Dr. Christopher Zaab-Yen Abana of the Virology Department at the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research (NMIMR) has been awarded the Northern Pacific Global Health (NPGH) Leaders/Fogarty Launch Award from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The one-year fellowship, running from July 1, 2026, to June 30, 2027, is designed to support early-career researchers in advancing innovative global health studies.

Under the fellowship, Dr. Zaab-Yen Abana will conduct research on “Screening Three Novel Latency-Reversing Agents Across Diverse HIV Integration Sites Toward Functional Cure Strategies.” The study aims to explore new approaches toward achieving a functional cure for HIV by targeting viral latency.

During the fellowship, Dr. Zaab-Yen Abana will spend three months at the University of Michigan, USA, collaborating with international researchers, and nine months in Ghana conducting laboratory and field research.

Reflecting on the award, Dr. Zaab-Yen Abana said:

“This fellowship is a tremendous opportunity to advance research that could contribute to functional cure strategies for HIV. I am grateful to the NIH and my colleagues at NMIMR for their support, and I look forward to making a meaningful impact both locally and globally.”

The Institute congratulates Dr. Zaab-Yen Abana on this achievement, noting that the fellowship highlights his dedication and the growing international recognition of NMIMR’s research excellence.

This fellowship underscores both Dr. Zaab-Yen Abana’s research excellence and NMIMR’s position as a leading centre for infectious disease research in Africa, strengthening international collaboration in the fight against HIV.