Enabling the next generation of science leaders

IAVI boat with clinic team in Uganda

IAVI, through its USAID-funded ADVANCE (Accelerate the Development of Vaccines and New Technologies to Combat the AIDS Epidemic) program, is cultivating a core group of researchers and scientists in African institutions to participate in the global effort to identify, evaluate, and implement HIV vaccines and biomedical prevention products in the fight against HIV, and to contribute toward solving other pressing global health needs.

In order to strengthen sustainable human capacity and institutional capability for high quality research, IAVI’s Investigator-Initiated Research (IIR) program strives to provide career development opportunities for early- to mid-career scientists through funding for research. These funding awards for research, known as IIR Awards, are offered through a competitive call for proposals that are open to all IAVI partners, known as clinical research centers (CRCs). The awards may range from US$10,000 to $100,000. Additionally, to foster mentorship of early career investigators by more seasoned researchers, the IIR offers a grant of between $200,000 and $250,000 for innovative and collaborative research.

In the video below, three IIR awardees — Dr. Omolara Baiyegunhi in South Africa, Dr. Andrew Abaasa in Uganda, and Dr. Clara Agutu in Kenya — share their experiences with the IIR program.

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