K43TW012362
Project Grant
Overview
Grant Description
Male access to sexual health services and PrEP - project summary
Global HIV prevention efforts have conventionally focused on supporting women and key populations through treatment as prevention, resulting in viral suppression (undetectable = untransmittable, U=U). This presents the opportunity to develop interventions that support HIV prevention in heterosexual men, aged 15-49 years.
Since there are no interventions that address PrEP uptake among HIV seronegative heterosexual men, the scientific goal of this K43 is to develop and prototype an evidence-based intervention to curb HIV acquisition in South African men at high risk of HIV acquisition.
Behavioral economics (BE) theory posits that contextual and individual factors influence health behavior. BE will be used to understand these factors associated with pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) uptake in South African men.
Candidate: I am a South African behavioral scientist with a background in HIV research in HIV endemic communities in South Africa. I am committed to improving health-seeking in this population. This K43 will support my training, mentorship, and research towards becoming an independent investigator.
Mentoring: I have assembled a multi-disciplinary team with globally recognized expertise in their fields, committed to HIV research in South Africa. My primary mentors are Dr. Alison Buttenheim (U.S. based, behavioral economics intervention design, evidence-based HIV care delivery, mixed methods research) and Dr. Linda-Gail Bekker (S.A.-based, clinical trials, PrEP, research in key populations). My co-mentorship team includes Dr. Joseph Daniels (U.S.-based, qualitative research, HIV prevention and treatment) and Dr. Andrew Medina-Marino (S.A.-based, epidemiology, men's health, implementation science).
Training: The K43 will support mentoring and rigorous training to help me develop expertise in 1) behavioral economics intervention design, 2) cohort design and managing clinical trials, and 3) mixed methods research design and analysis. These aims will be supported by mentors who are global leaders in HIV prevention in limited resource communities.
Research: HIV prevalence peaks in South African males (45-49 years) later than their female (35-39 years) counterparts, and males tend to choose younger female sexual partners. Reducing HIV acquisition among men living in LMICs is central to breaking this cycle of transmission.
The specific research aims of this award are to: 1) investigate the influence of contextual factors on PrEP uptake, 2) describe factors associated with attrition and sustained PrEP use, and 3) use BE to develop and prototype an intervention to support PrEP uptake among men.
This research is nested in the existing mobile clinic services operating in the Klipfontein District in Cape Town, which was recently awarded a PrEP implementation grant (Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, PI Bekker) to assess community-based PrEP uptake. This study will advance NIH science on HIV prevention in men in high HIV disease burden communities.
The evidence will be used to design a BE-informed intervention for a larger clinical trial investigating the impact on reducing HIV acquisition and transmission in men.
Global HIV prevention efforts have conventionally focused on supporting women and key populations through treatment as prevention, resulting in viral suppression (undetectable = untransmittable, U=U). This presents the opportunity to develop interventions that support HIV prevention in heterosexual men, aged 15-49 years.
Since there are no interventions that address PrEP uptake among HIV seronegative heterosexual men, the scientific goal of this K43 is to develop and prototype an evidence-based intervention to curb HIV acquisition in South African men at high risk of HIV acquisition.
Behavioral economics (BE) theory posits that contextual and individual factors influence health behavior. BE will be used to understand these factors associated with pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) uptake in South African men.
Candidate: I am a South African behavioral scientist with a background in HIV research in HIV endemic communities in South Africa. I am committed to improving health-seeking in this population. This K43 will support my training, mentorship, and research towards becoming an independent investigator.
Mentoring: I have assembled a multi-disciplinary team with globally recognized expertise in their fields, committed to HIV research in South Africa. My primary mentors are Dr. Alison Buttenheim (U.S. based, behavioral economics intervention design, evidence-based HIV care delivery, mixed methods research) and Dr. Linda-Gail Bekker (S.A.-based, clinical trials, PrEP, research in key populations). My co-mentorship team includes Dr. Joseph Daniels (U.S.-based, qualitative research, HIV prevention and treatment) and Dr. Andrew Medina-Marino (S.A.-based, epidemiology, men's health, implementation science).
