Inter-CFAR Women and HIV Biennial Symposium

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PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT The goal of the Inter-CFAR biennial Women and HIV symposium is to share cutting edge research across the national CFAR network and beyond, extend knowledge and foster action to address gaps toward understanding the complex clinical, biologic and socio-behavioral aspects of HIV in cis- and transgender women. In contrast to most other conferences, the symposium focuses on all aspects of HIV in the context of women including structural and behavioral factors impacting their vulnerability while also serving as a venue for highlighting the work of early-stage investigators including underrepresented minorities. Very few national conferences feature representatives of these groups in such a prominent role, drawing together researchers who may not otherwise have such opportunities. The format of the symposium enables dialogue among the attendees to maximize the effectiveness of strategies to advance the field and promote mentoring and development of early-stage and under-represented investigators. The symposium will continue to be a medium that provides major support and opportunities for early-stage investigators and underrepresented minorities to attend as participants through travel scholarships, to present oral and poster abstracts, and to engage in mentoring activities, and networking sessions with senior leaders in the field. The 9th Inter-CFAR biennial Women and HIV symposium will be hosted by the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF)-Bay Area CFAR. The overarching theme of the 2023 symposium will be on “Women and HIV across the Lifespan” and highlight three clinically significant and evolving areas of research: 1) Reproductive Health, in particular the US Perinatal Guidelines on Breastfeeding with HIV: From Policy to Practice; 2) Antiretroviral Therapy and Metabolism in the era of INSTIs: Sex and Gender Differences; and 3) Aging with HIV Across the Gender Spectrum. Invited talks for session 1 will focus on the perspectives of leading HIV researchers in obstetrics and pediatrics, and the patient. Sessions 2 and 3 will integrate cutting edge talks in basic, clinical, and social and behavioral sciences. Panel discussions will be held at the end of each session’s invited talks followed by oral presentations of selected abstracts in the theme of each session. Moderators to keep sessions on track and guide panel discussions will be selected to ensure racial/ethnic and gender diversity and a range of investigators from early career to senior for each session. The panels will clarify key questions and develop future research strategies that will advance the field. Opportunities for informal networking between early career and senior investigators in the field will be provided throughout the meeting including a reception with the poster session on the first evening. These will be complemented by mentoring focused sessions during the lunch breakout time that will highlight grant preparation advice, current NIH funding priorities and opportunities, and CFAR-related resources available to facilitate women’s focused research. We anticipate similar outcomes to past symposia including new collaborations, innovative approaches to research conduct, and advances in career development.