OHTN Applied HIV Research Chair
Curtis Cooper studies the optimum treatment and care of people living with Hepatitis C (HCV) and Hepatitis C/HIV co-infection (HIV/HCV)
Research Findings
- Curtis Cooper has had an important role in developing and evaluating the use of treatment regimens that do not contain interferon for the treatment of HCV, and continues to work towards the broader application of these therapies.
- Part of an international team of researchers who documented the barriers to the consistent use of HIV antiviral therapy. Their work showed similar challenges in many different settings in both the developed and developing world.
Curtis Cooper’s research publications
Current Projects
- Metabolic Disease in HCV and HCV/HIV Infection and the Use of New Antiviral Therapies – HCV and HIV infection have both been associated with the increased risk of diabetes, high lipid levels and disturbances in insulin levels. These effects lead to many of the known complications of both conditions. This study is evaluating treatment regimens to minimize these complications.
- Preventing Liver Fibrosis – Liver fibrosis is a serious, potentially fatal, consequence of both HCV and HIV/HCV co-infection. This study investigates the use of the diabetes drug metformin to prevent fibrosis.
- Mental Health Supports for HCV and HIV/HCV Treatment – Current treatments for HCV often have difficult side effects; better services are needed to prepare and support patients.
- Development of a Regional Outreach / Ontario TeleMedicine Program and for HCV and HIV – This study is piloting telemedicine services in Eastern Ontario.
- HCV and HIV/HCV Engagement in Care Pilot – A pilot intervention to improve retention of at-risk people in care for these conditions.
Work Environment and Collaborations:
Curtis Cooper is an Associate Professor of Medicine at the University of Ottawa and an Infectious Disease Specialist at The Ottawa Hospital where he works with a large practice of people living with Hepatitis C and Hepatitis C/HIV co-infection. He is working with other clinician scientists to develop new Canadian HIV/HCV treatment guidelines.
Curtis Cooper is a leader of the Canadian Observational Cohort (CANOC), and works with the CIHR CTN HIV-HCV Co-Infection Cohort, and the OHTN Cohort Study (OCS) in addition to maintaining his own viral hepatitis and HIV clinic cohorts. He continues to work to support and expand these cohorts and to foster collaboration between them to better understand issues in HIV/HCV care, and to increase the participation of Indigenous people and other at-risk populations in this research. He collaborates extensively with other OHTN clinical researchers including Sharon Walmsley and Janet Raboud.
OHTN Support:
Curtis Cooper holds an OHTN Applied HIV Research Chair focused on research to improve HIV/HCV care ($750,000; 2013-20180. First funded by OHTN in 2002.