Commemorate World AIDS Day with the Durham community on December 1st

See the Upcoming Events section below for more information our World AIDS Day event, put on by the Duke Collaborative Community Council (D3C). This is a fantastic opportunity to meet our D3C members and help establish familiarity and trust between our CFAR and the Durham community. We hope you will join. If you are planning to attend, please RSVP to help us plan for food.

If you have any research recruitment materials that you would like to bring to the event to have available, contact Lizzy Knippler at elizabeth.knippler@duke.edu Our biggest need now is to advertise and spread the word to the public! Please share the invitation with all who may be interested, including any community-based organizations you may have connections with.

News from the CFAR

Hayley Cunningham receives Community and Clinical Research Training Program award

Congratulations to Hayley Cunningham, MD, Infectious Diseases Fellow, for her recent award as a scholar of the Brown University Community and Clinical Research Training (CCRT) Program. The goal of the NIH-funded CCRT program is to train the next generation of researchers to end the HIV epidemic and to conduct research related to reducing racial disparities in HIV outcomes in the Southern United States.

The program was initially funded in 2008 and prioritizes training investigators from or conducting practice-oriented research in geographic hotspots of HIV infection. The structured mentoring program will focus on community-engaged scholarship, geographically circumscribed interventions, reducing racial disparities in HIV infection, partnering with health departments, and delivering proven HIV prevention and care interventions through novel means in the rural South. Training includes formal coursework, quarterly mentoring workshops, one-on-one mentoring, epidemiological design, and clinical service delivery experiences in real-world clinical and community settings. The program scholars will lead scientific investigation addressing social, structural and behavioral drivers of the epidemic; lead clinical, epidemiological and implementation research to mitigate HIV/AIDS disparities; and develop, implement, and evaluate culturally appropriate and geographically circumscribed interventions.

Dr. Cunningham’s research focus is improving HIV prevention and treatment among gender diverse communities. As an Interdisciplinary Research Training Program in AIDS (IRTPA) T32 trainee, her current project involves mapping the PrEP care continuum for transgender patients within the Duke health care system. At the same time, she is working to integrate PrEP care in the Gender Medicine Clinic to improve PrEP uptake and adherence. She hopes to partner with the Durham County Health Department and community-based organizations to increase awareness, access, and acceptability of PrEP, HIV testing, and HIV treatment among gender diverse communities in the Triangle.  

View this story on the CFAR website.

Registration open for Part II Statistics Workshops

Registration is now open for Statistics Workshops, Part II of the 3-part series of FREE workshops designed to provide HIV researchers with the quantitative skills necessary for analysis of large, complex data sets resulting from assays such as single-cell RNA-seq, flow cytometry, fMRI, etc. Each part of the series consists of 6 once-a-week workshops held on Mondays from 1-4PM.

The course will be taught at Hock Plaza, and it is highly recommended that you attend in person to get the most benefit (parking is available). Those unable to attend in person have the option to attend virtually. The maximum number for the class is 24 – there is a waiting list when the limit is met. These NIH-funded workshops are open to graduate students, postdocs, medical fellows, staff and faculty. Non-Duke-affiliated applicants are welcome. Completion of Part I-Data Science Workshops or prior knowledge/ competency in R is required to attend.

In Part II of this workshop series, attendees will learn important concepts in statistics and perform statistical analyses using real HIV data. We will introduce different types of clinical research studies, perform exploratory data analysis with numerical and graphical summaries and introduce hypothesis testing, and appropriate methods for modeling different types of outcomes.

REGISTER HERE by January 15, 2024

Part II: Statistics Workshops (must commit to attend all 6)

• Day 1 - Breakdown of an Experiment - Mon, Jan 22
• Day 2 - Probability, Distributions, and Confidence Intervals - Mon, Jan 29
• Day 3 - Hypothesis Testing and Power/Sample Size - Mon, Feb 5
• Day 4 - Linear regression, categorical predictors, interaction effect - Mon, Feb 12
• Day 5 - Logistic regression and classification models - Mon, Feb 19
• Day 6 - High-dimensional predictive models, cross-validation - Mon, Feb 26

Email questions to https://kelly.sune@duke.edu

Learn more and register for the workshops.

Applications open for Duke Quantitative Methods in HIV/AIDS Summer Internship

The Duke Quantitative Methods in HIV/AIDS training grant is again offering paid internships for Summer 2024. We are seeking graduate students in quantitative disciplines, including but not restricted to mathematics, statistics, computer science, data science and engineering, to conduct HIV/AIDS research. Interns will be jointly mentored by an HIV research scientist and a quantitative faculty member, and will gain hands-on team science experience among some of the leading research groups in HIV/AIDS.

