Similar case studies

REF impact found 23 Case Studies

Currently displayed text from case study:

Biological characterisation and impact of HIV drug resistance

Summary of the impact

UCL investigators have been at the forefront of characterising and assessing HIV drug resistance since 1990, soon after the very first HIV drug was licenced. There are currently more than 25 drugs available, and our work over the last 23 years has directly determined how best these therapies are used, and monitored in infected patients. We have extended our work to a global perspective, in conjunction with the current rollout of antiretroviral therapy to areas of the world devastated by the epidemic - work which now informs guidelines of the World Health Organisation (WHO), and has resulted in a marked reduction in mortality.

Submitting Institution

University College London

Unit of Assessment

Clinical Medicine

Summary Impact Type

Health

Research Subject Area(s)

Medical and Health Sciences: Clinical Sciences, Medical Microbiology, Public Health and Health Services

Protecting Women from HIV AIDS: Dapivirine Vaginal Ring HIV Microbicide

Summary of the impact

In sub-Saharan Africa, 22 million people live with HIV/AIDS. Annual mortality is 1.5 million and sexual transmission accounts for ~90% of new infections. Young women are disproportionately affected due to socio-cultural issues. Seeking to empower them with an urgently needed female-initiated protective method, Malcolm & Woolfson developed the first antiretroviral (AR) microbicide vaginal ring (VR), which provides slow, continuous release of dapivirine for long-lasting protection against vaginal HIV transmission. Consequently, global microbicide development strategies were transformed, with the focus shifted from immediate-use gels to long-acting VRs. In August 2012, the dapivirine VR commenced final stage (Phase III) clinical trials in Africa.

Submitting Institution

Queen's University Belfast

Unit of Assessment

Allied Health Professions, Dentistry, Nursing and Pharmacy

Summary Impact Type

Technological

Research Subject Area(s)

Medical and Health Sciences: Clinical Sciences, Medical Microbiology, Public Health and Health Services

Influencing global policy on antiretroviral treatment priorities

Summary of the impact

Our work with the World Health Organisation (WHO) had a major impact on global HIV treatment priorities at a critical time in the roll-out of anti-retroviral treatment (ART) worldwide. Concern had been expressed that if ART was provided without simultaneous monitoring of HIV viral load to determine switch in treatment, this would lead to an epidemic of drug resistant HIV. It was argued that viral load monitoring should be introduced as a priority, despite the fact that this was expensive and would inevitably divert resources from ART provision. We used a simulation model to predict the impact of lack of viral load monitoring and showed that while development of viral load assays was important, ART should be prioritised. As a result, the roll out of ART continued despite continued lack of viral load monitoring, and there are now over 9 million people on ART.

Submitting Institution

University College London

Unit of Assessment

Public Health, Health Services and Primary Care

Summary Impact Type

Health

Research Subject Area(s)

Medical and Health Sciences: Medical Microbiology, Public Health and Health Services

Building capacity for HIV prevention

Summary of the impact

Rosengarten's work during the past fourteen years has provided the HIV field with new ways of rethinking otherwise seemingly intractable problems of more effective prevention. Despite over 30 years of biomedical and social research, and policy and programme implementation, the HIV epidemic continues to grow. The efficacies of repurposing potentially toxic and partially effective antiretroviral drugs for prevention in those perceived at risk of infection has thus come under scrutiny. It is in this context that Rosengarten's work has intervened and introduced an alternative approach to prevention that directly scrutinises the social contexts in which people live and work with HIV. Through this approach and her active engagement with clinicians, policy makers, scientists and advocacy groups she has contributed critical insights that have been incorporated into approaches to HIV prevention in practice.

Submitting Institution

Goldsmiths' College

Unit of Assessment

Sociology

Summary Impact Type

Health

Research Subject Area(s)

Medical and Health Sciences: Clinical Sciences, Public Health and Health Services

Developing Methods for Monitoring Global HIV Epidemic Trends that have Informed the Worldwide Response to the Pandemic

Summary of the impact

The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) and World Health Organisation (WHO) regularly report estimates for the prevalence of HIV and associated metrics for almost every country in the world. These statistics are essential for tracking the scale and the impact of HIV epidemic and are used routinely in the policy decisions and funding allocation decisions of national governments and international donors and therefore have a major impact on international public health. The methods underlying those estimates were originally developed, and continue to be refined and updated, by an international group of researchers at Imperial College London.

