Three FHS postdoctoral fellows receive Research Trainee Awards

Aniqa Shahid

Origins and consequences of Persistent Low-Level HIV Viremia During Antiretroviral Therapy

Building on my doctoral research in HIV biomedical science, my postdoctoral work continues to investigate the virus with a focus on persistent low-level viremia (PLLV) in people living with HIV (PLWH) despite effective antiretroviral therapy. While historically considered a sign of treatment failure, PLLV is now increasingly associated with the reactivation of clonally expanded, HIV-infected cells. My research takes both retrospective and prospective approaches to better understand this phenomenon and support evidence-based clinical care.

This work aligns closely with Health Research BC’s commitment to advancing population health and person-centred care. I was recently awarded a CIHR Fellowship to support this research. I have co-authored several peer-reviewed publications in HIV basic science and mentored emerging researchers at both undergraduate and graduate levels. In recognition of academic excellence, I received the Governor General’s Gold Medal from Simon Fraser University, awarded to the top graduating student across all disciplines.

Anh Khoa Vo

Exploring the intersection of race, chronic pain, substance use, and overdose among people living with HIV: A mediation analysis

Fatal overdose has emerged as a leading cause of death among people living with HIV (PLWH) in British Columbia. One key, under‑recognized driver is chronic pain. When pain remains inadequately managed, it not only erodes quality of life and disrupts adherence to antiretroviral therapy but can also push individuals toward unregulated substances for relief.

An HIV‐positive individual facing unmanaged pain may be more likely to seek illicit substances (e.g., opioids, stimulants), thereby increasing the risk of fatal overdose. Yet health systems to date have failed to integrate comprehensive pain management into overdose prevention efforts tailored to PLWH.

My research addresses this gap by quantifying how under‑treated chronic pain fuels substance use and precipitates fatal overdose, especially in racialized populations facing compounded barriers.

Ramona Weber

Exercise therapy to reverse sepsis-induced immune suppression

I completed my PhD at Kansas State University under the mentorship of Dr(s). David C. Poole and Timothy I. Musch, where my research focused on skeletal muscle oxygen transport dysfunction in cardiovascular disease and cancer and therapeutic modalities to improve cardiovascular health, exercise tolerance, muscle oxygen delivery, and microvascular function. As a Post Doctoral Fellow in the Precision Exercise Research Laboratory, my research explores how exercise influences the immune system after sepsis—a condition where long-term immune suppression accelerates hospital readmissions. Specifically, I investigate how post-sepsis exercise training affects myeloid cell function, including sex-specific immune responses, using both preclinical and clinical approaches. The overarching goal of this research is to improve patient outcomes and reduce the risk for hospital readmission for sepsis survivors.