María del Rosario (MaR) León Rhandomy

Community Engagement Resource Unit for Peru Clinical Trials Unit, which serves 5 Clinical Trial sites in Peru.

MaR is a social communicator with a master’s degree in social policies and with more than 20 years of experience working in the field of HIV, TB, COVID-19 among different STDs. Since 2016, she is Head of the Community Engagement Resource Unit for Peru CTU where we implement community involvement strategies with: i) GLTB communities for HIV prevention, vaccination and treatment trials; ii) low risk population (heterosexual women and men) For HIV treatment trials and ii) treatment and prevention trial for people affected by TB and MDR and their House hold contacts. MaR serves as co chair from HVTN, ACTG and HPTN community education working groups, and participated in Community Partners, CRAG/TBTC and MTN CWG. Her responsibilities include development and implementation of community education strategies, CAB liaison, for several treatment and prevention trials.

MaR recognized Community involvement as a key element in education, recruitment and retention actions. This is achieved not only through the relationship of mutual learning from researchers and community stakeholders, but also through understanding of community needs and perspectives as partners on clinical trials.