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 Microbicides 200428-31 March 2004, Hilton London MetropoleThe conference42 million men, women and children worldwide were living with HIV by the end of December 2002 (source: UNAIDS), including five million newly-infected during that year alone. Another 45 million people will become infected between 2002 and 2010, unless the current transmission rates can be vastly reduced. Of the 42 million, 29.4 million live in sub-Saharan Africa and 58% of them are women. Not only are women more susceptible to HIV infection, many are powerless to insist on the use of condoms or other methods of protecting themselves. In this context, and with the knowledge that an effective HIV vaccine is unlikely to be available for several years, the need for an effective topical microbicide grows ever more urgent. 2004 should prove to be a landmark year in the field of microbicide development as the first Phase III trials of novel products are due to start – the next step along the road to making a microbicide available to the millions worldwide in desperate need of protection.The aims of the Microbicides 2004 conference are to:Report novel or innovative work in the microbicides fieldProvide updates on recent microbicides research, divided into three tracks: basic science, clinical science, and behavioural science (including public health and the microbicide marketplace)Provide a forum for the discussion of new developments in microbicide research including ethical, clinical, behavioural and methodological issuesPresent opportunities for knowledge-sharing between microbicide researchers, public-health workers and advocacy organisations.There will be an opening ceremony on the evening of Sunday 28 March at which politicians, policy makers and the international media are expected. The conference will run for a full three days, each of which will contain:Scientific overviews and presentations with plenary sessions, invited lecturers and presentations of original researchWorkshops to review issues unique to microbicides such as trial design and outcome measures, and ethical issues in the clinical trials of microbicidesPoster sessions. Focus on LondonFollowing the successful Microbicides conferences in Washington in 2000 and Antwerp in 2002, March 2004 sees the focus move to London.The venue is the Hilton Metropole Hotel, two minutes by taxi from Paddington station and the Heathrow Express, with a journey time from the airport of 15 minutes. The hotel is in walking distance of Hyde Park and London’s main shopping streets, and close to Imperial College. Accommodation will be available at the venue and other hotels in the vicinity.London in March offers a variety of diversions for out-of-conference relaxation, including sight-seeing and shopping; the arts and the theatre; and pubs, clubs and restaurants to suit every taste. Conference staff will be on hand to help delegates plan their spare time.To book your place or find out more information, e-mail info@microbicides2004.org.uk or telephone the Event Office on +44 (0) 20 7720 4411
Sunday 28 March Monday 29 March Tuesday 30 March Wednesday 31 March

Sunday 28 March - key note speeches and plenary presentations available for download

0830 to 1500 Satellite symposia for pre-registered delegates

1600 to 1745 Opening Ceremony

Welcome from Microbicides 2004 co-chairs: Janet Darbyshire, Robin Gorna and Jonathan Weber

Geeta Rao Gupta, International Center for Research on Women, Washington DC, USA

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Dr Geeta Rao Gupta is President of the International Center for Research on Women (ICRW), a global authority on women’s role and an advocate for women’s empowerment and the protection and fulfillment of women’s human rights. She has worked at ICRW as consultant, researcher and officer since 1988, and has headed the private, nonprofit organisation based in Washington since 1997. She is recognised as an expert on women and HIV/AIDS, and is frequently consulted on issues related to AIDS prevention and women’s vulnerability to HIV.

Apart from her work on HIV/AIDS, Dr Rao Gupta is a speaker and educator on adolescent sexuality and fertility, the unmet need for family planning, adolescent and maternal nutrition, and other women’s health-related subjects. As well as service with the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative, she serves as a Board Member for InterAction, the Ms. Foundation, and the Moriah Fund.

Dr. Rao Gupta has a Ph.D. in Social Psychology from Bangalore University, a Master of Philosophy degree from the University of Delhi, and both a Master and Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of Delhi.

