Abstract
The overall objective of the proposed Tanzania AIDS Malignancies Training and Research Program (TAMTRP)
is to enhance the cancer research capacity of the major cancer research institution in Tanzania, the Ocean
Road Cancer Institute (ORCI) in partnership with the Stanley S. Scott Cancer Center (SSSCC) at the Louisiana
State University Health Science Center in New Orleans (LSUHSC-NO). The proposed program will build onto
our existing collaboration, prepare ORCI personnel to fill gaps in expertise while preparing for the future of HIV
associated cancer diagnostics and research in cancer genomics and therapy. The scientific focus of TAMTRP
is research and training in molecular detection/diagnosis, and in quantifying the epidemiology and biology of
the most common HIV associated malignancies in Tanzania, especially those with infectious etiology. The
short-term goals are: 1) to enhance the ORCI cancer research and training infrastructure. 2) Institute a
training and mentoring program for Tanzanians to conduct research on cancers that are commonly
encountered at ORCI and SSSCC. These goals will be accomplished through three specific aims: 1) Provide
intensive academic instruction and research experience for two PhD and four Master's degree candidates in a
relevant HIV associated cancer research field. 2) Provide medium-term (three to six months) technical training
opportunities for post-graduates and health care providers in topics related to molecular pathology, cancer
biology, bioinformatics, genomics, biostatistics, bio banking, cancer registry, as well as clinical and translational
research. 3) Deliver technical workshops designed to enhance basic, clinical, implementation, genomics,
bioinformatics, computation genomics, epidemiology, biostatistics, and continue to expand collaborations
between partner institutions to enhance the research capability and infrastructure in Tanzania. There are four
training tracks: a) clinical trials methodologies and management; b) public health operational and translational
research– including cancer prevention, biostatistics and data management, epidemiology, cancer registry, and
bio banking; c) laboratory-based cancer biology research– including molecular biology/virology, pathology,
diagnostics, viral oncology, and immunology; d) cancer genomics and bioinformatics–including next generation
sequencing, data management, big data analytics, and computational genomics. TAMTRP will be critical in the
preparation of ORCI (and Tanzania) for the era of personalized and precision cancer medicine, which will
utilize cancer genomics for cancer detection, diagnosis, prevention, and treatment. It will provide important
insight in the understanding and prevention of HIV associated and non-HIV associated malignancies in
Tanzania, and reciprocally, in the U.S.