Adapting Sequencing Approaches for Cost-Effective HIV Drug Resistance Monitoring in Tanzania

Project by

Alex John Ntamatungiro
Early-Career Fellow 2025–2026

HIV drug resistance poses an increasing threat in sub-Saharan Africa, where treatment options are limited and routine resistance testing remains rare. In response, this project aims to refine and validate a low-cost, high-throughput next-generation sequencing (NGS) method for HIV drug resistance testing, specifically adapted for implementation in Tanzania.

The overarching goal is to make routine, scalable resistance monitoring a practical reality—improving patient outcomes and reinforcing public health responses. To achieve this, the project brings together expertise from virology, bioinformatics, clinical medicine, public health, and social science in an interdisciplinary approach.

A central component of the project is a dedicated workshop that will examine the key barriers to access and uptake of resistance testing. These include cost, infrastructure, training needs, and communication gaps. Insights from this workshop will inform the development of context-sensitive, community-informed strategies to support implementation.

By the project's end, a fully validated and cost-effective sequencing workflow will be ready for clinical use. This will be accompanied by a transition plan designed to support adoption in healthcare settings, strengthen local capacity, and align with national HIV care strategies—ultimately helping to close the gap between technological innovation and equitable healthcare delivery.