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UNC Project Malawi

The University of North Carolina Project-Malawi (UNC Project) is a collaboration between the University of North Carolina and the Ministry of Health Malawi

The University of North Carolina Project-Malawi (UNC Project) is a collaboration between the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the Malawi Ministry of Health. It is based on the campus of Kamuzu Central Hospital in Malawi's capital, Lilongwe

17/09/2026

UNC impacting conferences!

The Director of STI Research and Clinical Services, Prof Mitch Matoga is this week attending the International Pathogenic Neisseria Conference (IPNC) in Busselton Australia.

The conference focusses on Cutting-edge research on the genus Neisseria, including Neisseria meningitides and commensal species.

Prof Matoga presented the overview of Neisseria gonorrhea Genetic Epidemiology and Research in Africa. The presentation highlighted the burden, trend, drivers and antimicrobial resistance patterns of Neisseria gonorrhea in Africa and landmark research studies currently being conducted in Africa.

The conference brings together leading global professionals specializing in the field.

We are proud to have one of our very own carrying the UNC and Malawi flag high.

RuSH Clinic Malawi

07/09/2026

It’s a wrap!

The UNC Reproductive and Sexual Health (RuSH) Clinic came together on Sunday afternoon to celebrate the closeout of the Meningococcal vaccine Against Gonococcal Infection (MAGI) study, a trial implemented across sites in United States, Thailand, and Malawi.

The team celebrated the milestone while awaiting the final results which will be announced at the Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI) in March 2027.

Speaking at the luncheon, Prof Irving Hoffman narrated how Malawi had been selected to take part in the trial and thanked the Director of STI Research and Clinical Services, Prof Mitch Matoga, and the Team for the hard work and tenacity in implementing this study.

We are very grateful for the collaboration between UNC, Ministry of Health, Lilongwe DHO and all Participants for making the implementation of this study a success.
for Research that Changes Lives

02/09/2026

It has been another eventful start of the week and month of September. The site has been hosting a workshop organised by the Division of AIDS (DAIDS) bringing together laboratory professionals to strengthen research standards and operational excellence.

Throughout the program, participants have deep dived into comprehensive modules covering Good Clinical Laboratory Practice (GCLP) principles!

In her remarks at the end of the training the Laboratory Director, Dr. Chikondi Malamba Banda highlighted " this is a helpful training to the lab team as it was essentially covering our audit checklists from DAIDS. In other ways preparing us for the upcoming audit in October.”

Thanks to the PPD-DAIDS for the impactful training!
Proud to advance clinical research standards and data integrity across our region!

26/08/2026

UNC Project has bid farewell to Cynthia Noliwe Zulu following her early retirement after 24 years of dedicated service.

Cynthia served in key administrative roles at UNC Project, including as an Administrative Assistant and Executive Secretary to Management.

Colleagues gathered to celebrate her years of service, share memories and wish her well as she begins this new chapter.

Reflecting on her time at UNC Project, Cynthia said:
“This journey has been a significant part of my life, filled with learning, growth, challenges, achievements, laughter and, most importantly, wonderful relationships.”

Thank you, Cynthia, for your dedication and service over the years. We wish you happiness and success in your retirement.

Farewell, Cynthia, and all the best! ❤️

24/08/2026

With our Country Director, Mr. Innocent Mofolo, at the forefront, the UNC Project Malawi team came together to take part in the Malawi Rotary Cancer Run 2026—joining others in turning every step into a message of hope, solidarity and support for those affected by cancer.

Organised by the Rotary Club of Bwaila in partnership with Centenary Bank, the run brought people together to raise awareness and support cancer care at Likuni Mission Hospital.

For us, it was more than just a run. It was an opportunity to stand together for a cause that touches countless lives and to reaffirm our commitment to supporting healthier communities in Malawi.

Every step matters. Every voice counts. And together, we can raise awareness, inspire hope and make a difference. 💙

Run for Hope. Run for Life.

