DEVELOPMENTAL CORE HIGHLIGHT

Dr. Rahm Gummuluru Developmental Core Director Professor and Vice Chair of Microbiology, Boston University

Dr. Benjamin Linas Developmental Core Director Professor of Medicine and Epidemiology, Boston University

Dr. Ira Wilson Developmental Core Director, Professor and Chair of Health Services, Policy and Practice and Medicine, Brown University

The Developmental Core of the Providence/Boston CFAR identifies and provides funding and mentoring to Early-Stage HIV-focused Investigators, as well as senior faculty who are transitioning into HIV work. Ira Wilson, Benjamin Linas, and Rahm Gummuluru direct the core. The Core coordinates funding and mentoring efforts focused on HIV prevention and treatment for underserved populations, including sexual and gender minorities, justice-involved persons, women, and key youth populations in Rhode Island and Massachusetts. In addition to supporting traditional developmental awards that span the full spectrum of basic, translational, implementation and health policy research in HIV/AIDS, both domestically and internationally, the core has introduced new funding initiatives, including a new category of developmental award that focuses on community-engaged projects to End the HV Epidemic (EHE), and Grant Resubmission awards to help those whose NIH grants were favorably scored, but not yet funded. We are particularly excited about the community-engaged awards that seek to foster academic-community partnerships and expand participation and trust amongst affected communities in both RI and MA. The Developmental Core utilizes multiple approaches to fulfill these goals. For instance, Core leadership actively seeks out applicants and provides pre-award consultations, opportunity to present and receive feedback at “Think-Tank” seminars, and mentorship post-award. Additional mentoring activities include K award mentoring program and grant writing workshops for investigators to present and receive feedback, both of which have had active participation from CFAR leadership, and have translated to funding success. The Developmental core highlights and disseminates the tremendous work of CFAR faculty and trainees to maximize their impact and generate new opportunities on campuses at Brown and Boston University/Boston Medical Center.

UPCOMING EVENTS & FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES

The Boston University Clinical HIV/AIDS Research Training Program (BU-CHART) is looking for a recently graduated, PhD post-doc interested in HIV research for T32 appointments starting in July 2023. BU-CHART at Boston Medical Center is a two-year mentored postdoctoral research training program designed for physicians and other health scientists to enable them to conduct high -quality, ethical HIV/AIDS research focused on disadvantaged populations. Only U.S. citizens or permanent residents may apply. Click Here for More Information

The Miriam Hospital NIDA funded HIV and Other Infectious Consequences of Substance Abuse T32 is currently accepting applications at this time for appointments. This T32 provides support for scholars interested in the infectious consequences of substance use disorders. Topics often include HIV/Hepatitis C /Monkeypox/TB/ and bacterial infections associated with IDU or other substance use disorders, including alcohol. Active research can include infections that are relevant both in the US and globally. Please contact TFlanigan@Lifespan.org or josiah_rich@brown.edu for more information. Email the Program Directors for More Information

November 7, 2022, 5pm EST Letters of Intent due for 2023 CFAR International Developmental Research Program This program offers initial and pilot awards to international researchers collaborating with CFAR faculty members. Letters of Intent will be accepted from international investigators who have an academic appointment at one of these institutions: Kenya – Moi University & Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital Philippines – University of the Philippines South Africa - University of Cape Town, South African Medical Research Council, and the University of the Witwatersrand (WITS) AND Stellenbosch University Click Here for More Information

December 13, 2022, 11am EST International URBAN ARCH Center Visiting Scholar Research-in-Progress Webinar Dr. Robert Cook (University of Florida) will discuss his team's NIAAA-funded P01 HIV/Alcohol center, 'Interventions to Improve Alcohol-Related Comorbidities Along the Gut-Brain Axis in Persons with HIV Infection' which extends the current line of research that forms the core of the Southern HIV & Alcohol Research Consortium (SHARC). Register Here

2023 Prov/Bos CFAR Grant Writing Workshops Zoom Meeting: https://zoom.us/j/171467293 Meeting ID: 171 467 293 Password: ProvBos The CFAR Grant Writing Workshops offers HIV researchers of all levels of experience (post-doc, junior, and senior investigators) a forum to present their ideas for proposals and obtain feedback from an interdisciplinary group of senior faculty. If you are interested in presenting at one of the workshops, email Rhonda DiCesare (Rdicesare@Lifespan.org)

SCIENCE SPOTLIGHT

Dr. Brandon del Pozo, Assistant Professor of Medicine and Health Services, Policy & Practice (Research), Brown University

Brandon del Pozo, PhD, MPA, MA is an Assistant Professor of Medicine at Brown University and Rhode Island Hospital. Prior to research, he spent 23 years as a police officer: 19 in the NYPD, and four as the Chief of Police of Burlington, Vermont, where he led the city's public health response to the opioid crisis. As a complement to his NIDA K01 and R21 funding, his CFAR project will investigate how categorizing syringe possession as a felony crime in some states—as opposed to a misdemeanor, or decriminalizing them—may incentivize police behaviors that promote the spread of HIV.

