WEEKLY UPDATE
August 10 2023
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FEATURED NEWS
Announcing the Fall 2023 Cycle of the DC CFAR Traditional Pilot Awards Program
The DC CFAR is pleased to announce the Fall 2023 cycle of the Traditional Pilot Awards Program. The goal of this program is to provide pilot research funds of up to $75,000 to early stage and new HIV/AIDS investigators to collect preliminary data that will enable them to then compete successfully for NIH funding in HIV/AIDS as principal investigators. Please see the RFA for specific eligibility requirements. Pre-submission forms are due September 1st, 2023.

Special consideration will be given to applications seeking to collaborate with either of the large NIH-funded HIV studies in DC such as he DC Cohort, the Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study/Women's Interagency HIV Study Combined Cohort (MACS/WIHS CCS), the DC CFAR Scientific Working Groups (SWGs) and the Scientific Interest Groups (SIGs). The DC Cohort is co-sponsoring up to 2 pilot awards this cycle with an additional $12,500 per award in addition to the $75,000 maximum for a DC CFAR pilot award for a total award of up to $87,500. This is a priority for this cycle of the program and additional details about working with the DC Cohort leadership in August in advance of the September 1 deadline are included in the RFA.

The Developmental Core recently hosted a Research Awards 101 Session to provide an overview of this program and services available to support applications. The recording and slides are available through these links.

For complete details about this opportunity, please visit our website. If you have any questions, please contact Lorena Segarra, Senior Research Program Manager.
REGISTER: DC CFAR SCIENTIFIC SYMPOSIUM 2023
The DC CFAR is proud to announce the Return of the DC CFAR Scientific Symposium - 2023! The Symposium will be held on Tuesday, October 10 from 9:00 am-3:30 pm in the GW Milken Institute School of Public Health Convening Center. This is the first large in-person event that the DC CFAR has hosted since the onset of the pandemic in March 2020, and we hope that it will serve as a meaningful and memorable gathering of HIV investigators and community members in DC. This event will be held in-person with a virtual option on Zoom. Due to limited capacity, preference for in-person attendance will be given to DC CFAR Investigators, Community Partnership Council members, and NIH guests. After registering, your RSVP will be confirmed by a member of the DC CFAR staff. The working agenda can be viewed here.

NEWS FROM THE DC CFAR
DC CFAR Investigators Present at the 12th IAS Conference on HIV Science in Australia
DC CFAR investigators were well-represented at the International AIDS Society Conference which was held in Brisbane, Australia from July 23-26. Please join us in congratulating the following investigators for presenting their work:

Natalie Howard (GW, Doctoral Student in the Bosque Lab) – "CD8 T cell counts negatively correlate with IL-15-mediated HIV reactivation ex vivo" (Oral Abstract session)

Rupa Patel (WW) – "Feasibility of Long-Acting Injectable Cabotegravir PrEP Initiation and Administration by Community Health" (Poster Presentation) and High Long-Term PrEP Retention Seen in a Community PrEP Specialist-Led Clinic at a Federally Qualified Health Center in Washington, D.C." (Poster Presentation)

Julie Pulerwitz (GW) – "Effects of a novel group-based cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) intervention on stigma, psychosocial wellbeing and HIV service use among sexual and gender minorities in Nigeria.” (Oral Abstract Session)

Natella Rakhmanina (Children's National) – "Long Acting treatment in adolescents" (Plenary Talk); "'New Horizons' Study Results" (Panel Presentation); "Acceptability of LAI in Routine Adolescent HIV Care in USA: Understanding Youth Needs, Preferences and Motivation" (Panel Presentation); “Advancing HIV care for mothers and newborns: Exploring long-acting solutions” (Panel Presentation)


(If you are a DC CFAR Investigator who presented at IAS 2023 but were not included here, please email the Center Associate, Cristian Mendoza Gomez, at cristian.mendozagomez@gwu.edu)
Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS): Call for Public Comments on PrEP & ART Coverage




The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) recently announced, "the evidence is adequate to conclude that the United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommends offering Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) with effective antiretroviral therapy (ART) to persons at high risk of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) acquisition with a grade of A recommendation, is reasonable and necessary for the prevention or early detection of illness or disability"

As a result, the CMS is currently calling for public comments on the following proposed changes to eligibility, including but limited to, the following topics:

  • "CMS proposes to cover PrEP using antiretroviral drugs (whether oral or injectable) approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to prevent HIV infection in individuals at high risk of HIV acquisition"
  • "CMS proposes to also cover the administration of injectable PrEP using antiretroviral drugs to prevent HIV infection."
  • "CMS also proposes to cover up to seven individual counseling visits, every 12 months, that include HIV risk assessment (initial or continued assessment of risk), HIV risk reduction and medication adherence."

The full article with proposed changes and call for public comment can be found here.
Publication by Dr. Carlos Rodríguez-Díaz, Academic Co-Lead of Latina/o/x Scientific Interest Group
Dr. Carlos Rodríguez-Díaz (Academic Co-Lead of the Latina/o/x Scientific Working Group) co-authored a publication entitled "Applying Rapid Qualitative Analysis for Health Equity: Lessons Learned Using “EARS” With Latino Communities" in the International Journal of Qualitative Methods.

