In case you missed it - CFAR Retreat recap & recordings available

The 20th Annual Duke CFAR Fall Scientific Retreat took on September 19, 2024, bringing together nearly 200 researchers, clinicians, and community members to discuss recent advancements in HIV/AIDS research and spark ideas and collaboration. Read a recap of the retreat, view photos from the day by John Hansen/RTP.Studio, and access recordings of the talks. Have any feedback for us as we plan future retreats? Let us know what you liked or what you would like to see in the future!

News from the CFAR

2024 Quantitative Methods for HIV Researchers Summer Interns Share Their Thoughts (Part Two!)

As part of a five-year NIAID R25 research education grant to deliver training in quantitative methods for HIV/AIDS research, the Quantitative Methods for HIV Researchers Summer Internship program provides mentoring and research experiences in HIV/AIDS for Masters or PhD students from quantitative disciplines such as statistics, biostatistics, data science, mathematics, computer science, and engineering. This summer, ten interns were paired with Duke CFAR PIs and Quantitative Mentors to support an ongoing research project.

We asked interns to share their experiences and reflect on the summer. Read below for a sampling of their responses, and access the full profiles of all summer interns on the CFAR website.

What project did you work on?

My project focuses on improving the efficiency of antibody production for HIV treatment using machine learning. I engineered features from mRNA sequences and developed predictive models to identify key factors that influence protein yield, aiming to make antibody production faster and more cost-effective.

What was your favorite part of the summer internship?

My favorite part of the summer internship was gaining valuable technical skills with the incredible support of my mentors and PI. The working environment was both enjoyable and encouraging, allowing me to explore and research topics I’m passionate about.

What project did you work on?

I fitted both GEE and mixed models to the longitudinal data from the SYV [Sauti ya Vijana, mental health intervention for youth in Tanzania] individually randomized group treatment (IRGT) trial with simulated arm data. I adapted R code from the geeCRT package to implement MAEE to estimate correlation parameters in the case of IRGT data analyzed at a single time point. I also compared the performance of the log-poisson GEE models to the associated MAEE models by examining the estimated standard errors of the intervention effect.

What do you hope to do in the future?

I intend to explore the clinical areas of statistics more as part of my discovered research interest. I intend to apply for a PhD program in Biostatistics and concentrate in the clinical area of statistics.

What project did you work on?

My project focuses on evaluating the characteristics of the nasopharyngeal microbiome in adult women living with HIV in Botswana, the microbiome plays a crucial role in resisting colonization by respiratory pathogens. By understanding these characteristics, we aim to identify potential risk factors for respiratory infections.

What were your training goals coming into the summer program?

My primary goal was to gain experience with genetic sequencing data while collaborating with a PI and quantitative mentor on bioinformatic applications in real-world research, particularly focusing on people living with HIV. I've always been interested in genetics, but I wanted to gain hands-on experience with this type of data to determine if it's the right path for my career.

What project did you work on?

I developed methods to assess the impact of the HealthMpowerment 2.0 mobile app on the mental health of individuals living with HIV.

What is your favorite thing about summer?

The freedom and flexibility to explore my non-academic interests such as traveling, cooking, and camping while continuing my research.

What project did you work on?

My project is to analyze the relationship between childhood sexual abuse experience, mental health variables and PrEP outcome variables among Indigenous sexual minority groups in Guatemala.

What was your favorite part of the summer internship?

My favorite part of this summer internship is meeting people with a diverse background and sharing our projects to one another.

Read all intern reflections.

Duke CFAR at HIVR4P; Chris Beyrer Receives Desmond Tutu Award

The HIV Research for Prevention Conference is the only global scientific conference focused exclusively on the challenging and fast-growing field of HIV prevention research. This conference fosters interdisciplinary knowledge exchange on HIV vaccines, microbicides, PrEP, treatment as prevention and biomedical interventions, as well as their social and behavioural implications.

The 5th HIVR4P Conference was held in Lima, Peru from October 6-10th.

Conference photos from International AIDS Society

At the opening plenary, the International AIDS Society (IAS) recognized Chris Beyrer with the Desmond Tutu Award for HIV Prevention Research and Human Rights. The award is named in honor of South African cleric Desmond Tutu, one of the leading global advocates for HIV prevention and the dignity of all people. The award is presented every two years to an individual or organization that has worked in an outstanding manner to advance both HIV prevention research and the human rights of people affected by HIV.

Beyrer, a past president of IAS, has led collaborative research on HIV epidemiology, prevention and treatment in Southeast Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa, and Eastern Europe and Central Asia for more than 30 years. He serves as an advisor to the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), the HIV Vaccine Trials Network, the World Health Organization and Physicians for Human Rights. At Duke, he is the Gary Hock Distinguished Professor in Global Health and is an associate director of the Duke Center for AIDS Research. 