Training: The K43 will support mentoring and rigorous training to help me develop expertise in 1) behavioral economics intervention design, 2) cohort design and managing clinical trials, and 3) mixed methods research design and analysis. These aims will be supported by mentors who are global leaders in HIV prevention in limited resource communities.
Research: HIV prevalence peaks in South African males (45-49 years) later than their female (35-39 years) counterparts, and males tend to choose younger female sexual partners. Reducing HIV acquisition among men living in LMICs is central to breaking this cycle of transmission.
The specific research aims of this award are to: 1) investigate the influence of contextual factors on PrEP uptake, 2) describe factors associated with attrition and sustained PrEP use, and 3) use BE to develop and prototype an intervention to support PrEP uptake among men.
This research is nested in the existing mobile clinic services operating in the Klipfontein District in Cape Town, which was recently awarded a PrEP implementation grant (Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, PI Bekker) to assess community-based PrEP uptake. This study will advance NIH science on HIV prevention in men in high HIV disease burden communities.
The evidence will be used to design a BE-informed intervention for a larger clinical trial investigating the impact on reducing HIV acquisition and transmission in men.
Awardee
Funding Goals
THE JOHN E. FOGARTY INTERNATIONAL CENTER (FIC) SUPPORTS RESEARCH AND RESEARCH TRAINING TO REDUCE DISPARITIES IN GLOBAL HEALTH AND TO FOSTER PARTNERSHIPS BETWEEN U.S. SCIENTISTS AND THEIR COUNTERPARTS ABROAD. FIC SUPPORTS BASIC BIOLOGICAL, BEHAVIORAL, AND SOCIAL SCIENCE RESEARCH, AS WELL AS RELATED RESEARCH TRAINING AND CAREER DEVELOPMENT. THE RESEARCH PORTFOLIO IS DIVIDED INTO SEVERAL PROGRAMS THAT SUPPORT A WIDE VARIETY OF FUNDING MECHANISMS TO MEET PROGRAMMATIC OBJECTIVES.
Grant Program (CFDA)
Awarding / Funding Agency
Place of Performance
South Africa
Geographic Scope
Foreign
Related Opportunity
Analysis Notes
Amendment Since initial award the total obligations have increased 679% from $56,618 to $441,302.
Desmond Tutu Health Foundation was awarded
Male Access to Sexual Health Services and PrEP
Project Grant K43TW012362
worth $441,302
from Fogarty International Center in September 2022 with work to be completed primarily in South Africa.
The grant
has a duration of 4 years 9 months and
was awarded through assistance program 93.989 International Research and Research Training.
The Project Grant was awarded through grant opportunity Emerging Global Leader Award (K43 Independent Clinical Trial Not Allowed).
Status
(Ongoing)
Last Modified 7/21/25
Period of Performance
9/1/22
Start Date
6/30/27
End Date
Funding Split
$441.3K
Federal Obligation
$0.0
Non-Federal Obligation
$441.3K
Total Obligated
Activity Timeline
Transaction History
Modifications to K43TW012362
Additional Detail
Award ID FAIN
K43TW012362
SAI Number
K43TW012362-4038282473
Award ID URI
SAI UNAVAILABLE
Awardee Classifications
Other
Awarding Office
75NF00 NIH Fogarty International Center
Funding Office
75NF00 NIH Fogarty International Center
Awardee UEI
YPZ6CGB3TKP8
Awardee CAGE
SCM03
Performance District
Not Applicable
Budget Funding
| Federal Account | Budget Subfunction | Object Class | Total | Percentage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| John E. Fogarty International Center, National Institutes of Health, Health and Human Services (075-0819) | Health research and training | Grants, subsidies, and contributions (41.0) | $118,031 | 54% |
| National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Health and Human Services (075-0892) | Health research and training | Grants, subsidies, and contributions (41.0) | $100,000 | 46% |
Modified: 7/21/25