This open-access article was published with funding and support from Dr. Rodríguez-Díaz's Rapid Response Research Awards on COVID-19 and HIV awarded by the DC CFAR. The article provides valuable recommendations in rapid qualitative analysis and its benefits for advancing health equity in times of crisis.

Read the article available here.
New Articles regarding HIV and Aging by George Kerr III, DC CFAR Community Coordinator, CPC Chair, and NC3 Chair
The DC CFAR would like to to share the following articles by George Kerr III, Chair of the Community Partnership Council (CPC), Chair of the National Center of AIDS Research Community Action Coalition (NC3), and the DC CFAR Community Coordinator.

Kerr's two articles, entitled "Patients aging with HIV: What role can doctors play?" and "Questions Still Unanswered" respectively, provide insights regarding the realities of people living with HIV, and the impact of HIV throughout the life course. Kerr also calls to action the need for quality primary care for people living with HIV.
COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT
Do you have an event you would like to see included in the next edition of the Community Spotlight? We invite any news or updates from the DC CFAR community and encourage you to send information that may be of interest to CFARinDC@gmail.com.
WORKSHOPS, SEMINARS, & CONFERENCES
August 7-11, 2023
Bethesda, Maryland

August 14, 2023

August 15, 2023

August 16, 2023

August 25, 2023

August 25, 2023

September 6-9, 2023
Washington, DC

NEW – Johns Hopkins Center for AIDS Research Annual Meeting
September 15, 2023

October 26-27, 2023
Washington, DC

August 20-23, 2024

For more DC CFAR events please see the calendar here.
FUNDING, TRAINING AND MENTORING OPPORTUNITIES
The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) is issuing a NOSI focused on implementation research, for applications designed in partnership with domestic and global service providers to advance HIV prevention and treatment goals (domestically) or targets (globally).

The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) is issuing a NOSI focused on understanding and addressing the impact of mental health comorbidities, including mental health disorders, violence, and trauma, on HIV prevention and treatment outcomes.

Avant-Garde and Avenir Awards
These NIDA HIV research programs award funds to investigators planning high-impact research projects focused on the prevention and treatment of HIV/AIDS among people who use drugs. Avant is for groundbreaking researchers at all levels of their careers and Avenir focuses on early-stage investigators. Applications period July 15-August 15, 2023.
OTHER OPPORTUNITIES, NEWS, AND RESOURCES
Please review the following listing here, seeking a Program Manager at MetroHealth. Send resume and cover letter: Dr. Duane Taylor, Chief Executive Officer, dtaylor@metrohealthdc.org

Please use to the link here to view the posting looking for a new Associate Director of AIDS Research at the NIH. Review of applications will begin on August 28, 2023, but applications will be accepted until the position is filled. Complete application packages must be submitted to OARdirectorsearch@nih.gov. View posting for application requirements and details.

"The Department of Behavioral, Social, and Health Education Sciences (BSHES), Rollins School of Public Health of Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, seeks scholars for faculty appointments at all academic ranks, in tenure-track and research-track positions. Multiple appointments are anticipated."
See full description and application details here.

Please see the attached listing to see the various staff positions available at Us Helping Us. Hiring a Research Manager, Research Study Coordinator, and a Research Assistant. The job descriptions are listed here. Interested applicants can send their application to dhickson@uhupil.org and aogunbajo@uhupil.org ASAP. Please see the listing for more information.

The Division of Infectious Diseases (ID) and Institute for Medicine and Public Health at Vanderbilt have an immediate opening for an advanced PhD, ScD, or MD Scientist specializing in Social and Behavioral Science applied to HIV prevention and treatment to join our faculty. See more here.

The Research Scholars Program supports innovative research from emerging investigators around the world to incorporate new perspectives in our pursuit of scientific understanding and progress. For more information, please contact Dr. Christine Durand. Deadline: September 16, 2023, 11:59 PM, PT
Apply here.
NIH FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES
Funding Opportunity Number: RFA-DA-25-001
Posting Date: July 31, 2023
Opening Date: July 14, 2024
Close Date: August 14, 2024

Funding Opportunity Number: RFA-OD-23-018
Posting Date: July 31, 2023
Opening Date: July 14, 2024
Close Date: August 14, 2024

Funding Opportunity Number: RFA-OD-23-018
Posting Date: July 06, 2023
Opening Date: September 30, 2023
Close Date: Various – See announcement

Funding Opportunity Number: PAR-22-248 (Reissue)
Posting Date: June 27, 2023
Opening Date: August 13, 2023
Close Date: Various – See announcement

Funding Opportunity Number: PA-23-189
Posting Date: June 29, 2023
Opening Date: Various – See announcement
Close Date: Various – See announcement

Funding Opportunity Number: PAR-23-198 (Reissue)
Posting Date: June 2, 2023
Opening Date: September 13, 2023
Close Date: Various – See announcement

Funding Opportunity Number: NOT-AI-23-046
Posting Date: June 23, 2023
Open Date: September 16, 2023
Close Date: Various – See announcement

Click here for additional funding opportunities available from the National Institutes of Health.
The DC CFAR is an NIH funded program (P30AI117970), which is supported by the following NIH Co-Funding and Participating Institutes and Centers: NIAID, NCI, NICHD, NIDCR, NHLBI, NIDA, NIMH, NIA, NIDDK, NINR, NIMHD, FIC, and OAR. The content isthe responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.