Desmond Tutu, a South African archbishop who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1984, was a fierce advocate for HIV prevention and the human rights of people living with HIV. Until his death in 2021, he frequently fought against HIV denialism and discrimination and denounced laws that criminalized sexual identity and behavior.

The award carries personal significance for Beyrer, who worked with Tutu on HIV prevention and advocacy as the founding director of the Center for Public Health and Human Rights at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Prior to coming to Duke, Beyrer served as the inaugural Desmond M. Tutu Professor of Public Health and Human Rights at JHU. Read about the award on the DGHI website.

Congratulations, Chris!

At HIVR4P, The latest evidence and emerging tools from HIV prevention research were featured in over 60 sessions – including plenary presentations, invited-speaker symposia, oral abstract sessions and satellites – and over 600 posters and e-posters. Access all oral abstracts, poster exhibitions, e-posters and late breakers from HIVR4P 2024 for free in the abstract book.

The Duke CFAR was well-represented among oral and poster presentations, and attendees were able to explore a bit and enjoy the beauty of Peru!

View this article on the CFAR website.

Celebrating Pride!

The Duke PrEP Clinic hosted a booth at Durham Pride on September 28th and 29th, with support from the Duke CFAR. A big thank you to Crystal Baine, Jasmine Carr, Richard Frothingham, Susanna Naggie, and Mehri McKellar from the Duke PrEP Clinic based in Clinic 1K.

Clinical Core Research in Progress Event

Tuesday, October 22, 2024 | 8am ET | Trent Semans Room 3025 & Zoom

The Duke CFAR Clinical Core is excited to announce our new bi-annual Research in Progress event! This biannual forum will be led entirely by early-stage investigators for early-stage investigators. Two ESI will present their ongoing or future research and request feedback from faculty, coordinator/regulatory staff, and peers.

Presenters

Suur Debrah Ayangeakaa, PhD

Assistant Professor in Population Health Sciences

Assistant Research Professor of Global Health

Carl Minha, MD, MPH

PhD Student

In-person attendance is strongly encouraged, but for those out of town or otherwise unable to attend in person, a Zoom option is available:

https://duke.zoom.us/j/95594003596?pwd=gttsONACUNBbgcHkZBuIRsyh5lyjGv.1

Passcode: 123456

NIDA HIV Seminar Series - Let's Talk PrEP

Wednesday, October 23, 2024 | 1 - 2:30pm ET | Zoom

The Fall NIDA HIV Seminar will feature a panel of experts addressing HIV PrEP for People Who Use Drugs. The panel will include experts from CDC and academic institutes, and persons with lived experience.

Register for the webinar.

CFAR-wide Webinar - The HIV PDR: A New Platform for Pharmacokinetic Data Sharing

Monday, October 28, 2024 | 3:30 - 4:30pm ET | Zoom

Topic: The HIV PDR: A New Platform for Pharmacokinetic Data Sharing

Speaker: Mackenzie Cottrell, Pharm D, Co-Director UNC CFAR Clinical Pharmacology and Analytical Chemistry Core

Registration required.

Register for the webinar.

October ID Grand Rounds with Maria Blasi

Monday, October 28, 2024 | 4 - 5pm ET | Hanes House Room 131 & Zoom

Maria Blasi, PhD - "Longitudinal Analysis of Viral Dynamics in HIV+ to HIV+ HOPE Act Kidney-Transplant Recipients"

Zoom Information

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

Meeting ID: 986 8677 0700

Password: 205062

Inter-CFAR Health Equity Working Group Launch

Thursday, November 7, 2024 | 11am - 12pm ET | Zoom

We invite you to the launch of our new initiative aimed at connecting HIV-focused investigators dedicated to reducing inequities across HIV prevention, care, and treatment. 

What to Expect at Our First Meeting — Gain Insights into Using Health Equity

Frameworks in Your Research

• Guidance and Resources: Tailored support for investigators, particularly early-stage investigators, to incorporate health equity research methodologies into their work.
• Expert Insights: Learn from researchers who have developed and applied key health equity frameworks, including:
• The Health Equity Implementation Framework with Sonia Singh, PhD, Assistant Professor at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
• R4P with Yanica Faustin, PhD, MPH, Assistant Professor at Elon University
• ETR’s Health Implementation Framework with Kiara Lee, PhD, Director of Education Strategy at Rice University and Emilie Egger, PhD, Postdoctoral Fellow at Yale University.

Event Details

📅 Date: November 7, 2024

🕚 Time: 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM ET 

📍 Location: Virtual Meeting

Agenda

• Framework Overview: Short presentations by experts on how they applied these frameworks in their research.
• Interactive Breakout Sessions: Engage in deeper discussions with the speakers about each framework and how to use the framework in your research.