Dr. Gemmae Fix, Research Assistant Professor, Boston University and Research Health Scientist, VA Center for Healthcare Organization and Implementation Research

Gemmae M. Fix, PhD is an applied medical anthropologist and health services researcher. She is a Research Assistant Professor at Boston University and an Investigator with the VA Center for Healthcare Organization and Implementation Research. Dr. Fix uses ethnographic methods to understand patient and provider experiences. Her CFAR Developmental Grant explored HIV providers’ ideas about implementing patient-centered HIV care. Her recently funded VA grant builds on this work. She will develop a blueprint to implement VA’s patient-centered, Whole Health model of care in VA’s HIV clinics. When not at work, you can find Dr. Fix exploring New England’s trails.

Dr. Ju Park, Assistant Professor of Epidemiology Medicine (Research), Brown University

Ju Nyeong Park, Ph.D., M.H.S., is an Assistant Professor of Medicine and Epidemiology (Research) at Brown University, and a Research Scientist at Rhode Island Hospital. She earned her Ph.D. and M.H.S. in Epidemiology at the Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health and B.S. from the University of Sydney. Dr. Park's team, the Harm Reduction Innovation Lab (develops, implements, and evaluates innovative interventions to promote the health and wellbeing of people who use drugs, including overdose detection technologies, drug checking programs and harm reduction centers. The Lab includes Erin Thompson, MPH, Jessie Tardif, BA and Ralph Welwean, MPH.

C-CERC WELCOMES NEW MEMBERS

Paul Goulet Chair, Prov/Bos CFAR Community Engaged Research Council (C-CERC)

As we continue to build our capacity on the C-CERC, the C-CERC has welcomed three new members and continues to work on recruitment to ensure community perspective in all aspects of research. These bios have been shortened. To read their full bios, please visit here.  The C-CERC is focusing its’ efforts on recruiting from the Transgender Community, Latina and Latino community as well as from other communities that are disenfranchised and marginalized, especially in health care and research. If you know of anyone who would be interested in serving on the C-CERC, please forward their names and contact information to pbgoulet@hotmail.com

Brenna McLaughlin Brenna recently graduated from Boston University with her MPH in Epidemiology & Biostatistics. She is eager to put her skills to use in the research world. Her passion for public health, specifically health inequities among marginalized communities, has led her to working in the HIV sector for the past 6 years.

Laura Fletcher Laura has worked in HIV care teams and research for the past 4 years of her career and has valuable experience and insight into potential new areas for research as well as developing and executing projects that focus on individuals living with HIV. Laura graduated from Boston University with a dual degree Master’s in Clinical Social Work and a Master’s in Public Health.

Vanessa Carson-Sasso Vanessa is a Social Worker by training (BSW and MSW) and a passionate champion of quality HIV prevention and care services. Vanessa has been working within these fields for over 20 years, of which, 18 have been managing HIV-related grant-funded projects. Most recently, she joined the New England AIDS Education and Training Center as Senior Project Director in 2013.

FEATURED AWARDS

DR. JEFFREY SAMET AND DR. KARSTEN LUNZE, Boston University, received R01 funding from NIAAA for their research on Gabapentin to Reduce Alcohol and Improve Viral Load Suppression - Promoting "Treatment as Prevention. DR. CURT BECKWITH, The Miriam Hospital, and DR. MICHELLE HENSHAW, Boston University School of Dental Medicine, received R34 funding from NIDA for their research on Long-Acting Injectable Antiretroviral Treatment to Improve HIV Treatment Among Justice-Involved Persons Being Released to the Community.

SPRING 2022 DEVELOPMENTAL AWARDEES

Dr. Guneet Kaur Jasuja, Research Assistant Professor of Medicine, Boston University and Career Development Awardee, VA Bedford Center "Characterizing Disparities in Engagement in the HIV Prevention and Care Continuum Among LGBT Veterans and Non-LGBT Veterans in the U.S." Dr. Tanya Rogo, Associate Professor of Pediatrics, Brown University "Healthcare Transition of Adolescents Living with HIV in Rwanda"

PROVIDENCE/BOSTON CFAR

The Providence/Boston Center for AIDS Research (CFAR) is a joint research effort between Brown University/Lifespan and Boston University/Boston Medical Center.  The Providence/Boston Center for AIDS research is devoted to the pursuit of translational research to reduce the burden of HIV infection worldwide, with special focus on substance users, women, MSM, justice-involved persons, and at-risk youth. To achieve this goal, we are committed to fostering emerging HIV investigators both domestically and within resource-limited settings.

ADMINISTRATIVE CORE TEAM

Susan Cu-Uvin, MD Director SCu-uvin@lifespan.org Curt Beckwith, MD Associate Director CBeckwith@lifespan.org Andrew Henderson, PhD Associate Director hender@bu.edu

Lauri Bazerman, MS Administrative Director LBazerman@gmail.com Kaylyn Bruciati, MHA Research Project Manager (BOS) kaylyn.bruciati@bmc.org Rhonda DiCesare Program Coordinator (PVD) rdicesare@lifespan.org

REQUEST SERVICES Developmental Core Clinical and Behavioral Sciences Core Biostatistics Core Basic Science Core Substance Use Research Core Community Engaged Research Council (C-CERC)

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