19/08/2026

🎓 Congratulations, Calista Nicole Zambezi!

We are delighted to celebrate our Research Assistant, Calista Nicole Zambezi, on being awarded the Malawi Liverpool Wellcome Research Programme (MLW) Academic Master’s Tuition Scholarship.

The scholarship will support her two-year Master of Science in Infection and Immunity at the Malawi University of Science and Technology (MUST), strengthening her capacity to contribute to infectious disease and immunology research. Her proposed research focuses on CD8+ T-cell phenotypes and immune restoration following antiretroviral therapy.

This is a great achievement, Calista. We are proud of you and wish you every success in your studies and research! 👏🏽🎓

13/08/2026

Dr Lameck Chinula, Associate Scientific Director at UNC Project Malawi, has been appointed as the Associate Director of the Career Enhancement Program (CEP) of the Consortium for Advancing Management and Prevention of Cancer in People with HIV (AMC), a global network of cancer researchers.
The appointment reflects years of dedicated leadership in research, mentorship, and international collaboration, and represents an important recognition of both Dr. Chinula’s contributions to global health science and UNC Project Malawi’s role within the AMC international network.

As Principal Investigator for the UNC Project Malawi AMC site since 2015, Dr. Chinula, a Research Associate Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology, has played a key role in advancing collaborative research and strengthening scientific capacity. Through this new appointment, he will contribute to the AMC Scholar Program by supporting and mentoring emerging scholars from AMC-affiliated institutions in the United States and across international partner institutions.

Congratulations Associate Prof. Lameck Chinula!
🔗 Learn more about the AMC Global Network: https://amcoperations.com/welcome

12/08/2026

Could a four-week treatment help save the lives of people with advanced HIV disease?
That is the question driving the Reducing Mortality in Adults with Advanced HIV Disease (REVIVE) clinical trial, which has now reached 6,000 participants. The latest participant has been enrolled at the UNC Project-Malawi study site in Lilongwe, led by Principal Investigator Dr. Cecilia Kanyama.
REVIVE is evaluating whether a four-week course of azithromycin, given alongside standard HIV care, can reduce deaths and serious infections among adults with advanced HIV disease. The study seeks to generate evidence that could improve care for people at the greatest risk of HIV-related illness.
Reflecting on the achievement, Dr. Kanyama thanked the study participants, healthcare workers, researchers and partners whose commitment continues to advance research that has the potential to improve HIV care in Malawi and beyond.
"Reaching 6,000 participants demonstrates the strong collaboration between our research teams, Kamuzu Central Hospital, and Bwaila District Hospital under the Ministry of Health, healthcare workers, and the communities we serve. We are especially proud that the 6,000th participant was enrolled here in Lilongwe," she said.

07/08/2026

A shout-out to five of our own! 👏

Last week, members of the UNC Project Malawi team proudly joined fellow alumni at the launch of the KUHeS Alumni Association and a fundraising initiative to support students in need at the Kamuzu University of Health Sciences.

Pictured (left to right) are Dr. Chimwemwe Banda (Clinical Oncologist), Dr. Amon Chirwa (Medical Officer), Dr. Lameck Chinula (Associate Scientific Director), Dr. Chikondi Malamba Banda (Laboratory Director), and Dr. Tisungane Mvalo (Lead Pediatrician).

We are proud to see our colleagues giving back by supporting the next generation of healthcare professionals 💙

04/08/2026

UNC Project Malawi invites applications from qualified and experienced professionals for the following positions:
🔹 Laboratory Quality Assurance Manager
🔹 Laboratory Research Coordinator
🔹 Driver

If you have the required qualifications and experience, we encourage you to apply.

📅 Application deadline: Tuesday, 11 August 2026.

For full job descriptions and application details, please follow this link: https://bit.ly/451M2EX

Address

Mzimba Street
Lilongwe

Telephone

+2651750610

Website

https://globalhealth.unc.edu/malawi/

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