The conference was held virtually from May 5-7, 2021. CAHR extends its appreciation to Conference co-chairs -- Dr. Carol Strike (Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto) and Dr. Shariq Haider (McMaster University) -- and the entire Scientific Planning Committee.
Virtual conference participants enjoyed all the activities that make the CAHR Conference an engaging learning experience including: plenary sessions; special sessions on a wide variety of topics; oral abstracts and poster viewings; and opportunities to converse and network with colleagues and friends.
The theme of CAHR 2021 was “Maintaining Our Focus”, aligned with the reality of the COVID-19 pandemic which brought with it many parallels to the early days of HIV. As described in the Conference program:
"Not so long ago, we anxiously monitored the rise and fall of new HIV case numbers around the world and carefully watched the daily updates on the spread of what was a lethal and barely understood disease. While the promise of a vaccine gives us hope of soon ending the COVID-19 pandemic, we have felt this hope before in the context of HIV. The stark reality is that the HIV virus will continue to be a major health concern, long after a COVID-19 vaccine is distributed and people adapt to a new normal. And while the attention dedicated over the last year to COVID-19 has been critical, at the same time, we must maintain our focus on the reality that thousands of new HIV infections continue to occur each year in Canada and the number of people living with the disease in Canada is rising. That is why we will come together virtually to pay tribute to the dedication and accomplishments of Canadian HIV researchers across all disciplines and communities."
Below is an overview of the Conference proceedings.
Posters: All e-poster PDF presentations are available for viewing via the Virtual Conference Program. To view a poster click on ‘Virtual Conference Program’ above then select the poster abstracts by track. Click on the ‘View Poster PDF’ button underneath each abstract.
