Gates Package — page 588

longitudinal cohorts of TB patients and their contacts (or other high TB risk patients) for studies using state-of-the art research tools. RePORT is funded jointly by the Government of India's (GOI) Department of Biotechnology (DBT), the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF), and CRDF Global [utilizing funds provided NIAID and NIH's Office of AIDS Research (OAR)]. After peer review by a panel of TB and HIV experts from the United Statesand India, five teams out of 22 applications were selected for funding. These are: (1) National Institute of Research in Tuberculosis / B.J. Medical College - Johns Hopkins University; (2) Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research - Boston University / Boston Medical Center; (3) Prof. M. Viswanathan Diabetes Research Centre - University of Massachusetts Medical School; (4) Christian Medical College - University of Washington; and (5) LEPRA - Blue Peter Public Health & Research Centre - CPIDC, Biomedical Research, The University of Texas Health Center Health Science Center at Tyler. In addition, the BMGF has recently awarded funds to CRDF Global to facilitate support for the RePORT India sites that plan to follow house-hold contacts of incidence TB cases, so that the number and quality of specimens collected are adequate to address critical biomarker questions of importance to the TB field, particularly in India. o Through the NIH-funded Clinical Diagnostics Research Consortium, NIAID is collaborating with the Foundation for Innovative New Diagnostics (FIND) to evaluate early stage TB diagnostics in TB endemic countries. Recent studies include the evaluation of the Inverness Urine LAM assay in HIV-positive subjects, evaluation of the TREK MYCOTB MIC plate for susceptibility testing of Mycobacterium tuberculosis and the identification of serological markers for pediatric TB. o DMID staff serve as technical advisors on GATB and AERAS technical working groups to assure NIAID resources are optimally leveraged and coordinated for product development in TB. o NIAID has conducted several workshops in collaboration with AERAS to discuss contemporary issues in TB vaccine discovery and development. o NIAID staff serve as reviewers for applications in response to BMGF Initiatives to assure applications addressing gaps in TB research not already filled by NIAID are considered. • HIV/AIDS o The DAIDS-funded International Maternal Pediatric Adolescent AIDS Clinical Trials Group (IMPAACT) and HIV Vaccine Trials Network (HVTN) are collaborating with AERAS to conduct Phase I/II TB vaccine trials in the HIV uninfected infant population in South Africa. o Through the NIH-funded Microbicide Trials Network and the International Partnership for Microbicides, NIAID is collaborating with the BMGF to conduct a Phase III safety and effectiveness study of a vaginal matrix ring containing the NNRTI dapivirine for the prevention of HIV-1 infection in women. Designated ASPIRE, for A Study to Prevent Infection with a Ring for Extended Use, this trial is currently enrolling at several sites in Africa. The study will take about two years to conduct with results anticipated in late 2014 or early 2015. o NIAID/OGAC/BMGF are co-funding a trial entitled, "Population Effects of Antiretroviral Therapy to Reduce HIV Transmission (POPART)" study to determine the impact of two community-level