Susan M. Kiene awarded NIH grants totaling $4.67 million

Susan M. Kiene, professor of Global Health in the School of Public Health at SDSU, received two prestigious National Institutes of Health (NIH) awards totaling $4.67 million. The first, an R01 grant, will support a five-year interventional project to reduce alcohol use among men living with HIV in Uganda.

“Following our successful pilot study, this grant will allow us to test the efficacy and scale up the intervention we call Kisoboka, meaning it is possible,” Kiene said, “Using a behavioral economics model we saw reduced alcohol consumption and improved participation in HIV care.” 

The R34 grant is another innovative three-year pilot project also aimed at reducing HIV transmission in Uganda among men and women. “Working through the relationship space of men who regularly visit female sex workers, we hope to increase access to HIV testing and Pre-exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) for men, women, and their families,” explained Kiene. 

Kiene is an Honorary Professor at Makerere University’s School of Public Health in Uganda. Her extensive international research spans Uganda, Nigeria, Brazil, and South Africa. She facilitates student exchanges and academic opportunities to advance global health equity. Currently, two PhD students at SDSU are from Uganda.