Three MMSF alumni are part of a federally funded, prairies-based team working to advance research into sexually transmitted and bloodborne infections (STBBI), including HIV/AIDS.

The four-year project, “Strengthened Prairies Integrated Knowledge Exchange (SPIKE) Hub: Enhancing Community Responsive and Peer Integrated Clinical Trials,” just received $800,000 in funding from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research.

“This is a remarkable achievement that reflects a strong commitment to engagement and knowledge translation,” said Dr. Keith Fowke, department head of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases at the University of Manitoba.  

The project is being led by Dr. Yoav Keynan (pictured on the left), who received the three-year MMSF Shaun Lamoureux & Kerry Bittner Clinical Research Professorship in Population Health in 2013.

Two investigators on the project have also received MMSF funding.

Co-principal investigator Dr. Zulma Rueda (centre) received an operating grant in 2022 for her project, “Syndemics of Concern: Sex and Gender, Crystal Meth, HIV and STBBIs in Manitoba.” Her project proposal also netted her the Kerry Bittner Communications Award.

And investigator Dr. Sylvain Lother (right) received the three-year Dr. F. W. Du Val and John Henson Clinical Research Professorship in 2025.

“The work being done will have a direct and meaningful impact on trainees and individuals with lived experience across the Prairies, particularly through the development of clinical trials capacity in HIV and STBBIs,” said Dr. Fowke.

Congratulations to everyone on the team!

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