Submitting Institution

Imperial College London

Unit of Assessment

Public Health, Health Services and Primary Care

Summary Impact Type

Political

Research Subject Area(s)

Medical and Health Sciences: Public Health and Health Services

Bringing HIV and AIDS prevention, treatment and care to fisherfolk, a neglected 'at risk' group

Summary of the impact

Interdisciplinary research conducted in the School of International Development (2003-4) demonstrated for the first time high HIV prevalence and AIDS incidence among 0.5 billion people in fishing-dependent communities across the world. Subsequent research analysed the causes and suggested new strategies for development assistance and health service delivery. Dissemination of these insights to stakeholders generated significant post-2008 impacts on national government, international agency and NGO policies and programmes, contributing to improved access to prevention, treatment and care for hundreds of thousands of people. The research improved HIV/AIDS mainstreaming in natural resource sector governance and development programmes via training manuals, toolkits and policy briefs.

Submitting Institution

University of East Anglia

Unit of Assessment

Anthropology and Development Studies

Summary Impact Type

Political

Research Subject Area(s)

Medical and Health Sciences: Medical Microbiology, Public Health and Health Services

2. ProTide Technology: Transforming drug discovery of nucleoside-based anti-viral and anti-cancer agents.

Summary of the impact

ProTide technology, discovered by the McGuigan team at Cardiff University, is a pro-drug strategy with proven capacity to generate new drug candidates for nucleoside-based antiviral and anti- cancer indications. In the assessment period the McGuigan team has attracted more than £2 million direct research funding through sustained collaborations on ProTide technology with global pharmaceutical companies and smaller biotech firms in the USA and Europe. In the same period, either through working directly with Cardiff or by independent adoption of McGuigan's research, eight ProTide entities have progressed to clinical trials as cancer, HIV and hepatitis C treatments. The technology is demonstrating significant commercial impact for companies with ProTide-based drug candidates.

Submitting Institution

Cardiff University

Unit of Assessment

Allied Health Professions, Dentistry, Nursing and Pharmacy

Summary Impact Type

Technological

Research Subject Area(s)

Chemical Sciences: Organic Chemistry
Technology: Medical Biotechnology
Medical and Health Sciences: Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Sciences

Punitive laws, public health and HIV/AIDS: How research on criminal liability for HIV transmission and exposure has informed policy-makers, medical practitioners and others.

Summary of the impact

This case describes Professor Weait's research into the impact of punitive laws relating to HIV transmission and exposure and against people living with HIV and AIDS (PLHIV). His work has informed the development of policy on criminal liability for HIV transmission and exposure by UNAIDS (the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) and the National AIDS Trust (NAT). It has led directly to invitations to contribute at international policy fora as well as civil society and professional medical organisations. His research has been acknowledged judicially; has contributed to the UK Crown Prosecution Services' guidelines on this issue; and involved knowledge transfer to, and consequent capacity enhancement of the activities of various interest and community groups.

Submitting Institution

Birkbeck College

Unit of Assessment

Law

Summary Impact Type

Legal

Research Subject Area(s)

Law and Legal Studies: Law

Facilitating Increased HIV Testing Amongst Vulnerable Populations

Summary of the impact

The Unit's research into HIV testing has led to impacts on health policy (WHO and NICE guidelines) and services relating to HIV testing amongst vulnerable populations across Europe, and particularly, Scotland. The policies related to the frequency of HIV testing, increases in sites available for testing, and the scope of interventions to promote testing. These policies have contributed to significant increases in HIV testing, and a reduction in undiagnosed HIV infection, HIV related ill-health and AIDS deaths. For people living with HIV, this has enabled improved quality of life, better health and contributions to society.

Submitting Institution

Glasgow Caledonian University

Unit of Assessment

Allied Health Professions, Dentistry, Nursing and Pharmacy

Summary Impact Type

Health

Research Subject Area(s)

Medical and Health Sciences: Public Health and Health Services

Male circumcision as an HIV prevention strategy

Summary of the impact

Research carried out by LSHTM into the effects of male circumcision on HIV prevention has led to important policy recommendations by WHO and UNAIDS, the joint UN Programme on HIV/AIDS. The research showed a strongly reduced risk of HIV infection among circumcised men, and modelling studies estimated that male circumcision programmes in 13 priority countries in Africa could avert 4m HIV infections by 2025. Members of the research team serve on key international advisory groups, and these results have been widely used to underpin international policy guidelines.

Submitting Institution

London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine

Unit of Assessment

Public Health, Health Services and Primary Care

Summary Impact Type

Political

Research Subject Area(s)

Medical and Health Sciences: Medical Microbiology, Public Health and Health Services

Filter Impact Case Studies

Download Impact Case Studies