Happy New Year from the CFAR!

We are excited to see what is in store this year!

DHVI research by CFAR investigators featured in article on HIV vaccine progress

"About 38 million people worldwide are living with AIDS. Pharmaceutical treatments can keep the disease in check, but a vaccine remains elusive despite decades of concerted effort. However, a recent discovery at the Duke Human Vaccine Institute (DHVI) brings the goal of an effective vaccine within reach."

A new article on Duke's Science and Technology website features the work of Dr. Wilton Williams and his lab at DHVI, describing their discovery of a new class of antibodies shaped like the letter "I" (rather than the letter "Y"), which may hold the key to developing an effective HIV vaccine. Wilton credits collaboration among teams at DHVI for the discovery.

Read more about the new discovery and work of DHVI and CFAR investigators here.

SBS Core Rocket Talk | NIH Stigma and Discrimination Research Toolkit and Priorities: A View from NIMH and NIDA

Wednesday, January 26, 2022 | 12 - 1pm

Presenters: Drs. Brenda Curtis (NIDA Intramural Research Program) and Gregory Greenwood (NIMH Division of AIDS Research)

The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), in partnership with the Fogarty International Center (FIC), the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Stigma Scientific Interest Group (SIG), have recently developed a toolkit designed to be a collection of evidence and resources related to stigma and discrimination research. NIH Stigma SIG Co-Chairs and co-developers of the toolkit, Drs. Curtis and Greenwood will provide an overview of the toolkit and discuss stigma research findings and priorities for NIDA and NIMH, respectively.

Zoom link: 

https://duke.zoom.us/j/92533290412?pwd=ZDlwNEd5QUk0eVZweE81UzFQcmdPZz09

Meeting ID: 925 3329 0412

Passcode: 898720

To be added to the Social and Behavioral Sciences Core listserv, email cfar-sbs-core-request@duke.edu

Apply for the BIRCWH Career Development Program

The BIRCWH Program (Building Interdisciplinary Research Careers in Women's Health) provides advanced training, mentoring, and career guidance for junior faculty leading to an independent interdisciplinary scientific career. BIRCWH research spans the entire spectrum of women’s health topics, and the program is open to all types of disciplines, clinicians and non-clinicians.

BIRCWH scholars receive salary support (up to $100,000 per year) for a minimum of two years and must dedicate 75% of full professional effort to research and professional development related to their BIRCWH project. Junior faculty from NCCU and Duke are invited to apply. Fellows and post-docs may apply with a letter from their chair stating that by the first date of their award they will have a faculty appointment, which is not contingent on their receipt of BIRCWH funding

Letters of Intent are due January 21, 2022. Applications are due March 18, 2022.

Learn more and access the application here.

Want to share your research findings with Twitter?

If you're interested in having the Duke CFAR Twitter account share your findings, email Lizzy Knippler at elizabeth.knippler@duke.edu.

You'll be asked to provide a brief, plain language explanation of your findings to share with other HIV researchers, advocates, and community members.

Have a new member of your team? Were you forwarded this newsletter and want to sign up yourself? Please use and share this link to join the CFAR and receive all CFAR information and news.