Improving care and understanding of Kaposi sarcoma in Zambia and Tanzania
Official title: Kaposi Sarcoma in the Era of ART in Africa Program (KEAAP)
Funded at Lsu Health Sciences Center · NIH-11184252 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Researchers are partnering with hospitals in Zambia, Tanzania, and the United States to improve diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of Kaposi sarcoma for people living with HIV.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Lsu Health Sciences Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New Orleans, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2023 |
| Project end | August 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $390,617 |
| NIH project number | 5U54CA277846-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11184252 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal participants are people living with HIV in Zambia or Tanzania who have suspected or confirmed Kaposi sarcoma or who receive care at the participating cancer hospitals.
✕Less likely to help
People who do not live in the participating regions, do not have HIV, or do not have Kaposi sarcoma are unlikely to directly benefit from this program.
What this research studies
This program brings together cancer hospitals in Zambia and Tanzania with LSU Health Sciences Center-New Orleans to study Kaposi sarcoma in the era of antiretroviral therapy. Teams will connect clinical care with laboratory studies to learn how KS develops, how the immune system responds, and how treatments influence outcomes. The program also strengthens local cancer research and treatment capacity so hospitals can diagnose and manage KS more effectively. Patients at participating sites may be invited to join observational studies, contribute tissue or blood samples, and access improved care pathways.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to earlier detection, better treatments, and fewer deaths from Kaposi sarcoma among people with HIV in sub-Saharan Africa.
How similar studies have gone: Wider rollout of antiretroviral therapy has reduced some Kaposi sarcoma burden, but coordinated research networks and capacity-building efforts like this are less common and aim to fill remaining gaps.
Where this research is happening
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Lsu Health Sciences Center
New Orleans, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Wood, Charles — Lsu Health Sciences Center
- Study coordinator: Wood, Charles
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Precision 3D Imaging to Monitor Kaposi Sarcoma (KS) with SkinScan3D
A new portable 3D imaging tool called SkinScan3D will help doctors measure KS skin lesions more accurately and quickly, especially in people living with HIV.
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Precision 3D Imaging to Track Kaposi Sarcoma (KS) with SkinScan3D
A new 3D imaging tool called SkinScan3D helps doctors monitor Kaposi sarcoma lesions more accurately and quickly, especially in settings with high KS burden like East Africa and in U.S. clinics with HIV patients.
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Kaposi Sarcoma care and research in Africa during ART era
A collaborative program to better understand and improve diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of Kaposi sarcoma for people living with HIV in Zambia and Tanzania.
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Kaposi Sarcoma in Africa: ART Era Research Network
A collaborative program in Africa and the United States will study Kaposi sarcoma in people living with HIV on ART to improve diagnosis, treatment, and prevention.
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Kaposi Sarcoma in Africa in the ART Era
This grant supports research to improve how Kaposi sarcoma is detected, treated, and understood in people living with HIV in Zambia and Tanzania during ART, with collaboration between African hospitals and a U.S. center.
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Faster detection and connection to care for people with HIV who develop Kaposi sarcoma in East Africa
This project aims to speed up finding people with HIV diagnosed with Kaposi sarcoma in East Africa and help them get linked to care more quickly.
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.