Core M: Implementation Science

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Abstract Advances in HIV prevention and treatment interventions, together with unprecedented investments to bring these interventions to scale, presents an opportunity to prevent new infections, avert HIV-related morbidity and mortality, and dramatically alter the HIV/AIDS epidemic. However, the full potential of recent scientific advances in HIV treatment and prevention has yet to be realized, and efficacious interventions have not been adequately scaled into effective programs. Implementation science can improve the uptake and effectiveness of these programs, and impact health at the population level. Given the imperative to translate evidence-based interventions into widely implemented programs, implementation science is a scientific priority for the NIH, domestic and global public health agencies, and UW/Fred Hutch CFAR members. The UW/Fred Hutch CFAR is ideally situated to link implementation science research with public health programs both within the U.S., and globally. Our CFAR faculty is at the forefront in defining multidisciplinary, implementation science research methods, and has developed novel training curricula in public health and implementation science. Furthermore, CFAR-affiliated investigators lead diverse programs to implement and scale-up HIV prevention and treatment interventions that have developed strong, collaborative relationships with health departments throughout the U.S. and internationally. We propose to establish a new Implementation Science Core to develop implementation science expertise within the CFAR community, fostering new interdisciplinary implementation science research, and linking UW’s research and public health activities to promote implementation science in real-world public health settings. This effort will create new training opportunities for junior researchers, lead to new and innovative research, and ultimately improve the speed, efficiency, and quality of efforts to translate scientific evidence on HIV prevention and care into effective, large scale health programs. ISC’s specific aims are: 1) to build HIV research capacity and foster local, national and international academic-public health collaborations related to implementation research though short courses, seminars, and online training; and 2) to increase externally funded, domestic and international implementation science research projects involving academic institutions and public health agencies. To advance these aims, the ISC will support trainings and seminars to build investigators’ skills related to implementation science and draw new researchers into the field; form a mentorship group for junior faculty designed to foster the development of new competitive research proposals; provide consulting and analytic expertise to CFAR-affiliated researchers on grant applications and in support of ongoing projects in areas related to implementation science; and create linkages between CFAR investigators and international and domestic health departments to identify and cultivate collaborative research.