For the latest updates, trends, and opportunities for all things
multipurpose prevention technologies (MPTs)
Happy New Year! Like you, we’re deeply invested in advancing multipurpose prevention technologies (MPTs)—combination products designed to simultaneously prevent HIV, other sexually transmitted infections (STIs), and/or unintended pregnancy.

This year, we’ll continue our work facilitating the product-neutral platform dedicated to advancing the MPT field. The IMPT’s newly launched “MPT Insider” provides updates on MPT-relevant funding opportunities, conferences, career opportunities, webinars, journal articles, and more. Please check it out below. If you have any news that you’d like to communicate to IMPT network partners, let us know and we'll help spread the word.

We look forward to collaborating with you to address MPT fieldwide priority areas, advocate for MPT support, and bring MPTs to the women who need them most. We wish for your continued progress in MPT research, development, and advocacy.

Best regards,
Secretariat Staff
Funding Opportunities

Check out upcoming opportunities below, and see other available opportunities here.

The Office of HIV/AIDS (GH/OHA) will be supporting a consortium of diverse organizations and stakeholders to synergistically advance the introduction of new and existing biomedical prevention products, like anti-infective MPTs, and approaches while proactively addressing challenges and gaps that delay or prevent introduction of and access to these HIV prevention products. View link for more.

The Office of HIV/AIDS (GH/OHA) is bringing together a collaboration of partners that will accelerate the research and development (R&D) of new HIV prevention products, like anti-infective MPTs, that women can choose to protect themselves, and address the continuing and disproportionately high rates of HIV incidence in women, especially adolescent girls and young women in sub-Saharan Africa. View link for more.

The HPTN is calling for new research concepts from HPTN and non-HPTN affiliated investigators. Submissions that fit HPTN’s mission, objectives, and scientific priorities as well as address any of their four research pillars will be considered, which includes developing multipurpose prevention technologies for HIV prevention as well as for contraception, prevention of other sexually transmitted infections or opioid dependence. Letters of Intent will be accepted until 1 March.
Conferences and Convenings

27-28 January, 3-4 February | HIVR4P 2021 is featuring 5 symposiums and abstract sessions on MPTs. See the program!

2-3 February | Join ICFP’s first-ever #NotWithoutFP Forum featuring exciting programmatic sessions, engaging digital programming on ICFPLive! Virtual Exhibit Hall. This forum will also act as a springboard for ICFP 2021 conference in November. Register today!

23 February | WHIS Contraception Innovation Summit, which places women at the center of contraceptive research, innovations, and education will feature several IMPT network partners. IMPT Executive Director, Bethany Young Holt will give a talk addressing broader areas of women’s health that intersect with contraception in low- and middle-income settings and how synergies can be developed and leveraged. Learn more!

18-21 July | IAS 2021 will be held virtually on 18-21 July. Registrations will open in February and abstracts contributing to basic, clinical, prevention, and sociobehavioral sciences are being accepted. Submit your conference abstracts by 10 February. Additionally, IAS is continuing to support rising researchers from resource-limited settings through the Abstract Mentor Programme (AMP). If you’re interested in improving your writing skills and receiving mentorship, submit draft abstracts for expert review by 25 January.


Contact us if you or your colleagues are attending any upcoming meetings where MPTs will be featured. We’re happy to provide materials to help enhance your presentations. We’d also love to include any materials that you share with us from recent MPT-relevant events in our MPT Resource Center.
Career Opportunities

Are you interested in career pathways in MPT research? We want to support your development as the next generation of HIV prevention and reproductive health professionals. See resources here!


ACLU Northern California is seeking a Staff Attorney for the Gender, Sexuality & Reproductive Justice Program to be based in San Francisco, Sacramento, or Fresno. This individual will be an advocate with experience in gender justice, advocacy for LGBTQ people or reproductive justice. Individuals who have a strong commitment to racial and social justice and have a demonstrated history of applying an intersectional lens to your work are encouraged to apply. See link for more.

AVAC is seeking a Communications Director to lead its efforts to communicate AVAC’s mission, activities and priorities; inform global audiences about responses to the increasingly complex and diverse HIV epidemic; and inspire action. This newly created position will sit on AVAC’s Senior Management Team (SMT) and serve as both head of the Communications team and an organizational spokesperson and leader. See link for details.

AVAC is also hiring a Controller to lead all accounting operations of a budget of $16 million. The Controller manages a team of two, and is responsible for overseeing all accounting-related activities including financial record-keeping, accounts payable, accounts receivable, monthly and annual closes, and preparation of financial statements. See link for details.

Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative (DNDi) and The Global Antibiotic Research & Development Partnership (GARDP) Southern Africa is seeking a Clinical Trial Manager to provide support to coordinating GARDP’s regional clinical activities and developing clinical trial capability portfolio of clinical projects. Apply by 4 February 2021.

Guttmacher Institute, a global leader in advancing sexual and reproductive health and rights, is hiring a Director of Research Operations, Vice President for Development, and more. See link for more.

Population Services International (PSI), a global nonprofit organization focused on the encouragement of healthy behavior and affordability of health products, is offering several career opportunities in reproductive health from research and evaluation to program management. See their Careers page to learn more.

The Lawyering Project, a legal advocacy organization that blends traditional impact litigation with movement lawyering to promote reproductive health, rights, and justice throughout the United States, is seeking to fill several positions. See their Careers page to learn about the following openings: Project Assistant, Paralegal, Legal Counsel, and Operations Director.
Journal Articles and MPT-Relevant Reports

Vaginal administration of contraceptives. Jalalvandi et al. (2020). Scientia Pharmaceutica. doi.org/10.3390/scipharm89010003.

MTN social and behavioral compendium. (2021). Microbicide Trials Network.
Webinars

“Let’s Talk MPTs” from the IMPT
This ongoing webinar discussion series is aimed to stimulate increased interest in non-hormonal contraceptive MPTs covering an array of topics to help advance the MPT field by addressing priority action areas identified through our recent MPT fieldwide gap analyses. These topics will include integrating sociobehavioral research into MPT R&D and toxicology considerations for MPT development and testing. A save-the-date for our next webinar will be circulated soon!


Missed our previous discussion? Hear from Drs. Ravel and Deese about the vaginal microbiota and potential implications for MPT development!
Support Our Work

Globally, 89 million unintended pregnancies occur annually and HIV is the leading killer for women aged 15–44. Help us advance MPTs from the lab to women’s hands so we can address these and other interlinked reproductive health risks. Donate on our website today!
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