Translational Science Training to Reduce the Impact of Alcohol on HIV Infection

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Creation of a new T32 program in Florida, focused on alcohol and HIV infection, will fulfill a significant need. The state of Florida currently ranks first in new HIV infections per year, second in total HIV/AIDS cases, and third in total US population. Alcohol consumption contributes to poor HIV outcomes and to ongoing HIV transmission, and the relationships between alcohol consumption and HIV can vary by age, gender, ethnicity, and sexual orientation. The University of Florida is an ideal location to host the proposed T32, not only due to its geographic location and access to diverse populations, but also due to our growing NIH-supported alcohol research and infrastructure. The overall objective of this T32 grant is to train and mentor the next generation of researchers who have the skills, knowledge and experience to improve health outcomes in those affected by alcohol and HIV. We need a research task force that is capable of developing and implementing alcohol intervention across diverse populations, who can use novel data systems and sources, and who seek to reduce comorbidities associated with aging. Thus, the specific aims of our training program are to a) deliver an academic curriculum, b) provide outstanding mentoring, c) ensure skills in communication of science, d) provide experience in team science, and e) maximize professionalism and ethical conduct of research. The training program will support up to four pre-doctoral and two post-doctoral trainees at any given time, and several potential candidates have already expressed interest. Trainees will be based in the following academic programs: Epidemiology, Biostatistics, Clinical and Health Psychology, Nursing Science, Health Education and Behavior, and/or the Interdisciplinary Program in Medicine. These programs represent a broad range of health- related disciplines, ensuring trainees will have state of the art training in team science. Our 18 faculty mentors span four colleges and eight departments at UF. Each bring unique skills and expertise related to alcohol and HIV. The training program will ensure appropriate depth in knowledge regarding alcohol, HIV, and three additional focus areas that represent areas of strength in ongoing research at UF: a) health behavior intervention science; b) epidemiology and data science; and c) cognitive science related to aging. The training program will be closely integrated with Southern HIV Alcohol Research Consortium (SHARC), which is supported by over $10 million in ongoing NIAAA funding through 2021. The T32 will be led by three MPIs who each have specific administrative roles, and who will obtain input from an Internal Steering Committee, an Advisory Council, and ongoing program evaluations. UF is an outstanding training environment with many supporting resources, including a pledge to provide an additional $500,000 in overall support to our specific training program. Ultimately, the impact of the training program will be judged by the long-term track record of trainees who complete the training program, which we will monitor over time.