Duke CFAR Newsletter - August 31, 2022
In this newsletter:
News from the CFAR
Upcoming Events
Funding Opportunities
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In case you missed it: AIDSVu releases landmark PrEP data | |
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AIDSVu released the first-ever publicly available state-level PrEP use data and maps by race/ethnicity from 2012 to 2021, showing that while PrEP use has increased on average 56% each year since its approval in 2012, there are significant inequities in PrEP use among Black and Hispanic people and in the Southern region of the country. In 2021, there were only 3 Black and 6 Hispanic/Latinx PrEP users for each new HIV diagnosis within those racial/ethnic groups, compared to 26 white PrEP users for each new HIV diagnosis among white people. In the South, there were 7 PrEP users for each new HIV diagnosis in the region, compared to 15 PrEP users for each new HIV diagnosis in the Northeast.
These landmark data presented at the 24th International AIDS Conference are now available on AIDSVu, along with the addition of data from 2020 and 2021 to AIDSVu’s existing state- and county-level PrEP use data. Together, these data provide a first look at the potential impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on PrEP use. These data are an important step forward in AIDSVu’s efforts to improve PrEP awareness and uptake, particularly in the communities and areas of the country where it is needed most. Read more and access the data.
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Register for the CFAR Fall Scientific Retreat! Abstracts due September 2 | |
Registration is now open for the 18th Annual CFAR Fall Scientific Retreat! The retreat will be held Thursday, September 22nd. We are excited to be back in person this year at the JB Duke Hotel. The program will run from 9am-3:30pm, with continental breakfast available at 8:30am. Registration is free.
All pre- and post-doctoral trainees, as well as junior faculty conducting HIV/AIDS-related research at Duke are encouraged to submit an abstract for a poster presentation at the 18th annual CFAR Fall Scientific Retreat. Four abstracts will be selected for oral presentation. Please see the call for abstracts for more details.
Abstract submissions are due by Friday, September 2.
This is an opportunity to share your research design, progress, and new insights with others in the Duke University community. Final results are not required, and ‘works in progress’ and posters that have been recently presented at other meetings are welcome.
This year’s retreat will feature:
Keynote Speaker:
Brian Mustanski, PhD
Co-Director, Third Coast Center for AIDS Research
Director, Institute for Sexual and Gender Minority Health and Wellbeing
Co-Director, Center for Prevention Implementation Methodology
Plenary Speaker:
Chris Beyrer, MD, MPH
Incoming Director, Duke Global Health Institute
A full draft agenda is available on the website.
Learn more about the retreat and register on the CFAR website.
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2022 Quantitative Methods for HIV Researchers Summer Interns reflect on the summer | |
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The Quantitative Methods for HIV Researchers Summer Internship program offers full-time summer internships for graduate students in the quantitative sciences to conduct research in leading HIV/AIDS laboratories, co-mentored by both an HIV/AIDS researcher and quantitative science faculty. These internships immerse graduate students in the quantitative sciences necessary for research currently underway in leading HIV/AIDS laboratories. HIV/AIDS focused PIs submit their proposals in the fall and student applicants are screened and matched with appropriate projects in Clinical, Translational, or Socio-behavioral Science.
This summer, fifteen interns were paired with a Duke CFAR PI and Quantitative Mentor to support an ongoing research project. We asked a few interns to share their experiences and reflect on the summer.
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Orlando Ferrer
Duke University Math PhD program
PI: Thuy Le
Quantitative Mentor: Tina Davenport
What was the project you worked on for your internship?
I worked on developing a model to predict/identify which HIV-positive individuals were most at risk for a fungal infection called talaromycosis.
What were your training goals coming into the summer program?
I wanted to get a broader range of research experience, learn how to work on projects where I am dealing with real-world data, and to gain more programming experience.
What do you hope to do in the future?
Not too sure about my exact career path since I just finished my first year of a PhD program, but I’d like to either work as a teacher in some capacity, or in some university setting (like in a biostatistics lab potentially)
What was your favorite part of the summer internship?
Getting to meet and interact with new students outside of my small department!
What is your favorite thing about summer?
Going to the beach on a warm, sunny day and playing sand volleyball with my friends!
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Mahmoud Harding
Mathematics Instructor at the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics; Graduate Student in Statistics at NC State University
PI: Lance Okeke
Quantitative Mentor: Tina Davenport
What was the project you worked on for your internship?
I worked on a project to investigate the weight gain in patients that switched treatment regimens. My work included lots of data cleaning and data wrangling to put the data in a format that would be conducive for statistical analysis.
What were your training goals coming into the summer program?
I wanted to work with real data. I teach a data science course at NCSSM but I didn't have experience outside of academia. This experience highlighted the importance of good communication skills. I learned so much from my mentor Dr. Tina Davenport about data cleaning, programming, asking good questions, planning and being able to adjust plans based on new information. In addition, I learned a lot from my Principal Investigator. Dr. Lance Okeke taught me a lot about HIV medications and the history of how treatments have developed and improved over time.
