Mark Wainberg Fund HighlightsKieran Anderson
Kieran Anderson is a second-year MSc student in Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry at Simon Fraser University. His research focuses on understanding how HIV infection and the HIV viral protein Nef affect the inflammatory character of extracellular vesicles secreted by latently infected or uninfected cells. Thanks to the support from the CAHR Mark Wainberg Fund, Kieran was able to attend the 35th Annual Canadian Conference on HIV/AIDS Research (CAHR 2026) in Winnipeg and present his poster, “Differential Expression of Extracellular Vesicle Surface Markers May Be Associated with Intact HIV Reservoir Size.” Funding allowed him to travel to Winnipeg, participate in his scientific conference, and engage directly with experts in extracellular vesicles and HIV reservoir biology.
The Mark Wainberg Fund was established in 2017 to assist Canadian basic science researchers – working in the realm of HIV virology – to present their work at accredited meetings in Canada and internationally. The program aims to continue Dr. Wainberg’s vision of fostering innovative HIV research and knowledge sharing and is made possible thanks to the support of ViiV Healthcare ULC.
Without this award, Kieran would not have been able to participate in the conference, share his findings, or connect with other HIV researchers across Canada.
“I appreciated getting the chance to meet other young researchers from across the country and talk about our struggles and successes with our research and compare our future career plans. It was a great experience to meet others who share my passion for HIV research.”
At the conference, Kieran had the opportunity to present his work, receive thoughtful feedback, and gain insight into the challenges faced by people living with HIV. He also learned about current development in treatment, vaccines, and cure research. Additionally, this experience helped him understand his own project more deeply and boosted his confidence as a young researcher. Presenting his poster helped him refine his ideas and identify new directions for his master’s research.
“I enjoyed getting the chance to speak with other HIV researchers who are studying similar topics. The discussions we had when I was presenting my poster and the feedback and additional pointers they gave helped me organize my research better and identify new paths to explore.”
This experience influenced Kieran’s future career goals by helping him see how his scientific training connects to real-world HIV challenges. It also supported his goal of applying to medical school by building his non-academic strengths, such as communication, networking, and community engagement.