Please share this information with anyone who might be interested.

2024 Quantitative Methods in HIV/AIDS Summer Internship Application

Internship Details

• Up to 10 summer internships available in Summer 2024: May 20 – August 9 (12 weeks)
• Multi-year internships are possible
• Interns will be provided a stipend of $21 per hour (up to a maximum of 40 hours per week) for their participation (unless forbidden by NIH- e.g., T32 recipients)
• Funding is available for interns to present a poster or talk at a national or international conference
• All interns are required to attend weekly internship meetings in person.
• Click here for examples of projects that interns worked on in past years.

Applications should be received by midnight Saturday, January 7, 2024 for priority consideration.

Intern Eligibility

• Interns must have a quantitative background (e.g. stats, math, CS, data science, engineering).
• Interns must be enrolled in a graduate program at the time of the internship.
• All graduate student employees must work in North Carolina.
• No students can work outside of the U.S. whether a U.S. citizen, Green Card holder, visa holder or not.
• Foreign nationals who are physically located in the U.S. can work, but their visa status must allow for this work.

We especially welcome applications from women, individuals from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups, individuals with disabilities or individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds.



Please email https://kelly.sune@duke.edu if you have any programmatic questions.

Learn more about the program and application.

Read reflections from 2022 and 2023 summer interns.

ID Grand Rounds with Dr. Lance Okeke - One Last Hurdle: Addressing the Southern HIV Epidemic towards an End to HIV in America



Monday, November 27, 2023 | 4pm EST |Hanes House Room 131 & Zoom

“One Last Hurdle: Addressing the Southern HIV Epidemic towards an end to HIV in America”

Lance Okeke, M.D.

Associate Professor of Medicine, Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases

Duke University Medical Center

Zoom information

https://duke.zoom.us/j/98686770700?pwd=SXd1bm1YditFdWxmM0pkclRlQlljdz09 

Meeting ID: 986 8677 0700 | Password: 205062

JIAS Webinar on Scientific Abstract Writing



Tuesday, November 28, 2023 | 7 - 8am EST |Zoom

The Journal of the International AIDS Society (JIAS) is pleased to invite you to a webinar on scientific writing titled “Scientific abstract writing: get ready for AIDS 2024!”

This webinar, organized with the IAS Educational Fund will draw on the expertise of the JIAS Editors in academic publishing. 

This webinar aims to build skills in scientific writing. It will provide practical information to support new and early-career HIV researchers, as well as more experienced researchers, in successfully writing and submitting abstracts to AIDS 2024, the 25th International AIDS Conference, and increasing their chances of acceptance. 

By the end of the webinar, participants will know what the key components of a conference abstract are, how to correctly write each abstract section, and how to avoid common pitfalls that result in the rejection of a conference abstract. Please register to confirm your attendance (registration is free but limited to 1,000 participants).

Register for the webinar.

NIH World AIDS Day 35 Event: Achieving Excellence and Equity in HIV Research, featuring Dr. Tonia Poteat



Friday, December 1, 2023 | 11am - 12:30pm EST |Webinar

World AIDS Day 2023 marks the 35th anniversary of the World AIDS Day observance, as well as the 35th anniversary of the founding of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Office of AIDS Research (OAR) and the integration of the NIH HIV research program. Over those 35 years, transformational research advances in preventing and treating HIV have marked some of the most significant accomplishments in science and public health. But this progress is not reaching all communities equally. Staggering HIV health disparities place a disproportionate impact of HIV on minoritized racial and ethnic groups and diverse sexual and gender populations.

This World AIDS Day, NIH will remember those we have lost to HIV/AIDS, celebrate the progress made in the HIV research response, and consider the research advances that can lead to the end of the HIV pandemic. Discussion topics will include the role of stigma in the persistence of health disparities, challenges in implementing HIV research advances, inclusion in clinical trials, the important role of community, and the next generation of HIV researchers.

Join us December 1 for this live, powerful discussion. Submit questions for the panel to OARInfo@nih.gov The event will be Broadcast Live on NIH VideoCast

The featured speaker is Harold Phillips, M.R.P., Director, Office of National AIDS Policy, Domestic Policy Council, Executive Office of the President, with perspectives from Bill G. Kapogiannis, M.D., Acting Associate Director for AIDS Research and Acting Director, Office of AIDS Research, NIH and Jeanne Marrazzo, M.D., M.P.H., Director, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID). 

Panelists will include the Duke CFAR's very own Tonia Poteat, Ph.D., M.P.H., Professor, Duke University Health System. Dr. Tonia Poteat is a Professor in the Duke University School of Nursing, Associate Director of the Duke Center for AIDS Research (CFAR) Developmental Core, and Co-Director of the Duke Sexual and Gender Minority Wellness Program.

