Center for AIDS Research

点击翻译按钮获取中文摘要

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This proposal is a competing renewal for the Penn Center for AIDS Research (CFAR), which includes the University of Pennsylvania, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, and The Wistar Institute. The Penn CFAR links HIV/AIDS investigators at these institutions and is committed to goals laid out in the NIH CFAR mission statement and fostering interdisciplinary HIV/AIDS research activities on the Penn/CHOP/Wistar campus. The CFAR's Specific Aims are to: (1) provide leadership that creates and supports infrastructure for innovative, interdisciplinary, collaborative, and translational HIV/AIDS research: (2) identify new areas of scientific opportunity in HIV/AIDS research; (3) create, sponsor and facilitate educational and training programs across diverse scientific areas and play a leadership role in mentoring the next generation of HIV/AIDS investigators; (4) conduct and coordinate community outreach efforts: (5) promote collaborative and synergistic activities and research programs between CFARs that extend the added value of individual CFARs; and (6) develop partnerships with institutions and investigators outside the U.S. that strengthen capacity for HIV/AIDS research and mentoring in developing countries and resource limited settings most affected by the AIDS pandemic. The Penn CFAR includes four Research Areas: Virology/ Pathogenesis, Clinical/Therapeutics, Immunology/Vaccine, and Behavioral & Social Sciences, and has created three forward-looking and dynamic Scientific Working Groups to meet key emerging scientific priorities and opportunities in HIV/AIDS research. The Center is directed by Dr. James Hoxie, co-directed by Dr. Ronald Collman and governed by an Executive Committee with input from an Internal Advisory Board and External Advisory Committee. The CFAR has a Developmental Core and seven Shared Resource Cores: Clinical, Viral/Molecular, Immunology, Behavioral & Social Sciences, Biostatistics & Data Management. Nonhuman Primate, and International. These Cores provide unique services for HIV/AIDS research that are not available elsewhere on campus, leadership and education. The Center remains committed to developing a creative, comprehensive, and interdisciplinary AIDS research program that is fully integrated with the research and educational missions of Penn, CHOP and Wistar and dedicated to meeting the ongoing challenges of the AIDS pandemic. RELEVANCE: This CFAR will build on the success and strengths of its three previous funding cycles to 1) provide strong, experienced, and proactive leadership; 2) contribute to a rich environment of interdisciplinary HIV/AIDS science; 3) develop and lead new initiatives in cutting-edge areas that address the NIH Strategic Plan for HIV research; and 4) foster collegial and collaborative relationships among its investigators.