Tag: UNC Project-Malawi

Plasmablastic lymphoma (PBL) remains one of the most aggressive and least understood subtypes of non-Hodgkin lymphoma, particularly in regions with high HIV prevalence. Despite its severity, data from sub-Saharan Africa have been limited, constraining clinicians and policymakers in developing effective strategies for early detection and treatment. At the First Annual...

The African Organisation for Research and Training in Cancer (AORTIC) held the 15th international conference on cancer from November 2-5, in Hammamet, Tunisia. UNC Project Malawi investigators participated, with groundbreaking presentations from Dr. Amon Chirwa, cancer medical officer; Tarsizious Chikaonda, data scientist and study coordinator for the TINY Ulysses Study;...

Supported by a Conquer Cancer grant, Matthew Painschab, MD, a member of the UNC Institute for Global Health and Infectious Diseases and UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, helps improve outcomes for patients through optimizing infection management and mitigating antibiotic resistance. As an assistant professor of medicine. He spends much of...

Africa faces a rapidly growing cancer burden, driven by both population growth and the high prevalence of HIV.  By 2030, cancer incidence in Africa is expected to double, and by 2040, low- and middle-income countries are expected to account for 70% of global cancer deaths. The number of people with...

Matthew Painschab, MD, has been accepted into the 2025-26 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Leadership Development Program. He is one of 16 program participants chosen nationally, to cultivate valuable leadership skills and impact the future of cancer care. Dr. Painschab is a member of the Institute for Global Health...

Antimicrobial resistance is a significant global health challenge, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. In Malawi, frequent stockouts of essential medicines and the widespread dispensing of antibiotics without prescriptions have exacerbated the AMR burden, highlighting the urgent need for robust antimicrobial stewardship interventions. A study led by researchers at UNC...

Charles Junior Mwansambo completed six years of training in Malawi, including one year of pre-med, before he began the year-long application process that would bring him to UNC Hospitals for a medical student exchange. Currently, he’s wrapping up a two-month program with the UNC School of Medicine and says he’s...

In the U.S., cancer diagnosis often involves costly biopsies and tests. In the south African country of Malawi, where the average annual income is around $300, patients can rarely afford such procedures — yet accurate diagnoses remain essential. To help, staff of the long-standing UNC Project Malawi Cancer Program are...

(Following is a look back at the 3rd Annual Global Health Scholars Symposium. Links to recordings are provided throughout.)   Myron Cohen, MD, director of the Institute for Global Health and Infectious Diseases welcomed faculty, students and fellows to the 3rd Annual Global Health Scholars Symposium Friday, Feb. 14, recognizing...

Palliative care improves the quality of life for patients (adults and children) with life-threatening illness. It prevents and relieves suffering through the early identification and correct assessment and treatment of pain and other problems, whether physical, psychosocial or spiritual. Early delivery of palliative care can also reduce unnecessary hospital admissions...

It’s a sweltering November morning, and the Bwaila Hospital complex is abuzz with activity. Amidst the bustle, a newly constructed building stands out – the Reproductive and Sexual Health (RuSH) Clinic, a beacon of hope for reproductive and sexual healthcare. As the clinic opens its doors at 8 a.m., clients...

Cervical cancer is a preventable disease, yet one of the most common causes of death among women globally, despite screening measures proposed by the World Health Organization (WHO). In Malawi, efforts have focused on scaling up cervical cancer screening programs, as well as vaccination against the human papillomavirus (HPV). Still,...

Michaela Tse is a Senior at UNC-Chapel Hill majoring in Global Studies and minoring in both Business and Japanese. This past summer, she spent eight weeks in Malawi to do research for her senior thesis, mentored by Professor Irving Hoffman, PA, MPH, UNC Project Malawi’s International Director. The opportunity came...

Globally, mental health disorders rank as the greatest cause of disability and a leading contributor to the burden of disease. While the U.S. may struggle to meet the need for quality mental healthcare, treatment in most low- and middle-income (LMIC) countries – where 80% of those with mental illness live...

A new study published in Lancet-Global Health introduces the results of a five-year trial in Malawi that tested two implementation strategies for integrating mental health with general medical care. Led by UNC Institute for Global Health members Bradley Gaynes and Brian Pence, the study includes a cost-effectiveness analysis that will help inform scale-up decisions about...

The analogy “give a man a fish or teach a man to fish,” demonstrates the essential role training can play in global health. When a doctor takes care of one child, that care is for one child only. But when a doctor can train other doctors to care for young...

Hematological malignancies, including leukemia, lymphoma, and myeloma, are cancers that affect the blood, bone marrow, and lymphatic system. In Malawi, these cancers account for a significant proportion of cancer cases, and their treatment requires a multidisciplinary approach. To answer this need, UNC Project Malawi, Baylor Global Hope and Kamuzu Central...

Chunyan Li is a social and behavioral researcher in the Department of Health Behavior at the Gillings School of Global Public Health applying socially innovative and community-engaged approaches to promote public health in global settings. For her dissertation, she worked with UNC Project-China to assess barriers to PrEP in the province...

Friday Saidi, MBBS, MMED, is first author of two papers published in 2021, that received Scientific Achievement Awards at UNC Malawi. The papers include: Term gravid uterus in a congenital umbilical hernia: a case report, published in the Journal of Medical Case Reports. Contributing IGHID authors include: Maganizo Chagomerana, PhD, Lameck Chinula, MD,...

  A five-year training grant from the National Institutes of Health’s National Cancer Institute expands the capacity of UNC’s Institute for Global Health & Infectious Diseases and Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center to train the next generation of cancer researchers in Malawi, Africa. The Malawi Cancer Outcomes Research Program, or M-CORP,...