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NaUKMA will be the first in Ukraine to co-implement a 5-year NIH grant with Harvard University

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Published on Monday, 25 December 2023 08:43

In 2023-2028, NaUKMA in cooperation with Harvard University, which is rightfully considered one of the best universities in the world and occupies top places in the international world university rankings by QS, will join the implementation of a grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), a primary agency of the United States government in the field of health care and biomedical research. This will be the third big NIH project implemented or co-implemented by NaUKMA.

The joint project with the Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health "Implementing Evidence-Based Treatment for Common Mental Disorders in HIV Clinics in Ukraine" will be implemented at NaUKMA by the Center for Mental Health and Psychosocial Support, which under the leadership of Serhiy Bogdanov for many years has been implementing a number of important international grants and projects. A new project, in collaboration with Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, aims to minimize the adverse effects from impaired mental health on HIV outcomes in Ukraine by increasing access to evidence-based treatment of common mental disorders in HIV clinics, which is becoming an extremely important public health need in Ukraine, especially during the times of war, when the level of both mental disorders and the incidence of HIV may increase. As part of the project, CETA transdiagnostic therapeutic approach, which has already proven itself as quite successful in the treatment of symptoms of depression, PTSD and anxiety, will be adapted to HIV treatment practice in Ukraine with the potential to improve HIV and mental health outcomes among people living with HIV in Ukraine.

Dr. Sergiy Bogdanov, the leader of the project at NaUKMA, shares his thoughts on cooperation with Harvard University and the importance of the project for Ukraine and NaUKMA: “The basis for this project was a long-term collaboration with Dr. Kimberly Hook, the leading researcher of the project and an expert at the Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health. The goal of the project is not only the implementation of the CETA psychological assistance program in the network of clinics that provide support to people living with HIV/AIDS, but also the professional development of research staff of the NaUKMA Center for Mental Health and Psychosocial Support”.

“Research reported in this publication was supported by the National Institute of Mental Health of the National Institutes of Health under Award Number 1K23MH133520-01A1. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.”