Join the November 7, 2024, Duke Health Equity Inter-CFAR Workshop here

or click the link below. No RSVP required.

https://duke.zoom.us/j/94771218023?pwd=ZVPhTylpTxbbt7UzCaTPbUS43E3tfm.1

Passcode: DukeCFAR

We look forward to seeing you there! 

Amy Corneli, PhD, MPH; Sarah (Sadie) Wilson, PhD; and Rachel Austin, MPH 

Convenors, Inter-CFAR Health Equity Working Group

Duke CFAR Social and Behavioral Sciences Core

Funding & Training Opportunities

Applications open for HVTN Scientific Leadership Development Program

We’re excited to announce the opening of the fourth cohort of the HVTN Scientific Leadership Development program (SLD).

The HVTN has a growing portfolio of early-stage HIV and TB vaccine candidates, with multiple discovery protocols anticipated in the coming years. The HVTN seeks to foster a generation of up-and-coming, highly qualified, diverse clinical investigators to co-chair these protocols. As we develop numerous Phase 1-3 vaccine and monoclonal antibody studies, we also want to grow and support the clinical trial leaders of tomorrow. 

Led by Dr. Alison Roxby and senior colleagues throughout the HVTN, the SLD provides partial salary support so that awardees can immerse themselves in the time and activities required to foster investigative skills and training. This includes hands-on involvement in data analysis, manuscript writing, academic work including mentorship (both face-to-face and remote) and interactions with immunologists and biostatisticians. Together with a local mentor, each scientist in the program will create a professional development plan and write a first-author manuscript using data from completed HVTN studies.  

Our goal is to identify leaders in our midst who are ready for their next challenge. The need for highly-trained scientists is great, as is the imperative for clinical trials leadership to reflect the diverse communities we strive to serve. Learning this craft takes time and energy, and can lead to tremendous rewards for ourselves, our teams, and our communities. Please visit the Scientific Leadership Development website for program information, including eligibility criteria and the application.

The application window is open until November 10, 2024.

Learn more about the program.

Call for Proposals: CFAR Adelante Research Capacity Program in Latinx-Focused HIV Research

Yesterday (October 15^th) was National Latinx AIDS Awareness Day – an opportunity to raise awareness about the disproportionate impact of HIV in Hispanic and Latina/o/x (Latinx) communities in the United States. The NIH is working to address the HIV epidemic in this population through the National CFAR Adelante Research Capacity Program. The program aims to promote the mentored development of early career investigators who focus on HIV prevention, treatment, and care in Latinx and/or Hispanic communities in the U.S. by strengthening the capacity of Latinx-serving community-based organizations to participate in and lead HIV-oriented research. 

Adelante – meaning forward or onward in Spanish – is funded by the NIH/NIMHD and managed by the Center for AIDS Research (CFAR) at Emory University with the DC CFAR. We are currently accepting concept proposal submissions for the 2025-2027 CFAR Adelante Research Capacity Program! Concept Proposals are due DECEMBER 2, 2024, at 11:59 PM EST.  

The CFAR Adelante Program supports two-year, academic-community partnered research projects led by an Adelante Team: a Scholar (early career HIV investigator), a CFAR-affiliated Mentor, and a Collaborating Partner project representative from a community-based organization that serves Hispanic and/or Latinx populations. Adelante Teams should be supportive, diverse, and interdisciplinary. Proposed research should be community-based and reflect local Hispanic and/or Latinx community needs, as identified by science and the local community.

Eligible research topics must focus on Hispanic and/or Latinx populations in the U.S. and may include but are not limited to:

1. Developing, testing, and implementing strategies to improve HIV prevention and/or care services.
2. Developing, testing and implementing strategies for improving health and well-being for these populations living with HIV.
3. Developing, testing, and implementing socio-behavioral interventions to improve uptake of HIV prevention and care strategies.
4. Conducting implementation research to optimize and/or enhance uptake of, linkage to, or engagement in HIV prevention and care services. 
5. Examining HIV-related health and social issues, including mental health or substance use disorder, that are clearly linked with HIV (transmission, pathogenesis, morbidity and mortality, stigma). 

Applicants may request up to $125,000 in direct costs per year ($250,000 over two years) plus applicable indirect costs. You can download the complete RFA and find more information about the program on the CFAR Adelante website.

Watch the recording from an informational webinar to learn more about the CFAR Adelante Program. If you have questions about the program, the RFA, and/or the application process, please reach out to CFAR Adelante Program Manager, Jenny Anderson (jenny.anderson@emory.edu).  

Learn more about the program.

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