Pioneering Past and Bright of Impactful Research and Scholarly Achievements

“EXCELLENCE THROUGH KNOWLEDGE” P A G E 45 Large-Scale Integration of Bioinformatics is Necessary for Strengthening HIV Prevention Efforts in Jamaica The Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) is a debilitating virus that infects 35millionpeopleworldwide. Todate Jamaica’sHIV responsehas heavily utilized behavioral, clinical and social observations in creative ways to inform and guide prevention and treatment efforts. With the emergence of new threats to successful HIVmanagement in the island, treatment and prevention would benefit from increased insights from HIV genetic sequences. To validate this assessment, a meta-analysis was con-ducted on studies that have reported bioinformatics analyses of HIV genetic sequences from Jamaica. is meta-analysis revealed that nucleotide sequence is available for no more than 1% of the approximately 32,000 persons living with HIV in Jamaica. is situation exists despite the generation of crucial insights from the few HIV genetic studies conducted in the island; further it emerged that only 52% of nucleotide sequence data is shared by scientists who report HIV nucleotide sequences in Jamaica, even after publication of their study. Together, the data suggest that increasing utilization of HIV sequencing and bioinformatics will be highly beneficial to supporting HIV prevention and treatment in Jamaica, as well as protecting prior successes gained in Jamaica’s HIV response. Aneisha Collins-Fairclough Faculty of Science & Sport This research was published in: The Journal of Arts Science and Technology, 7: 12-20. Aneisha Collins-Fairclough