Fellowship Site: Beijing, China

The National Center for AIDS/STD Control and Prevention (NCAIDS) is the one of the largest institutes in Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (China CDC) in Beijing, the capital city of China. NCAIDS is the nation's leading center for the prevention and control of HIV/AIDS. NCAIDS is responsible for both national HIV/AIDS initiatives and technical support and capacity-building for regional and local activities.

NCAIDS has extensive experience with international collaboration and multi-disciplinary research, and has received research funding from the US National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Global Fund, Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology, and many other international organizations and domestic agencies. NCAIDS faculty have worked closely with provincial and city-level CDCs in HIV high prevalent areas, providing unique opportunities to conduct original AIDS research. The ongoing collaborating projects funded by international and domestic agencies include the following studies: injection drug users (IDUs) cohorts in Xinjiang, Guangxi, Sichuan and Yunnan provinces; female sex workers (FSW) cohorts in Yunnan Province; men who have sex with men (MSM) cohorts in Beijing, Chongqing, Shenyang and Chengdu cities; and migrant population cohorts in Shandong, Shanxi, Henan, and Zhejiang provinces.

NCAIDS has joint master and doctoral program in Epidemiology and Biostatistics with Peking University Medical College (PUMC), and this program is regarded at a top level in China. Both master and doctoral students are required to take didactic courses and complete a thesis/dissertation project. The didactic courses are taught by faculty from NCAIDS and PUMC and adjunct professors from other China's prestigious universities including Peking University Medical College, Tsinghua University, and Remin University. NCAIDS also hosts visiting scholars and interns from United States, Australia, United Kingdom and other countries. It will be enriching experience for US fellows/scholars to interact with Chinese graduate students.

The co-sponsor of FICRS in Beijing, China is the Vanderbilt University Institute for Global Health. Dr. Han-Zhu Qian, Assistant Professor and Core Scholar of the Institute, has worked extensively in China. He first collaborated with NCAIDS in 2002 for the five-year NIH-funded China Integrated Programs for Research on AIDS (CIPRA) as his PhD dissertation project, and has since continued to collaborate with NCAIDS on epidemiological research projects and extensive publications. Other VIGH faculty also have close collaboration with NCAIDS; for example, NCAIDS is one of major foreign collaborating sites of Vanderbilt-UAB AIDS International Research and Training Program (AITRP, PI: Dr. Sten Vermund).

Research:

Project I:
Title: HIV/AIDS Clinical Trial Unit in NCAIDS, China CDC (NIH/NIAID Grant Number: 1U01AI069411)
Project description: The overall objective of this proposal is to establish a clinical trials unit (CTU) for implementing clinical research protocols in the research areas of vaccine research and development, optimization of clinical management (including comorbidities) and prevention of HIV infection within the HIV/AIDS Clinical Trials Networks. The research site established in Xinjiang (photo 5) and Guangxi provinces seek to conduct prospective HIV prevention studies, e.g., a Phase III randomized controlled trial to evaluate the efficacy of drug treatment in prevention of HIV infection among opiate dependent injectors. This multi-site project is particularly suitable for U.S. Scholars to be involved in subject recruitment, informed consent, randomization, interview, cohort follow-up retention, HIV/STD testing and counseling, and data management and analysis, human subject protection, etc. This project was approved by IRB of NCAIDS (X050304048).

Project II:
Title: Drug Use and Other Risk Factors for HIV Infection in Female sex Workers in China [NIH/NIDA Grant Number: R01DA024864-01]
Project description: The primary aim of the study is to assess the association between drug use and HIV infection and transmission in female sex workers (FSWs) in Kaiyuan City, Yunnan Province, China. The proposed study builds on our past epidemiological research on FSW (CIPRA CH005), which have found high HIV and STI prevalence rates as well as drug use, to explore the interaction between sex work and drug use in this population. An integrated intervention targeting drug use and sexual risk behaviors among FSWs is greatly needed to curb the spread of HIV infection in this high-risk population; however, better understanding about how FSW become HIV-infected and how drug use influences their sexual risk behavior are needed to inform future intervention programs. This project is particularly suitable for US fellows/scholars to be involved in subject recruitment, informed consent, randomization, in-depth subject interviews, cohort follow-up retention, HIV/STD testing and counseling, drug abuse counseling, data management and analysis, human subject protection, drafting written reports of the results, etc. The application for NCAIDS IRB is in preparation.

