Bringing liver cancer prevention and care into HIV clinics in Uganda
Leveraging HIV care infrastructure for implementation of context-adapted liver cancer comprehensive control strategies in Uganda: The LC3 Study
This project adds hepatitis B testing, birth-dose vaccination, and liver cancer screening to HIV clinics in Uganda to help people with HIV and hepatitis B get earlier care.
Quick facts
| Grant type | U01 cooperative agreement |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Johns Hopkins University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Baltimore, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11181618 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you attend a participating HIV clinic in Uganda, you may be offered hepatitis B testing and linked to follow-up care for liver health. The program combines several services—screening, diagnosis, vaccination for newborns, and pathways to treatment—tailored to local clinic settings. Clinic staff will get training and support so these services fit into routine care, and the team will collect health data and patient feedback to improve how things work. The work takes place across urban and rural sites so services are adapted to different communities.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults receiving HIV care in the participating Ugandan clinics, especially those with hepatitis B or pregnant people for birth-dose vaccination, are the primary candidates for these services.
Not a fit: People who do not receive care at the participating clinics, those outside the study regions in Uganda, or patients with very advanced liver cancer unlikely to benefit from screening-based interventions may not gain direct benefit.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could catch hepatitis B and early liver disease sooner and increase access to prevention and treatment, reducing deaths from liver cancer in Uganda.
How similar studies have performed: Previous local demonstration work by the same team has successfully integrated hepatitis B services into HIV care in parts of Uganda, though a comprehensive, scaled package across regions has not yet been fully implemented.
Where this research is happening
Baltimore, United States
- Johns Hopkins University — Baltimore, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Kirk, Gregory D — Johns Hopkins University
- Study coordinator: Kirk, Gregory D
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.