Prizes and awards

CIPHER Grant Programme – Annual programme

The CIPHER Grant Programme provides a unique opportunity for early-stage investigators to address research gaps in paediatric and adolescent HIV in resource-limited settings, in order to promote evidence-based HIV policies and programmes in these settings. The grants are for up to US$150,000 for two years. The Collaborative Initiative for Paediatric HIV Education and Research (CIPHER) is an initiative of the International AIDS Society; this programme is made possible through support from CIPHER Founding Sponsor ViiV Healthcare.

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IAS/Abivax Research-for-Cure Academy Fellowship Prize – Annual prize

The IAS Research-for-Cure Academy provides training on state-of-the-art HIV cure research to talented investigators and clinical scientists interested in advancing the HIV cure field in resource-constrained settings. This US$2,000 annual prize is presented to one outstanding fellow based on their engagement during the academy, collaborative spirit during the project work and continued engagement in the HIV cure field.

AIDS 2020: VirtualRose Magala Nabatanzi, Uganda, for her active engagement and valuable input to the collaborative research projects at the Research-for-Cure Academy.Rose conducts research to understand why immune dysfunctions among HIV-infected individuals persists despite effective antiretroviral therapy (ART).

IAS 2019 Natalia Laufer, Argentina, for her active engagement and valuable input to the collaborative research projects at the Research-for-Cure Academy. Natalia works as a physician, basic/clinical researcher, teacher and as a member of a community outreach programme.

AIDS 2018 Paradise Madlala, South Africa, for his active engagement and valuable input to the collaborative research projects at the Research-for-Cure Academy.Paradise’s research focus is on determining the role of the 5’ long terminal repeat (LTR), the viral promoter that drives viral gene transcription and Transactivator of transcription (Tat) genetic variation on regulating viral latency.

IAS/MSD Prize for Research in HIV Prevention

The International AIDS Society (IAS) and Merck Sharp & Dohme (MSD) award a co-partnered prize for the top-scoring abstracts in operational and implementation research with a focus on development of new prevention tools, delivery of currently available prevention strategies, and the impact of expanding prevention options on the global HIV epidemic. Abstract submissions for IAS 2021 are expected in the following areas: treatment as prevention, PrEP implementation and development, broadly-neutralizing antibodies and vaccines, integrated prevention approaches, key populations and the intersection with larger issues of sexual and reproductive health, novel trial design and monitoring strategies. The prize (US$10,000 per recipient) is awarded to the four highest-scoring abstracts. It is funded by MSD.

Eligible candidates are presenting authors of regular and late-breaker abstracts submitted to IAS 2021, who meet the following criteria:

  • The abstract has been accepted as an oral presentation or for the poster exhibition.
  • The research demonstrates innovation, originality, rationale and quality.
  • The abstract presents data on prevention science for HIV.

Abstract submitters do not need to apply for the prize. All abstracts that meet the criteria will be automatically considered.

AIDS 2020

  • Bao Vu, Vietnam, “Leading from the community: How key population organizations in Vietnam transformed from peer support groups to clinical service providers”
  • Geoffrey Fatti, South Africa, “Outcomes of three versus six-monthly dispensing of antiretroviral treatment (ART) for stable HIV patients in community ART refill groups: A cluster-randomized trial in Zimbabwe”
  • Liesbet Ohler, South Africa, “Retention in care among patients in differentiated models of HIV care in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa”
  • Susan Atuhura, Uganda, “Leaving no one behind: Assessing the impact of MSM community-based adherence clubs on retention and viral load suppression in Uganda”

IAS 2019

  • Jennifer Zech, United States, “Optimizing treatment models for people living with HIV in urban Zimbabwe: Findings from a mixed methods study”
  • Vivian Chitiyo, Zimbabwe, “Differentiated antiretroviral therapydelivery: A review of implementation progress and challenges in Zimbabwe”
  • Didier Kamerhe, Democratic Republic of the Congo, “Improved HIV treatment retention among patients enrolled in a differentiated care model at Kenya General Reference Hospital in Haut Katanga province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo”
  • Bruce Agins, United States, “Improving rapid ART initiation in Blantyre, Malawi, through implementation of a quality improvement collaborative”

IAS/ANRS Dominique Dormont Prize – Annual prize

The US$5,000 IAS/ANRS Dominique Dormont Prize is funded by the Dominique Dormont Association. The prize supports young researchers working on chronic conditions in humans, with a particular focus on the interface between HIV and other chronic diseases. It highlights researchers who demonstrate originality, rationale, quality and a multidisciplinary and integrative approach in the field of HIV and AIDS research.

Eligible candidates are presenting authors of abstracts submitted to IAS 2021, which meet the following criteria:

  • The abstract has been accepted as an oral presentation.
  • The research demonstrates originality, rationale, quality and multidisciplinary and integrative approach in the field of HIV and AIDS research.
  • The presenting author is under 40 years of age.

AIDS 2020
Marine Baron, France “Effects of immune-check point inhibitors on anti-HIV specific immune responses and HIV-reservoir in people living with HIV (PLHIV) and cancer”

IAS 2019
Stéphane Isnard, Canada “Relevance of Reg3α and I-FABP on microbial translocation, inflammation and reservoir size in people living with HIV”

AIDS 2018
Shalena Naidoo, South Africa “Persistence of myeloid cell-associated inflammation in HIV-infected children after 8 years on early initiated therapy -the key role players in HIV persistence?”

IAS 2017
Maria Salgado, Spain “Achievement of Full Donor Chimerism with Episodes of Alloreactivity Contributes to Reduce the HIV Reservoir after Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplantation.”

IAS/ANRS Lange/van Tongeren Prizes for Young Investigators – Annual prizes

The four US$2,000 IAS/ANRS Lange/van Tongeren Prizes for Young Investigators are jointly funded by the International AIDS Society and the France Recherche Nord & Sud Sida-HIV Hépatites (ANRS) to support young researchers who demonstrate innovation, originality, rationale and quality in the field of HIV research. The prizes are granted to the top-scoring abstract in each of the four tracks: Track A (Basic science); Track B (Clinical science); Track C (Prevention science), and Track D (Social, behavioural and implementation science). In 2015, the Young Investigator Prize was permanently renamed in memory of Joep Lange and Jacqueline van Tongeren.

Eligible candidates are presenting authors of abstracts submitted to IAS 2021, which meet the following criteria:

  • The Scientific Programme Committee has accepted the abstract as an oral presentation or for the poster exhibition.
  • The research demonstrates innovation, originality, rationale and quality.
  • The presenting author is under 35 years of age.

Abstract submitters do not need to apply for the prize. All abstracts that meet the criteria will be automatically considered.