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Graduate Medical Education (GME): HIV and AIDS Malignancy Research

Fellowship Program Director: Kathryn Lurain, MD

Fellowship Program Associate Director: Robert Yarchoan, MD

Overview
The fellowship program in HIV and AIDS malignancy is an advanced program designed for physicians who have completed specialty training in hematology and/or oncology and want to gain specialized training in clinical and translational research in HIV and/or virus-associated malignancies. It is most suited for individuals who are pursuing an academic career in this field, either in the United States or in international settings. The program is conducted by the HIV and AIDS Malignancy Branch (HAMB) in the Center for Cancer Research (CCR) of the National Cancer Institute (NCI); the program works with the Medical Oncology Service in the CCR. Investigators may engage in basic laboratory research, preclinical studies, translational research and clinical trials. Basic laboratory research focuses on HIV and Kaposi sarcoma herpesvirus (KSHV) biology, the pathogenesis of KSHV-associated malignancies, and cellular responses to hypoxia and other stress. Clinical studies are aimed at understanding the biology and natural history of virally associated malignancies and developing novel therapies through early phase clinical studies. The program is initially for 2 years, but can often be extended. Fellows completing the program should have excellent training in caring for patients with HIV malignancies and in conducting clinical and/or translational research in these diseases, either in resource-rich regions like the United States or in resource-poor international settings. The program is open to physicians who have completed their specialty training in Internal Medicine (or Pediatrics) as well as their initial subspecialty clinical training in Oncology and/or Hematology, and who are interested in obtaining additional translational or clinical training in AIDS malignancies. Physicians who want to receive general oncology training and study HIV malignancies as part of this training should instead apply to the NCI Medical Oncology Program.

Program Structure
Physicians in the program will participate in ongoing clinical research studies in HIV malignancies and will establish their own research program under the mentorship of one or more researchers in HAMB. Current areas of focus in clinical research include: novel therapies for KSHV-related tumors and conditions, including Kaposi sarcoma, multicentric Castleman disease, primary effusion lymphoma, and KSHV-associated inflammatory cytokine syndrome (KICS); studies of certain AIDS-related lymphomas; and immunotherapy for patients with HIV and cancer or with viral-induced malignancies. Physician-trainees in HAMB may also choose to participate in basic or translational laboratory research. Areas of laboratory research interest in the Branch at present include studies of: the role of KSHV in the pathogenesis of Kaposi's sarcoma and other KSHV-associated tumors; the role of KSHV microRNA in disease pathogenesis; effects of cellular stress (e.g. hypoxia) on cellular and viral gene activation, the biochemistry of HIV and SARS-CoV-2 protease; the interactions between KSHV and various nucleotides in cells; and the development of novel anti-HIV drugs. Many significant advances in AIDS and AIDS malignancy research have been made at the NIH through the collaborative efforts and shared resources of the NCI and the Clinical Center. There are numerous research seminars and lectures given on a daily basis throughout the NIH and open to the NIH community. Formal course work in the basic sciences is available through the NIH Foundation for the Advancement of Education of the Sciences.

Additional Information
For more information on HAMB and HAMB research, visit the following webpage: https://ccr.cancer.gov/HIV-and-AIDS-Malignancy-Branch.

Application Information
Apply via the NIH Graduate Medical Education Application System. Admission is on a rolling basis.