HIV and Aging: From the Mitochondria to the Metropolis

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HIV and Aging: From the Mitochondria to the Metropolis ABSTRACT Building on the success of our first NIA-supported HIV and Aging conference held in October 2014, the primary aims of this R13 application are to: a) Advance the state of the science on HIV and aging and speed translation of findings to the community by conducting 3 conferences over a 5 year period; and b) Create and build a pipeline of diverse multidisciplinary scientists who will conduct translational research focusing on the gaps in knowledge and research related to HIV and Aging. The findings and recommendations from the Office of AIDS Research Working Group on HIV and Aging (OAR WG) form the foundation and framework for our conferences. Our intent is to attract and bring together experts, clinicians, early stage investigators, and community leaders from the fields of both HIV and Aging. We expect these conferences to lead to the following outcomes: a) increase knowledge in the field and provide a viable mechanism for translating basic and clinical science findings to the community of persons living with HIV/AIDS (PLWH) (i. e, from the “mitochondria to the metropolis”); b) Interdisciplinary collaborations focused on clinical and research gaps; c) Development of a pipeline of new HIV and Aging researchers and development of research proposals related to the research agenda outlined by the OAR WG and operationalized via the conferences; d) dissemination of conference content to a broad range of professionals. The conferences will be planned by Executive and Scientific Boards with substantial representation from the community and include content experts for planning the second and third conferences. The Executive Board will be led by Co-PI’s who co-direct Emory’s CFAR Scientific Working Group on HIV and Aging with strong collaboration by CFARs and Centers for Aging. All conferences will be held in Atlanta, GA. The specific themes of the three conferences include: Functional Wellness (2017): A person-centered, bio-behavioral approach to maximizing health and wellness that acknowledges and addresses both internal (e.g., health behavior, individual responses to stress and illness) and external (e.g., environmental health) factors that impact aging. Aging and Special Populations (2019): The unique needs of sub-groups of aging PLWH who require specialized interventions and treatment. They include racial/ethnic minorities; women; MSM; transgender; veterans; substance users; those co-infected with hepatitis C; and homeless or marginally housed. Population Determinants of Health (2021): The range of individual behavioral, genetic and biological, and social determinants, including social/societal characteristics, physical environment, and health services, that shape health and wellness of older PLWH. All three conferences and their corresponding themes address critical knowledge gaps identified by the OAR WG. Each conference will weave together basic and physiologic science, behavioral/psychosocial science, clinical aspects of care, and the community experiences and perspectives of PLWH and their caregivers.