Family name:   Karam
Given name:   Farba

Date of birth:   03- 08-74 in Fatick, Senegal
Nationality:   Senegalese

Language Ability:  English (fluent), French (native speaker), Wolof (native speaker)
Marital Status:   Single

Email:   karamfarba@hotmail.com

Phone:   +221-822-5919 (Work), +221-531-8738 (Mobile)
Fax:   +221-821-6442

 Mailing Address:
Laboratoire de Bactériologie Virologie
Hôpital Aristide Le Dantec
30 Avenue Pasteur
BP 7325 Dakar
Sénégal

OBJECTIVES

At present I work on HIV/AIDS and Tuberculosis in the Immunology unit of the Bacteriology & Virology laboratory of Le Dantec Teaching hospital in Dakar Senegal.  I am involved in:

1 – The evaluation of Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection incidence among HIV positive patients; 

2 – Household contacts of Tuberculosis cases in Dakar;   

3 – To evaluate the distribution of lymphocytes subtypes among those patients. 

4-   Immunological follow up of HIV+ patients under antiretroviral drugs

I’M CURRENTLY LOOKING FOR PH.D. POSITION – CAN YOU HELP?

I would very much like to start work on a Ph.D. in Immunology – but that’s a difficult thing to find in Africa.  I’d very much appreciate any assistance you feel able to offer.  If you have opportunities in your lab, please let me know.  Ideally, I would like to work towards a Ph.D. in a sandwich format – sharing my time equally between the Bacteriology & Virology laboratory I presently work at and an institution in the developed world.  It’s important to me that I remain connected to my country both scientifically and personally, so a 50:50 programme would be optimal. 

The main topics I would like to study in the future are:

1-      Human protective immunity against tuberculosis,

2-      The specific role of TCD8+

3-      The role of T cells regulators during Mycobacteria infection

4-      Evaluate new vaccines candidates against Mycobacteria

EDUCATION

2004:   Certificate of Postgraduate studies in Animal Biology, University of Dakar

2002:   Certificate of Specialized studies in Medical Biochemistry, University of Dakar

2002:   Pharmacy Degree, University of Dakar

1995:   A-levels (Scientist department option D), Fatick

Additional Language Courses

2005:  English courses in British Council, Dakar (level 5)

2004:  English courses in British Council, Dakar (level 4)

RESEARCH ACTIVITIES AND TRAINING IN TEACHING HOSPITAL

2003-2005

Research Assistant in Bacteriology Virology laboratories, Immunology unit

Subject: African Tuberculosis Vaccine project and the follow up of HIV positive patients under antiretroviral treatment

2000-2003

Resident Pharmacist in Dakar’s Teaching Hospital

 - Bacteriology Virology Laboratories, Le Dantec Teaching Hospital

 - National Blood Center of Transfusion, Dakar

 - Biochemistry Laboratory, Le Dantec Teaching Hospital

 - Hematology Biology Laboratory, Le Dantec Teaching Hospital

 - Hematology Biochemistry Laboratories in Saint-Louis’s Hospital (Senegal)

2000-2001

Assistant in training students in year three on Bacteriology Virology techniques in Pharmacy Department, University of Dakar

PARTICIPATION IN CONFERENCES AND TRAINING

November 2004:  Training on Good Clinical Practices. Dakar

December 2003:  International workshop on  Bio-informatics. Dakar

October 2003:   Workshop on “Alternatives techniques in CD4+ count in developing countries”, Dakar

July 2003:   Participation in the 2nd IAS Conference: Treatment and Pathogenesis in HIV/AIDS. France

May 2003:   Training on Tuberculosis ELISPOT anti-interferon-g techniques at Medical Research Council (MRC) of Fajara. Gambie

March 2003:   Participation in “Tropical Network Meeting of Oxford University” on HIV/AIDS, Malaria and Tuberculosis. UK

July- August 2002:   Workshop on Molecular Biology techniques organized by the Senegalese HIV/AIDS and Malaria program. Dakar

THESIS AND REPORT

1 - Bacterial Vaginosis in Dakar “13634 cervical swaps from year 1998 to year 2000”

Pharmacy Degree. Dakar, July 2002

2 - Evaluation of Elispot technique (Enzyme linked ImmunoSpot) anti-interferon-g in Tuberculosis infection diagnosis. Study ongoing

INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE COMMUNICATION

1 - “Bacterial Vaginosis in Dakar”

Gaye Diallo A., Toure AT., Karam F., Toure Kane C., Diop H., Niang Diallo PA., Mboup S.

1st IAS Conference on HIV Pathogenesis and Treatment.

Abstract No 475 July 2001 Buenos Aires, Argentina.

2 - “Sero-prevalence  of HHV8 infection among patients living with HIV/AIDS in Dakar/Senegal”

Karam F., Ndiaye-Diop H., Touré-Kane C., Touré AT., Niang-Diallo PA., Camara M., Gaye-Diallo A., Mboup S.

Abstract N° 929 (Poster)

2nd IAS, Conference on HIV Pathogenesis and Treatment, Paris, France. July 2003.

3 - “ Sero-prevalence  of HHV8 infection among patients living with HIV/AIDS in Dakar/Senegal”

Karam F., Ndiay-Diop H., Toure-Kane C., Toure AT., Niang-Diallo PA., Camara M., Gaye-Diallo A., Mboup S.

XIII ICASA: International Conference on AIDS in Africa, Nairobi, Kenya

Abstract No TuePs580888 September 2003.

4 - “ HHV8 infection in Senegal: Sero-prevalence among several groups around Senegalese population (1369 samples)”

Gaye-Diallo A. Touré AT., Touré-Kane C., Karam F., Diop-Ndiaye H., Guèye-Ndiaye

XIII International Conference on AIDS in Africa (ICASA), Nairobi, Kenya

Abstract No 221041 September 2003.

5 - “Geographical distribution of HHV8 infection among pregnant women in Senegal”

Toure AT., Diop-Ndiaye H., Karam F., Camara M., Niang-Diallo PA., Gaye-Diallo A., De The G., Mboup S. 

XIII International Conference on AIDS in Africa (ICASA), Nairobi, Kenya

Abstract No MonPs293030 September 2003.