What do you hope to do in the future?
For sure I want to finish this project and present our results. I also want to be able to design a similar experience for my students. I think it would great for my students to see how doctors and statisticians work together on research. And they would be able to learn a lot about the history of HIV and HIV treatments.
What was your favorite part of the summer internship?
Outside of working with Tina and Lance it would be the sessions on the history and development of HIV treatments. Those were fascinating. I learned so much about the disease and how social perceptions played a major role in the way HIV patients were treated and the effort that was made to find a cure.
What is your favorite thing about summer?
Definitely going on vacation to the beach and eating fresh vegetables from farmer's market (preferably from my dad's garden).
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Help us recruit for the Durham-Duke CFAR Collaborative Community Council!
Over the past year, and with input from prior community advisory board members and new leadership team, we have been working to create a new Durham-Duke CFAR Collaborative Community Council. The Council Co-Chairs are José R. and Eugenia R., and our Council Senior Advisor is Rita M.
We are now recruiting for up to 12 at-large, compensated member positions on the Council! We are looking for people who care about HIV treatment and prevention to join. The Council will give feedback on HIV research done at the Duke Center for AIDS Research.
Members will:
- Meet every other month with other community members and researchers from the CFAR
- Help plan CFAR community outreach efforts
- Review research projects and make suggestions on how to make them better for people in the studies
- Identify research topics that are important to community
If you know anyone who might be interested or have connections with community organizations, please help us spread the word! Council members do not need to reside in Durham.
For more information, follow the Link to Application. If anyone has any questions, they can email Lizzy Knippler at elizabeth.knippler@duke.edu
Applications are due September 30th, and all applicants will be asked to schedule a 20-minute interview.
Share the Council member application.
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Tomorrow! "Taking Science to the Streets" with Dr. Cameron Wolfe
Thursday, September 1, 2022 |5pm ET | Zoom
Please plan to join us Thursday, September 1st at 5:00pm ET to kick-off our fall sessions of “Taking Science to the Streets” with Dr. Cameron Wolfe to discuss pandemic preparedness and monkeypox.
Join Zoom Meeting
https://duke.zoom.us/j/92025737549?pwd=Y0hZNjdGNENrckVlNk5hYmovSTIyQT09
Meeting ID: 920 2573 7549
Passcode: 626743
Dial by your location
+1 646 931 3860 US
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Virtual Interactive Seminar Series: Why Behavioral Interventions Work (or Don't Work)
September 13, October 4, & November 1, 2022 |9:30am ET
Key to understanding successful behavior change are mechanisms, the processes through which change occurs. These mechanisms are understudied in behavioral science. The aim of this series is to promote the use of mechanistic theory in HIV-related behavior change research and to provide resources that can guide mechanism-focused behavioral science.
Across three sessions, participants will: (1) be introduced to a widely used approach for theory-based intervention design and conceptualization of mechanisms by the developers of the Behaviour Change Wheel; (2) learn mechanism-focused research methods, access online resources to incorporate mechanisms into their own research, and practice designing their own mechanistic research study; and (3) review and discuss examples of HIV studies that have tested mechanisms underlying behavior change.
Presenters include Dr. Susan Michie and Dr. Robert West (University College London); Dr. Janna Hastings (University of Zurich and University of St. Gallen); Dr. Marie Johnston (University of Aberdeen); and Dr. Talea Cornelius and Dr. Kathy Sikkema (Columbia University).
Sponsored by the HIV Center for Clinical and Behavioral Studies at New York State Psychiatric Institute and Columbia University and the Science of Behavior Change Project at Columbia University.
Register for the seminar series.
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Inaugural Inter-CFAR Mycobacteria Symposium | |
Tuesday, October 6, 2022 |1-5pm ET | Cambridge, MA & Virtual | |
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Register for a hybrid, synergistic symposium focused on the intersection of clinical and research topics in TB, non-tuberculous mycobacteria, and TB/HIV co-infection.
Learn more and register for the symposium.
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CFAR Immunology Core Workshop: Multiplex Profiling by Luminex
Thursday, October 13, 2022 8:30m ET | Hanes House 131 Auditorium & Zoom
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The Luminex platform enables plate-based analysis of multiple analytes in a small sample volume. The first 60 minutes of the half-day CFAR Luminex workshop are for those new to Luminex or those that would like a refresher and covers the principles of the platform, comparisons to other immunoassays, commercial kit options, requesting assays through Duke / CFAR cores, and basic data analysis.
The remaining 2.5 hours of the workshop are for individuals planning to run or develop their own Luminex assays and covers experimental design, assay development and optimization, advanced data analysis, and future directions of the platform.
The workshop will be held in-person and streamed live via Zoom.