Ntombikayise Khoza, Johannesburg, RSA

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Ntombikayise Khoza, from Meadowlands in Soweto, is a co-founder and director of Lotsha Youth Development Forum - an organisation formed to combat the spread of infections and transmissible diseases by educating young people about sexual health. She is also chairperson of the Parks Management Committee, a development initiative in Soweto, and has assisted the local municipal councilor to initiate a youth forum that aims at addressing youth crisis. She is also one of the active members of the Community Advisory Group (CAG) representing the interest of the community and women participating in the Microbicide Feasibility Study known as Tshireletso Study in Soweto.

Malegapuru William Makgoba, University of Kwazulu Natal, RSA

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Professor Malegapuru William Makgoba is the Vice-Chancellor and Principal of the University of Natal. An internationally recognized molecular immunologist, Professor Makgoba has received many honours and distinctions, including the Science-for-Society Gold Medal of the Academy of Science of South Africa in 2002.

Born in Sekhukhune in 1952, Professor Makgoba grew up as a shepherd before studying at the University of Natal and Oxford University. A former research professor of molecular immunology at the University of Witwatersrand’s School of Pathology, Professor Makgoba is a fellow of the Royal College of Physicians of London and of the Royal Society of South Africa. In 2002, he was elected as foreign Associate member of the United States National Academy of Sciences’ Institute of Medicine and was appointed as a fellow of the College of Physicians of South Africa ad eundem.

Professor Makgoba joined the University of Natal at the beginning of September 2002, after serving for four years as president of the Medical Research Council of South Africa (MRC) and for four years before that as MRC Board Chairperson. During his time on the MRC, he played an important role in developing a strategy for dealing with South Africa’s AIDS epidemic and was the leader of the South African AIDS Vaccine Initiative. He has often acted as an outspoken critic of AIDS denialists.

Debrework Zewdie, World Bank, New York, USA

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Dr Debrework Zewdie is Director of the Global HIV/AIDS Program for the World Bank, having previously managed the AIDS Campaign Team for Africa (ACTafrica), and led the team which was responsible for the US $1 billion Multi-Country HIV/AIDS Program (MAP I and II) for Africa. Before joining the Bank in 1994, Dr Zewdie was Deputy Regional Director of the Africa Region for the AIDS Control and Prevention project (AIDSCAP) of Family Health International in Nairobi, and worked in sixteen African countries.

Dr Zewdie held several research, management, and teaching positions focusing on public health issues such as tropical diseases, reproductive health and sexually transmitted diseases. She received her PhD in Immunology from the University of London, St. Mary’s Hospital Medical School, did her postdoctoral fellowship at SYVA - a diagnostic company in California, and was a Senior MacArthur Fellow at Harvard University’s School of Population and Development Studies. Dr. Zewdie recently co-authored a letter to Nature magazine titled ‘World Bank meeting concludes drug resistance should not prevent distribution of antiretroviral therapy to poor countries’.

Julian Lob-Levyt, Chief Human Development Adviser, DFID, London

Dr Julian Lob-Levyt is Chief Human Development and Health Adviser to the UK Department for International Development (DFID). From 1999 he was responsible for programmes in health and population, representing DFID internationally, and ensuring the development and coherence of DFID work in this area. He was appointed to his present position in 2003, covering health, education and human development.

Previous work includes secondments to the European Commission DGVIII as Regional Health Adviser, Southern Africa, and to the WHO’s health sector reform programme in Cambodia. He has been a Health and Population Adviser for the UK Government in Bangladesh and Chief Medical Officer in the Solomon Islands.

1730 to 1830 Opening Reception with music by Batanai Marimba

Playing live after the opening ceremony, Batanai Marimba will be bringing a selection of instruments that include marimbas, ngoma drums, calabashes, mbiras, bells, horns and seed shakers. In Shona, Batanai means ‘come together, unite’ so it’s no surprise that this band’s broad cultural music references – from deep spirit mbira vibe to rolling township jive with a dash of rumba, Afro jazz and a roots reggae undertow – should be reflected in both the name of the group and their distinctive line-up. With Batanai Marimba you meet distinguished marimba players, singers and percussionists from Zimbabwe and Malawi, a Zambian guitarist with a Rwandan sax player, and a Yorkshire born bassist.

Batanai Marimba are based to the north of London – find out more at www.batanaimarimba.com