The latest science on HIV/AIDS will be the topic of February's Hartford HIV Forum. Kevin Dieckhaus, M.D., HIV Program Coordinator and Chief of Infectious Diseases at the University of Connecticut Health Center (UCHC) will provide an update from the 15th Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI), an international conference that brings together leading clinicians and researchers working to understand, prevent, and treat HIV/AIDS and its complications. “CROI is a very science-focused meeting,” states Dieckhaus. “It gives the most recent data on clinical trials, trends in HIV epidemiology and clinical care, and a glimpse into future therapeutics and strategies for managing the illness.”
Apart from clinical and research responsibilities at UCHC, Dr. Dieckhaus also serves as Medical Director of the CT AIDS Education &Training Center and is the Medical Director of the Clare Nsenga Foundation, a Connecticut-based non-profit organization operating a health clinic, HIV testing program, and AIDS orphan support programs in Southwestern Uganda. With 10 years of work in the field of HIV/AIDS treatment and research, Dieckhaus believes that “HIV is treatable, but providing the best clinical care possible requires that those who manage the disease be familiar with the latest data.”
The presentation will be of interest to clinicians, researchers, case managers, people living with HIV/AIDS, as well as interested members of the public. Dieckhaus would like attendees to come away from the talk with “a general overview of the ‘newest and latest’ as seen from perspective of an HIV clinician.” He concludes, “I generally try to synthesize themes of the conference, distill a multitude of scientific concepts/presentations into practical issues for clinicians, define trends in therapy, and discuss ongoing investigations and issues the field of HIV care.”
This month’s HIV Forum will take place on Tuesday, February 12, 2008, from noon to 1:30 pm at ICR, 2 Hartford Square West (146 Wyllys St.), Suite 100. The event is free; lunch will be provided and advance registration is required. It is the first presentation in the Spring, 2007 series of forums organized by The Institute for Community Research and the Connecticut AIDS Education and Training Center with support from Abbott Laboratories, Boehringer Ingelheim, Gilead Sciences, GlaxoSmithKline and Pfizer.
The Hartford HIV Forum meets from 12:00 noon to 1:30 p.m., on the second Tuesday of each month from September through December and February through June. The goal of the forums is to give the local community the most up-to-date information on current topics in HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment, research and care. To register for the forum, call the Institute for Community Research at 860-278-2044. For more information about the series, contact Kim Radda at The Institute for Community Research at 860-278-2044 X285
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The Institute for Community Research is an independent, nonprofit organization that conducts applied research and community enhancement programs to promote equal access to health, education, and cultural resources. The Connecticut AIDS Education and Training Center trains providers with the goal of improving HIV clinical care through a grant from the Health Resources & Services Administration (Federal Grant No. 1H4A HA 00050-AO). |
