Yale LGBTQ Center Director joins Academy for a Cure Faculty in Kigali, Rwanda

Projet San Francisco is a research site of the Rwanda Zambia HIV Research Group (RZHRG). RZHRG has been a global leader in the fight against HIV/AIDS for more than 25 years, supporting prevention programs and research in Kigali, Rwanda (Projet San Francisco) and in Ndola and Lusaka, Zambia (ZEHRP). Operating from Emory University, RZHRG programs include couples voluntary counseling and testing, couples family planning and counseling with the provision of long acting reversible contraceptives; research among key populations; data management and analysis; molecular work in the laboratories; and financial and administrative management. RZHRG is committed to supporting Couples Voluntary Counseling and Testing (CVCT) as an effective and economical way to decrease HIV/AIDS transmission throughout sub-Saharan Africa. Much of the work RZHRG conducts relies on collaboration with local and international organizations.

Emory University sponsors the location in Kigali.  The site hosts a clinic open to the community and a research laboratory. 

Participants have prepared numerous questions to ask the clinic director and laboratory manager. 

Dr. Ingabire has been working in the fields of HIV research/control and family planning promotion for 10 years. She has received an MD from the National University of Rwanda, and is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Infectious Disease at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. Dr. Ingabire was first introduced to HIV services supervision while working as clinical investigator at the former Treatment and Research Center on HIV/AIDS, Malaria, Tuberculosis and other Epidemics (TRAC Plus). Currently she has been supervising HIV prevention and treatment programs targeting the general population, but focusing on special groups such as HIV discordant couples and female sex workers (FSW) at Projet San Francisco (PSF).

Dr. Ingabire’s work has included testing, monitoring, and evaluating new HIV prevention strategies in these groups, including Couples Voluntary Counseling and Testing, HIV treatment for prevention, and Test and Start. Her research also addresses heterosexual HIV transmission from people enrolled in HIV treatment, challenges with HIV Viral suppression, STI re-infection and treatment resistance, and syndromic STI treatment vs diagnostic based treatment. Dr. Ingabire also leads family planning activities at PSF, including integration of Long Acting Reversible Contraceptives in government partner clinics, research on improving post-partum IUD provision and improving family planning access for FSW.  

Jean Bizimana, RN, MSc

Mr. Bizimana has worked in the health field for more than 20 years, and has served as laboratory manager for more than 15 of those years. He received an RN from the Institute of Hospital Technics, Belgium, as well as a BS in Public Health from the Catholic University of Louvain, Belgium, a Diploma in Infectious Diseases from the University of London International Programme, and a Master of Science in Infectious Disease from the University of London International Programme. He also has advanced training in the laboratory techniques of PBMC Isolation and storage using LIMS or LDMS software, ELISPOT assays, flow cytometry, and data analysis using FlowJo software. Mr. Bizimana’s research interests are in the detection of STI, HIV and STI in men who have sex with men, and female sex workers using GeneXpert and using PCR technologies to determine transmitted HIV genetic linkage. Over the last fifteen years, Mr. Bizimana has worked to set up the PSF laboratory in accordance with full accreditation for Good Clinical Laboratory Practices, in addition to being involved in HIV prevention research and supervising other laboratory activities. Mr. Bizimana also directs the laboratory in conducting HIV vaccine and malaria therapeutics clinical trials.   

Participants observe researchers hard at work and were impressed with the number of women in science at the facility. 

Each machine in the lab allows scientists to perform specialized experiments to further their understanding of public health.

The facility in Kigali has many laboratory rooms for a variety of experiments.

Bio-safety cabinets (BSCs) are enclosed, ventilated laboratory workspaces designed to protect the user, laboratory environment, and experimental materials from exposure to infectious agents and contaminants. They are commonly used in laboratories working with hazardous biological materials, such as bacteria, viruses, and other microorganisms.

Participants are not only gaining cutting-edge knowledge from leading experts but also actively making vital connections between workshop sessions and real-world applications for HIV cure research. 

In this room the lab the temperature is monitored 24/7 with alarms and SMS messaging to protect the scientific work and resources of the laboratory. 

Liquid nitrogen is used in HIV research labs for several reasons, primarily related to its extremely low temperature, which allows for the preservation and storage of biological samples and reagents.

Flow Cytometry is vital in HIV cure research for profiling immune cells, detecting latent reservoirs, monitoring responses to therapies, and ensuring quality control in gene therapy.

Participants learn that electricity is extremely important for the lab, with 2 generators and a solar array on hand. Also, some specialized materials can take up to 3 to 6 months to order.