• to equip trainees with the research, scientific knowledge and skills to become outstanding researchers in infectious diseases and global health.

• to create a novel and stimulating multidisciplinary and truly international research training environment that fosters creativity, opportunity, and innovation, and one that demands excellence.

• to harness the unique opportunity offered by the critical mass of infectious diseases and global health infrastructure, research opportunities and outstanding scientists in the training of the next generation of infectious disease researchers.

• to make available collaborative international research sites for the trainees’ primary research projects, sites for research practica and major course offerings.

• to offer a shared learning environment, where trainees and mentors from all four of CIHR’s research pillars and the four international training sites work cooperatively to explore issues of international infectious diseases and global health.
With the aim of developing a truly international training program focused on HIV/AIDS, emerging infections and microbial resistance, and global health the areas of research will include:

• the basic immunology, biochemistry and genetics of HIV infection and resistance to infection

• the prevention of HIV infection through behavioural and structural intervention programs, and vaccine and microbicide development

• the epidemiology and biology of, and host responses to, emerging infectious diseases and the vectors that transmit them

• the scope, epidemiology and mechanisms of microbial resistance

• understanding social, cultural and anthropological factors involved in global health

• assessing the impact of infectious diseases on vulnerable populations such as aboriginal communities in Canada, and sex-workers and the poor in developing nations