above study. The intern will assist with data collection and management, quality control, and documentation of study implementation/preparation of study reports. Applicants should have a serious interest in public health and women’s health promotion, taken a course in international development/public health, and strong writing skills. Experience with database development, basic statistical analysis a plus. Prior experience in a developing country setting desirable; if none, should have experience working in a cross-cultural context. Sensitivity, independence, and self-motivation are essential.
INDIA II — Bacterial Infections of Pregnant Women
Lee Riley & TBD (1 slot)
Background: The Riley laboratory has been involved in collaborative projects in India since 2007. There will be one fellowship available in Mysore, India. The final placement in India will be negotiated once a student joins the Riley lab.
Project Description: Drs. Purnima Madhivanan and Anjali Arun have established a research site called Public Health Research Institute (PHRI) in Mysore, India. The research program focuses on reproductive health. Riley lab has helped to set up a PCR-based diagnostic laboratory at PHRI to study bacterial vaginosis (BV) in pregnant women. BV is associated with adverse birth outcomes. As part of this project examining infectious diseases of pregnant women, we will start a new project focusing on molecular epidemiology of urinary tract infections. India reports a high prevalence of multidrug-resistant E. coli strains that cause community-acquired UTI, particularly from northern regions of the country. We wish to discover the prevalence of drug-resistant uropathogenic E. coli among women who develop UTI in Mysore.
KENYA - Treatment of Intestinal Helminths in Children
Edward Miguel & Colin Christensen (1 slot)
Title: Long-term Labor Market Impacts of Investments in School-based Child Deworming
Background: Infection with intestinal helminths (including hookworm, roundworm, schistosomiasis and whipworm) is highly prevalent in most developing countries, particularly among school-aged children. The outcomes of chronic infection can include severe anemia, listlessness, and reduced school attendance. In 2004, a randomized trial of school-based deworming conducted in Busia, Kenya demonstrated that mass treatment of entire schools can reduce severe anemia, promote gains in children's height, and increase school participation. These benefits have been shown to "spill over" into untreated communities near schools with access to deworming medicines.
Project Description: A long-term follow-up study of children involved in the original school-based deworming trial is now being carried out, to examine differences in the incomes of adults who were treated for intestinal helminths either early or later in life. Berkeley students involved in this ongoing project will participate in refinement of the study design and surveying instruments, coordination of survey data collection, pilot study design, qualitative research, and preliminary analysis of new data.
Required Qualifications: Advanced undergraduates in public health or social/behavioral sciences who have completed upper-level coursework in econometrics. Strong STATA skills preferred.
NAMIBIA — Anthrax infection
Wayne Getz & Claudine Cloet (1 slot)
Title: The ecology of Bacillus anthracis in soil
Background: Anthrax is an infectious disease of global importance, affecting wildlife, livestock, and human populations. As Bacillus anthracis is an environmentally transmitted pathogen, studying factors that influence its persistence in the environment is essential for developing successful public health measures to prevent outbreaks. While it is often assumed that B. anthracis exists predominantly as endospores in the environment, a groundbreaking study demonstrated that B. anthracis proliferates outside mammalian hosts in the rhizosphere of grass plants. Similarly, another recent study revealed that bacteriophages enable active B. anthracis cells to propagate in soil. In light of these new findings, we are exploring the interaction between B. anthracis and other microbes, including bacteriophages in the soil.
Project Description: The goal of this project is to determine how bacteriophages influence activity of B. anthracis in soil. Using a combination of microbiological and genetic techniques, the MHIRT student will create bacteriophage isolates from local soils and test their ability to infect different strains of B. anthracis. They will then conduct microcosm experiments to test how infection by lysogenic bacteriophages affects endospore germination rates. The student will receive training in microbiological methods in the laboratory of Wayne Getz at UCB and the project will be conducted at the Etosha Ecological Institute in Etosha National Park, Namibia.
Required Qualifications: Advanced undergraduates or graduate students with a strong interest in microbial ecology.
International Site: The partner site for this project is the Etosha Ecological Institute in Etosha National Park, Namibia. This institute maintains a laboratory for the study of anthrax. The lab is equipped with all the necessary equipment to conduct this research. Initially, the visiting student will be paired with a graduate student working in this facility in order to become familiar with laboratory methods and procedures. Subsequently, the student will work on an independent project under the supervision of Dr. Holly Ganz.
UGANDA — Malaria Drug Trials
Philip Rosenthal & Moses Kamya (1+ slots)
Background: Our group performs clinical and translational research on malaria and malaria/HIV in Africa and at UCSF. The team at UCSF includes Grant Dorsey, Sunil Parikh, and Bryan Greenhouse (Division of Infectious Diseases, Dept. of Medicine, UCSF) along with collaborators at Makerere University. The ongoing collaboration is formally known as the Makerere University-UCSF Uganda Malaria Research Program. There is possibility for a placement in Uganda, where most of our operations are headquartered; however, the fellow may have an opportunity to work in Burkina Faso as well.
Project Description: Clinical trials in Uganda are examining the efficacy of different drug regimens for the treatment or prevention of malaria and the antimalarial effects of antiretroviral drugs. Translational studies related to these trials offer potential opportunities for students. Topics may include clinical, epidemiology, or molecular research. In particular, we are interested in predictors of and mechanisms of drug resistance. Other studies in Uganda involve surveillance of malaria at rural clinics across the country. Studies in Burkina Faso may involve evaluations of antimalarial drug efficacy and resistance.
Qualifications: Students studying biology or public health are preferred.
International Site: Additional information on our projects is available at http://www.muucsf.org.