In-person registration will be limited to the first 50 registrants that select that option.
Learn more and register for the Luminex workshop.
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Deadline Sept 12: Duke Center for HIV Structural Biology - Developmental Core Funding Opportunity | |
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The Duke Center for HIV Structural Biology (DCHSB) invites proposals for an HIV research funding opportunity (Collaborative Development Awards - CDA).
Early-career HIV investigators and investigators new to HIV research from under-represented racial and ethnic groups are encouraged to apply. The program is intended to broadly support HIV-related structural studies aligned with the goals of the Center.
Applications must be submitted electronically no later than September 12, 2022, 5 p.m. EST.
The award covers one year of funding up to $175,000 in total costs.
Applications will be peer-reviewed by a panel convened by the Center’s investigators. Proposals will be evaluated on scientific merit, rigor, quality of project, and impact on HIV research. Our intent is to complete reviews and start funding by December 1, 2022.
Additional details and application information can be found on the Developmental Core Funding Opportunity webpage. For project-related questions, please contact Whitney Beck, BS, Scientific Program Leader (whitney.beck@duke.edu).
Learn more and apply.
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Duke CFAR Special Funding RFP addressing intersection of HIV and Monkeypox
The Duke Center for AIDS Research (CFAR) is soliciting applications for grants of up to $60,000 Direct Costs for one-year research projects that address the intersection of HIV and the Monkeypox Virus.
Application Deadline: September 30, 2022
The purpose of this funding opportunity is to support research aimed at evaluating all issues at the intersection of the current monkeypox outbreak and people living with HIV (PLWH). Proposals on basic biology, pathogenesis/immunology, epidemiology, clinical care, vaccines, and sociobehavioral considerations, will all be considered. Proposals must focus on PLWH cohorts and not monkeypox monoinfections, except for the purposes of a comparison or control. Studies on persons currently on PrEP are also acceptable. Proposals that include efforts to counteract stigmatization are also of particular interest, as are those including evaluation of sexual and racial minorities, women, and healthcare access and equity. Collaborative proposals engaging non-traditional CFAR investigators at Duke are highly encouraged. The award is for up to $60K in direct costs for up to 1 year.
Please direct questions to cfar-dev-core@duke.edu
See the RFP or the CFAR website for more details.
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2023 CFAR Adelante Program RFA released
The DC and Emory CFARs are excited to announce the NIH has opened the 2023 Adelante RFA.
Adelante - meaning forward or onward in Spanish – is funded by the NIH/NIMHD and administered through two NIH-funded Centers for AIDS Research (CFARs): District of Columbia and Emory University. Through this program, the NIH strives to promote the mentored development of early-career investigators who focus on HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment, and care in Latina/x/o communities.
The Adelante program supports 2-year Adelante Teams consisting of a scholar (Early Stage Investigator), a CFAR-affiliated mentor, and a collaborating partner representative who is from a Community-based Organization that serves Hispanic and/or Latina/x/o populations. Adelante teams should be supportive, diverse, and interdisciplinary. Proposed research should be community-based and reflect local Hispanic and/or Latina/x/o-community needs, as identified by science and the local community.
Research proposal topics may include but are not limited to:
- Developing, testing, and implementing strategies to improve HIV testing and entry into prevention services by Hispanic and/or Latina/x/o people.
- Long-term prevention strategies specific to Hispanic and/or Latina/x/o populations for HIV-relevant coinfections and comorbid conditions across the lifespan
- Effective socio-behavioral interventions to achieve uptake of HIV prevention and treatment strategies by Hispanic and/or Latina/x/o people and reduce health disparities among the population.
- Implementation research tailored specifically for Hispanic and/or Latina/x/o populations that are designed to ensure that biomedical and other prevention and treatment strategies are initiated as soon as possible, that retention and engagement in treatment services are increased, and/or that maintenance of optimal prevention and treatment responses are achieved.
- Research that examines HIV-related health and social issues in Hispanic and/or Latina/x/o populations, such as other infectious or non-infectious conditions and substance use or mental health disorders that are clearly linked with HIV (transmission/acquisition, pathogenesis, morbidity and mortality, stigma) in sub-populations or settings with high HIV prevalence or incidence.
Applicants may request up to $100,000 in direct costs per year ($200,000 over two years) plus applicable indirect costs, not to exceed direct costs per year. This funding may be used for salaries, technical support, laboratory supplies, equipment, and research- or training-related activities including but not limited to enrollment in training classes or workshops, travel to the CFAR Mentor's institution, or travel to the research field site.
You can find the complete RFA and more information about the program on the Adelante website.
If you have any questions, please reach out to Allison O'Rourke (orourkea@gwu.edu) the Pre-award Project Coordinator or Maria Cecilia Zea (zea@gwu.edu) Adelante Science Officer.
Concept proposals are due Thursday, November 10, 2022.
Learn more and apply.
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