Prizes and awards

The Desmond Tutu Award for HIV Prevention Research and Human Rights recognizes the efforts of an individual or an organization that has worked in an outstanding manner to advance both HIV prevention research and the human rights of people affected by HIV. This is a recognition award with no monetary value. It consists of a commemorative trophy.

HIVR4P recipients

• Chris Beyrer, Duke Global Health Institute, United States

This prize is funded by the Aurum Institute and arranged in collaboration with the IAS. It recognizes leading female scientists in the field of HIV prevention research who follow the principles and practices that guided leading HIV researcher Gita Ramjee throughout her life and career. These include a commitment to evidence, disadvantaged communities and gender transformation. At HIVR4P 2024, the main prize of USD 5,000 will be awarded to the female presenter of the selected oral abstract. An additional prize of USD 1,000 will be awarded to the African female presenter of the selected poster.

HIVR4P 2024 recipients:

Oral abstract presenter:

• Recipient: Elizabeth Irungu, Jhpiego, Kenya

• Abstract: “PrEP choice for women in Africa: Uptake of oral PrEP and PrEP ring”

Poster presenter:

• Recipient: Maryam Shahamanesh, Africa Health Research Institute, South Africa and University College London, United Kingdom

• Abstract: “Thetha Nami ngithethe nawe: Early Findings of cRCT of peer-navigators mobilisation into mobile integrated sexual health and HIV services on uptake of HIV oral preexposure prophylaxis in rural South Africa” 
   

The Journal of the International AIDS Society (JIAS) Impact Awards acknowledge high-impact publications from the previous year, as determined by the journal’s Editorial Board members and Deputy Editors. Selections are made based on a combination of public health importance, downloads and citations. 

One Impact Award will be announced at HIVR4P 2024. It will go to the manuscript’s first author and will cover the registration fee for a future conference (IAS 2025 or AIDS 2026). The IAS sponsors the JIAS Impact Awards.

HIVR4P 2024 recipients

Two co-authors of the winning paper:
"Risk‐based versus universal PrEP delivery during pregnancy: a cluster randomized trial in Western Kenya from 2018 to 2019"
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/jia2.26061

• John Kinuthia, Kenyatta National Hospital, Kenya

• Julia C. Dettinger, University of Washington, United States

New Investigator Awards recognize six outstanding early-career investigators presenting top-rated work at the conference. The awards are given to scholarship recipients with high-scoring abstracts. The New Investigator Award related to vaccine research is known as The Mathieson Award. The awardees receive complimentary registration for the next HIVR4P.

HIVR4P 2024 recipients:

Basic science track: 

• Recipient: Rifaldy Fajar, Yogyakarta State University, Indonesia 

• Abstract title: “Hyper-Local Mathematical Modeling of HIV Transmission in Indonesia: Integrating Mobility Patterns and Intervention Strategies for Optimized Prevention”

Vaccines and bNAbs track: 

• Recipient: Kevin Marone, University of Alabama, United States

•  Abstract title: “Similar meta clonotypes recognize HIV-1 Gag-KF11 across HLA-E*01:01/03 and HLA-B*57:01 with distinct functional profiles”

PrEP and ARV-based prevention track: 

• Recipient: Laurén Gómez, University of Washington, United States

• Abstract title: “Motivations of pregnant women initiating PrEP within antenatal care enrolled in a randomized trial to improve adherence: the mWACh-PrEP study”

Applied and implementation science track: 

• Recipient: Kalisha Bheemraj, University of Cape Town, South Africa

• Abstract title: “Evaluating overlap between condomless sex and prevention-effective oral pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) use throughout pregnancy and postpartum in Cape Town, South Africa”

Other prevention modalities and cross-cutting issues track:

• Recipient: Viet Hoang Vu, Johns Hopkins University, United States

• Abstract title: “PrEP use and associations with STI incidence among young cisgender men and transgender women who sell sex in Bangkok and Pattaya, Thailand”

The Mathieson Award to a New Investigator in HIV Research:  

• Recipient: Michelle Muthui, KEMRI-Wellcome Trust, Kenya

• Abstract title: “Characterization of the B cell repertoire in African populations to inform HIV vaccine design”

This award pays tribute to the life and work of Omololu Falobi, an HIV activist, advocate for prevention research and journalist who made an enormous impact in Nigeria and beyond. It highlights the essential role of community advocacy in HIV prevention research, honouring individuals and organizations who have shown leadership and commitment to HIV prevention research advocacy and inspired others to action.

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HIVR4P 2024 recipient:

• Gastón Devisich, Fundación Huésped, Argentina