UNC Center for AIDS Research Core B Developmental

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PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT – DEVELOPMENTAL CORE (CORE B) The Developmental Core (Dev Core, Core B) supports emerging and innovative work within the CFAR with special emphasis on underrepresented minorities (URM) and international Early Stage Investigators (ESIs). Dev Core will accomplish this through six overarching aims: providing mentoring services and Pilot Awards to support our HIV/AIDS community; undertake new initiatives that build on and enhance the Core’s track record of success; partner with other CFAR Cores, CFARs, and institutional programs to implement funding services and mentoring supports; support CFAR Scientific Working Groups and Research Interest Groups through training and mentoring opportunities; conduct strategic planning, dissemination, outreach and evaluation to assure effectiveness the Core’s functioning; and conduct the Core’s work in alignment with CFAR standardized policies and procedures. To achieve these aims the Dev Core provides a range of services, foremost of which is funding supports in the form of competitive mentored Pilot Awards (12 months, up to $40,000) aligned with NIH HIV research priorities targeted to ESIs and senior investigators new to HIV. This includes researchers affiliated with the CFAR institutions (UNC-CH, FHI 360, RTI), North Carolina Historically Black Colleges and Universities (NC HBCU), and international investigators with a strong connection to the CFAR. The Core also provides microgrants (up to $5000) to support ESI achievement of research outcomes such as data analysis to strengthen NIH funding applications or research dissemination; Pilot Award supplements ($10,000) for research aligned with SWG priorities; and funding for a Summer HBCU & URM Fellowship to provide protected research time for HBCU ESI faculty. The Core ensures that all Pilot Awards and CFAR Administrative Supplements have appropriate regulatory and NIH approvals and monitors progress toward publication and funding outcomes for the same. ESI mentoring and training supports are provided through one-on-one interactions as well as peerbased mechanisms including a Developmental Cohort open to all ESI with a UNC CFAR affiliation, and an HBCU Cohort to address context-specific needs. The Dev Core provides structured resources such as orientation meetings and resource data bases for mentors, Awardees, and Cohort members and partners with other CFAR Cores to support the Pilot Award program through mentoring, proposal reviews, and access to reduced fee or free Core services. The Core further leverages other developmental programs such as the UNC CTSA and inter-CFAR resources such as the UCSF mentoring-the-mentors program to efficiently achieve Dev Core goals. The Core effectively uses a broad range of tools for communicating with and serving the Dev Core’s geographically dispersed user base, including on-line meetings, webinars, on-site meetings, and the CFAR’s online resources and listserv. The work of the Core will be guided by consultation with the Administrative Core, other CFAR Core Directors, surveys of the CFAR membership, an Internal Advisory Board, and an External Advisory Board.