Read all of the participant biographies and learn more about World AIDS Day observances at NIH.

Join the VideoCast.

UNC CFAR World AIDS Day Symposium



Friday, December 1, 2023 | 9:15am - 12:30pm EST | Bioinformatics Auditorium, UNC-Chapel Hill

UNC CFAR will be holding their annual World AIDS Day Symposium on December 1st, 2023, in the Bioinformatics Auditorium. Breakfast and Refreshments will be served. 

Please RSVP for the event HERE.

9:15am – 9:30am – Welcome/Introduction by Ron Swanstrom, PhD

9:30am – 10:00am – Pediatric HIV Vaccines – New Horizons by Kristina De Paris, PhD

10:00am – 10:30am – Using Novel Platforms to Design Delivery Systems for HIV prevention and care by Rahima Benhabour, PhD

10:30am – 11:00am – Development, Acceptability, and Uses of Implants for HIV prevention and treatment by Leah Johnson, PhD

Break

11:15am – 11:45am – REPRIEVE- Randomized trial to prevent Vascular Events in HIV: Results of the REPRIEVE trial of Pitavastatin in adults by Michelle Floris-Moore, MD

11:45am – 12:15am – DoxyPEP – Doxycycline for postexposure prophylaxis by David Wohl, MD

12:15am – 12:30pm – Closing Remarks by Ron Swanstrom, PhD

Learn more and RSVP for the symposium.

Durham World AIDS Day with the D3C: Let Communities Lead



Friday, December 1, 2023 | 6 - 8pm EST |St. Philip's Episcopal Church Parish Hall, 403 E Main St, Durham, NC 27701

Every year on December 1st, the world unites to commemorate World AIDS Day. This annual event serves as a reminder of the global struggle to end HIV-related stigma, an opportunity to honor those we have lost, and a rallying cry to continue working toward a day when HIV is no longer a public health threat. In 2023, we mark the 35th commemoration of this important day.

The UNAIDS theme for World AIDS Day 2023 is Let Communities Lead. In this spirit, our Duke Collaborative Community Council (D3C), would like to invite you to join us for an evening of storytelling and talks from advocates and researchers to fight stigma and lift up our community. This event will be in hosted in collaboration with the Durham County Department of Public Health, the LGBTQ Center of Durham, and CAARE, with support from Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. and Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc.

The event is free and open to the public. Free STI and HIV testing is available. To learn more about the event, visit cfar.duke.edu/wad23, and to sign up to receive an email reminder for the event, visit tinyurl.com/WADDurham. If you have any questions, please contact Lizzy Knippler at elizabeth.knippler@duke.edu

All are welcome!! Please help us spread the word about our event by

sharing our flyers. We hope to see you there!

CFAR investigators, if you have any research recruitment materials that you would like to bring to the event to have available, please contact Lizzy Knippler at elizabeth.knippler@duke.edu

Visit the event page on the CFAR website.

Webinar: Point-of-care Methods to Monitor and Intervene on Adherence to HIV Prevention and Treatment

Monday, December 4, 2023 | 12pm EST| Zoom

The Inter-CFAR Antiretrovirals for Prevention Working Group invites you to participate in its upcoming webinar. This series is moderated by Patrick Sullivan, Emory CFAR (Emory University Rollins School of Public Health) & Kenneth Mayer, Harvard University CFAR (Fenway Health)

"Point-of-care methods to monitor and intervene on adherence to HIV prevention and treatment"

Monica Gandhi MD, MPH

Director, UCSF-Bay Area Center for AIDS Research;Professor of Medicine and Associate Chief, Division of HIV, Infectious Diseases, and Global Medicine; Medical Director, “Ward 86” HIV Clinic, San Francisco General Hospital

Join the December 4 AFP webinar here or click the link below: 

https://harvard.zoom.us/j/97013223992?pwd=cG1qUWZFNmVMeFhUblI4WGt4RW55QT09

Passcode: AFP

Register by December 4 for the UNC-Duke Symposium on Viral Oncology & HIV/AIDS Malignancy

Thursday, December 7, 2023 | 8:30am - 3pm EST | Carolina Club, Hill Alumni Hall

The UNC-Duke Viral Oncology and AIDS Malignancy Symposium will be held in person at The Carolina Club in Chapel Hill, NC, on Thursday, December 7, 2023. This year’s session will include special guest presentations, breakfast and lunch, and a poster session with prizes. The Carolina Club will provide free parking coupons for attendees. Coupons will be provided onsite day of the event. Speakers include: Dr. Dirk Dittmer, Dr. Paul Lieberman, Dr. Denise Galloway, and Dr. Eric Johannsen.

