SEQUENCE ANALYSIS AND MUTATION IN RELATION TO DRUG RESISTANCE

I spent 6 weeks at the Unit of HIV Biology and Variability, National Centre for Microbiology, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Majadahonda , Madrid, Spain.

During this period, I performed all the procedures for analyzing drug resistance mutations, phylogeny and recombinant viruses on 44 samples (22 pairs of plasma and peripheral blood mononuclear cells -PBMC), from Ghanaian HIV-positive patients receiving 2nd line antiretroviral therapy. I acquired skills in sequence analysis, interpreting drug resistance mutation data, subtyping viral strains, drawing and interpreting phylogenetic trees and analyzing recombinant strains. I also observed best practices in sequencing from staff of the Genomic Unit.

As a result, I obtained data on drug resistance mutations in plasma and PBMC of the patients (the first of such data from Ghana) and their correlation with the drugs and HIV genetic forms. These data (part of results of my PhD research) are useful to the clinicians for patients’ management and also contribute knowledge to the evolution of the HIV-1 epidemic in Ghana.

Upon my return home, the skills acquired have been used in my PhD studies and in my duties as Technical Supervisor of the HIV Genotyping Laboratory, generating and interpreting HIV genotypic data for the Ghana National AIDS/STIs Control Programme and the Ghana Health Service. My training has also strengthened the collaboration between NMIMR, Ghana and ISCIII, Spain.

I am grateful to the HIV Research Trust for the opportunity and to the PM-BVIH, ISCIII, for hosting me.