Week 1: HISTORY: Focusing on the origin of HIV, its initial discovery in humans, the early response to HIV (good, bad, and ugly), and its global spread since then.
Lectures:Week 2: SCIENCE: Focusing on how the immune system works, what HIV does to disable the body’s ability to protect itself against everyday germs, and important scientific questions about HIV that are as yet unanswered.
Lectures:Week 3: BEHAVIORAL PREVENTION: Focusing on behavior change, culturally embedded HIV prevention and awareness messages, an exceptionally cost-effective way to reduce HIV transmission rates, and
where to find information about prevention interventions of proven efficacy.
Week 4: BIOMEDICAL PREVENTION: Focusing on current research in biological ways to reduce transmission between mother and child, in the workplace, and among sero-discordant couples.
Lectures:Week 5: VULNERABLE POPULATIONS: Focusing on how HIV affects and is affected by political, cultural, sexual, biological, and gender-based factors.
Lectures:Week 6: CLINICAL CARE ISSUES: Focusing on developments in HIV testing, the illnesses that people with HIV/AIDS are at risk from, and crucial issues that can affect the success of HIV treatment.
Lectures:Week 7: AIDS VACCINES: Focusing on an explanation of what vaccines are, the requirements for a successful HIV/AIDS vaccine, what is involved in being a volunteer in a clinical trial of an experimental AIDS vaccine, and a discussion of vaccine trial results to date.
Lectures:Week 8: FUTURE CHALLENGES: Focusing on key areas in the battle to successfully mitigate global suffering related to AIDS.
Lectures:Week 9: RESPONDING TO HIV/AIDS: Focusing on how individuals, organizations, and societies have and are responding to the pandemic.