Project III:
Title: Impact of migration on HIV/AIDS epidemic in China (Ministry of Health of China. Grant Number: WA2007-01).
Project description: The primary objective of this project is to investigate the impact of population migration on the HIV/AIDS epidemic in China. Assessment indicators will include the population's HIV prevalence rates, behavioral characteristics, HIV subtypes, and relevant laws and regulations that affect this group. It will also 1) use existing AIDS surveillance system data to analyze the HIV/AIDS epidemic status of the migrant population, 2) open project sites to conduct multi-level sampling methods on the target population and conduct cross-sectional surveys to collect serological data, prevalence rates for each subgroup, ratios of incidence to prevalence rates, and behavioral characteristics, and 3) use cohort study methods combined with molecular epidemiology designs to analyze the pandemic strains and the geographical distribution of various HIV subtypes. This project was approved by the institutional review board of NCAIDS (NCAIDS IRB 00002276). This project is suitable for U.S. Scholars to take part in subject recruitment, informed consent, interview, HIV/STD testing and counseling, and data management and analysis, human subject protection, drafting written reports of the results, etc.

Project IV:
Title: Collaborative Research Program on Vaccines against AIDS, Emerging and Reemerging Infectious Diseases (funded by Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Grant number: 38619)
Project description: The focus of this project is on the construction of HIV DNA and vaccinia vaccines (China CDC), adenovirus vector vaccine (VRC), and NYVAC vector vaccine (UREG), based on the HIV CN54 strain in China. Preclinical immunological evaluation will be conducted in the non-human animals models for (1) DNA prime-vaccinia virus Tiantan-boost, (2) DNA-prime adenovirus-boost and (3) DNA-prime NYVAC-boost regimens to determine optimal dosage and immunization strategies. GLP toxicity and biodistribution studies are also being conducted to meet China SFDA's standard. We will then carry out Phase I/II clinical trials, which will include head-to-head comparison of these three regimes to evaluate their safety and immunogenicity. This project was approved by NCAIDS IRB (X080216133). U.S. Scholars would be able to conduct data analysis of the epidemiologic and laboratory data, or assist in the construct and testing of these vaccine candidates.

Housing Availability:
Upon arrival in Beijing, Scholars can be lodged temporarily in China CDC Graduate Student Dormitory in Panjiayuan Community, about 8 miles away from China CDC campus. China CDC has shuttles available for the dormitory residents to commute. After that, Scholars may choose to rent an apartment close to China CDC/NAIDS campus. NCAIDS is located in a residential district with many housing opportunities. NCAIDS administrative staff will provide assistance to visiting students to secure appropriate accommodations. The site will also provide a bicycle for transportation and is conveniently located on major public transportation lines to Beijing's city center Tiananmen Square (a 15-minute bus ride away). Scholars living nearby NCAIDS campus are also easily accessible by bus, subway, or taxi to the other universities and libraries in Beijing. A typical housing arrangement in neighborhoods around NCAIDS campus would be approximately $500 per month. This would include telephone/internet access, a small kitchen, and digital television.

Health Issues and Immunizations Needed for this Site:
Immunization Needs: recommended: Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, typhoid, Japanese Encephalitis (based on CDC guidelines). Medical needs (e.g., malaria prophylaxis): the risk of malaria in Beijing is low; however, malaria prophylaxis is recommended if any trips are planned for outside of Beijing, particularly in rural areas of Southern China.

See the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Web site and The Yellow Book: Health Information for International Travel.

The FICRS program mandates that all Scholars see a physician prior to their assignment abroad. The site will require a formal letter from your physician stating that you have received the necessary immunizations prior to the start of your fellowship.

Safety and Danger Issues:
Overall China is a reasonably safe country and the capital city Beijing is one of safest cities in China with good healthcare facilities and other amenities. Local residents are friendly and they will usually be happy to help if someone is lost then asks for directions. As part of the 2008 Beijing Olympics Campaign, local Olympic volunteers can be found in many public areas for basic assistance in English. In addition, bus attendants and taxi drivers are also being encouraged to improve basic English. Road safety is probably a threat to one's personal safety in Beijing, and it is important to take caution when crossing streets or riding a bicycle. Caution is needed to avoid petty theft and it is important to keep valuables in a safe place or on your person.

Scholars are also advised to periodically read the travel updates from the U.S. State Department Web site

Language Requirements:
The majority of Chinese researchers and graduate students at NCAIDS can read and write in English reasonably well and are able to speak some English. Weekly workshops will be organized for Scholars to learn Mandarin. Scholars can learn Chinese while Chinese students can learn English from each other. Scholars can also take weekend Mandarin classes in Beijing universities.

What is it like to live in China?
The local community in Beijing will enhance Scholar experiences. The city of Beijing is China's cultural center, with a galaxy of talent and a rich culture. Over 70 institutions of higher learning and 500 scientific research institutions are located in Beijing and many Westerners are studying and working in these institutes; this provides excellent opportunities for U.S. Scholars to interact with them. The American Embassy is also located in Chaoyang District of Beijing City and is able to provide information and assistance to U.S. Scholars.