Please register by December 4.

Register for the symposium.

RFA for the HIV/Aging Pilot Program - Concept proposals due January 12

The HIV & Aging Research Consortium (HARC) has released its 2024 pilot funding call and will fund 2-4 pilot projects, at $40,000 each, focusing the application of geroscience to better understand aging in people with HIV (PWH). These are intended to be one-year pilot grants.

Pilot applications are welcome from (a) faculty investigators who have not yet had an R01 or other substantial NIH funding (i.e., new investigators by NIH definitions) or (b) Geroscience faculty investigators at any rank who are new to HIV research. Post-doctoral fellows are NOT eligible unless they will be a faculty member on or before July 1 2024. Ideal candidates plan to use their study to leverage funding for an NIH new investigator award. All applicants must have a collaborator or mentor from one of the participating centers (NSC, MBI, OAIC, or CFAR), and all applications must include at least one investigator from both HIV and Geroscience.

We are particularly interested in studies that: (a) utilize OAIC, MBI, NSC, CFAR or CNICS specimens and/or databases; (b) receive support from their local OAIC, MBI, NSC, or CFAR in the form of matched funding, covered indirect costs, or core facility support; and (c) include more established aging investigators that do not have prior HIV funding, but would like to expand into HIV-Aging research.

Key dates

Concept proposals due: January 12, 2024

Invitation for full proposals: January 29, 2024

Full proposals due: March 29, 2024

Estimated award notification date: April 26, 2024

Learn more and read the RFA.

ATN Scholars Program Applications due November 30

The U.S. Adolescent Medicine Trials Network for HIV Interventions (ATN) Scholars Program seeks to increase opportunities for scientists from groups under-represented in HIV research to provide scholars with the knowledge, skills and connections to further their careers as independent investigators in the adolescent HIV research field.

Applications for scholars are now open at Adolescent Medicine Trials Network for HIV Interventions (ATN) Scholars Program and are due on Monday, November 30, 2023.

For questions about eligibility, study protocols, current ATN mentors or the application process please contact Dr. Audrey Pettifor at ATNscholars@unc.edu.

Learn more about the program.

Duke Center for Human Systems Immunology Pilot Project Applications due December 1

The Duke Center for Human Systems Immunology (CHSI) is proud to announce that we are now accepting proposals for pilot projects! Through this RFP, CHSI will support projects aimed at securing future independent funding in cross-cutting research areas within immunology, with a preference for those incorporating computational biology. This RFP encourages submissions from new investigators and collaborations across Duke, emphasizing trans-disciplinary partnerships. Up to three (3) annual Pilot Awards, each with a maximum $20,000 direct cost funding, are available.

Letters of intent were due by November 1st, and full proposals are due by December 1, 2023. Eligibility extends to faculty of all ranks and post-doctoral/clinical fellows, with specific criteria for each group. The award period is limited to 12 months or less, with the projected award date of January 15, 2024.

Please click the links below to learn more and access the application guidelines and material:

• 2023 CHSI Request For Proposal and Application Guidelines
• Proposal Coversheet and Checklist 

Learn more and read the RFP.

RAMP Scholar Grant Applications for BIPOC Medical Students due January 2

Seeking African American/Black, Hispanic/Latinx, Native American/American Indian/Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian, Asian and Pacific Islander medical students interested in HIV vaccine research.

The development of a safe and effective HIV vaccine is one of the greatest biomedical research challenges of our time. The HIV Vaccine Trials Network (HVTN) is now accepting applications for Research and Mentorship Program (RAMP) Scholar Grants to attract Black, Indigenous and other People of Color (BIPOC) medical students who want to make a difference in their communities and contribute to the development of an effective HIV vaccine.

Program Highlights

• 8 -10 week or 9 -12-month research projects in the areas of clinical, laboratory, or social-behavioral research
• Structured mentorship by HVTN investigator(s)
• Travel to an HIV Vaccine Clinical Research Site in the US or abroad
• Attendance at an HVTN Full Group Meeting
• Oral and poster presentations and potential for publication
• Opportunity to return as a RAMP Alumni

Program Resources

• Up to $20,000 for short-term projects (8-10-weeks)
• Up to $70,000 for long-term projects (9-12 months)
• Funding includes salary, materials, and travel
• Career mentoring and access to HIV vaccine research expertise
• Training webinars through the course of the year and a professional development workshop at the conclusion of the program
• Professional development funds for courses and non-HVTN conferences

Application deadline: Tuesday, January 2, 2024  

Learn more on the CFAR website.

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