The Malawi HIV Implementation Research Scientist Training (M-HIRST) program, competitively renewed with partners at Kamuzu University of Health Sciences (KUHeS), will continue to strengthen Malawi’s capacity for mentored HIV and implementation research training.
Funded by the Fogarty International Center at the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH), the renewal builds on 15 years of UNC-supported Fogarty-sponsored training activities that have cultivated a pipeline of Malawian researchers now stepping into leadership roles.
Leadership Transition
- In this new cycle, Dr. Victor Mwapasa, Professor of Epidemiology and Public Health at KUHeS, will assume program leadership.
- Dr. Mina Hosseinipour, Scientific Director of UNC Project-Malawi, will continue as multi-principal investigator, ensuring continuity and collaboration.
- Alumni Linda Mipando Nyondo and Maganizo Chagomerana are earmarked as eventual successors, underscoring the program’s commitment to generational leadership.
Alumni as Mentors
The program’s impact is evident in alumni who now serve as faculty mentors, including Friday Saidi, Mitch Matoga, Kondwani Katundu, and Agatha Bula. Their transition from trainees to mentors illustrates the program’s central goal: transforming capacity-building into sustainable leadership.
Expanding Training Opportunities
Training activities will continue at KUHeS and UNC Project-Malawi in Lilongwe, offering:
- Doctoral research support in HIV and implementation science
- Mentored postdoctoral fellowships
- Pilot grants to seed innovative projects
- Data internships and short courses to broaden technical expertise
To date, 89 trainees have benefited across multiple levels — from master’s and doctoral students to postdoctoral fellows and data interns — creating a growing cohort of researchers.
The Pipeline
In this new cycle, the program will continue to build a pipeline of skilled KUHeS faculty and Malawian investigators to conduct HIV implementation science research, placing graduates into research programs at the University of Malawi, College of Medicine (COM), the nation’s only medical school.
By leveraging existing programs and conducting most activities in Malawi and South Africa, M-HIRST maximizes cost-effectiveness while ensuring training remains locally relevant. Learn more.