Happy New Year! We look forward to continuing to lift up our community together in 2024!

Community stands for

Commitment

Overcoming things that can keep us down

Managing to hold a smile that can eliminate a frown

Moving towards a healing that will set us all free

Understanding the fact that we are still Human even with a diagnosis of HIV

Necessarily being recognized just for who we are

Igniting the passion that shines within us just as a twinkling star

Transversing forward in all of your entirety, Believing that

You are the most important person within the COMMUNITY

From “Letting Communities Lead”

Written by Mrs. Stacy J. Senghor for Durham World AIDS Day 2023

News from the CFAR

2023 World AIDS Day Recap

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. 2023 marked the 35th commemoration of this important day.

Since the beginning of the HIV epidemic, we have lost more than 40 million lives worldwide to HIV. At the end of 2022, 39 million people were living with HIV globally. Approximately 1.2 million of those individuals are living in the United States, and more than 30,000 people are living with HIV right here in North Carolina.

Across the CFAR, the Durham Community, the United States, and the globe, communities came together to recognize World AIDS Day. See a few highlights below.

Letting Communities Lead

The UNAIDS theme for World AIDS Day 2023 was Let Communities Lead. The world can end AIDS, with communities leading the way. Organizations of communities living with, at risk of, or affected by HIV are the frontline of progress in the HIV response. Communities connect people with person-centered public health services, build trust, innovate, monitor implementation of policies and services, and hold providers accountable. This World AIDS Day was more than a celebration of the achievements of communities; it was a call to action to enable and support communities in their leadership roles

With this theme as a grounding principle, the Duke Collaborative Community Council (D3C) hosted an evening of storytelling and talks on December 1st from advocates and researchers to fight stigma and lift up community.

The evening began with a powerful spoken word poem by Mrs. Stacy J. Senghor, which set the tone for an incredible event. Two of our D3C members shared their stories of how HIV has impacted their lives, and two CFAR researchers, Dr. Tonia Poteat and Dr. Sadie Wilson reflected on their journeys in HIV-related research, the importance of centering community in research, and highlighting the voices of transgender advocates in the fight for health equity. Dr. Joyce Turner Keller, an advocate, community organizer, and motivational speaker inspired the room, sharing how HIV has taken her "from the crack house where there were substance users to the White House where I had to advocate for better services for those of us living with HIV." We encourage you listen to Mrs. Senghor and Dr. Keller's words, and to think about how you can incorporate community leadership into your work. Remember that the D3C is available for free consultations to CFAR researchers!

A reception after the programming allowed for attendees to mingle, take photos with the beautiful backdrop, receive free HIV and STI testing from the Durham County Department of Public Health, and check out resources from CAARE, The LGBTQ Center of Durham, the Duke PrEP Clinic, researchers, and clinicians.

Building Bonds, Helping the Community

Dr. Wilton Williams, Associate Professor of Surgery and a member of the Duke Human Vaccine Institute, joined 10 members of his lab staff last month for a day of volunteer work with Habitat for Humanity of Durham. The outing, in honor of World AIDS Day on December 1, had the group removing temporary support beams and installing windows and doors in a house that will be home to a Durham family. "This brings us closer together," Williams said. "Working together, we get to share experiences and it helps us build our team."

Progress & Opportunity: A Conversation between Dean Klotman and Dr. Bart Haynes

Dean Mary Klotman's Friday Message for Friday, December 1st, featured a conversation with Barton Haynes, MD, Director of the Duke Human Vaccine Institute about our progress in the fight against HIV as we recognize World AIDS Day. 

HIV.gov World AIDS Day 2023 Roundup

A Proclamation on World AIDS Day, 2023 - President Joe Biden

NIH Statement on World AIDS Day 2023

Ambassador Nkengasong’s World AIDS Day Statement

Statement by Assistant Secretary for Health Admiral Rachel Levine on World AIDS Day

World AIDS Day 2023: CDC Dear Colleague Letter

Watch Personal Reflections from the HHS Office of Infectious Disease and HIV/AIDS Policy (OIDP) Staff - World AIDS Day 35: Remember and Commit

2024 CFAR Pilot Award Request for Proposals released

The CFAR Developmental Core Pilot Awards support scientific studies for 1 year. The purpose of these awards is to develop preliminary data for peer-reviewed applications.

Letter of Intent Deadline (required): February 19, 2024

Application Deadline: May 1, 2023

Two types of Pilot Awards are available

• Standard Pilot Awards (7 pages) – up to $100,000 direct funding
•  Focused Pilot Awards (3 pages) – up to $60,000 direct funding

CFAR Pilot Awards provide opportunities for training and mentoring of Early Stage HIV/AIDS investigators, as well as seasoned investigators new to the HIV/AIDS field. Current topics of interest to the Duke CFAR are Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, and HIV & Aging. Proposals must target one of the NIH HIV/AIDS Priority Areas of Research.

*Post-docs and Fellows are eligible for CFAR Pilot Award funding, with a letter of support from a faculty mentor and approved PI Status.

Please see the RFP or the Duke CFAR Website for further details.

Learn more about the pilot awards and view the RFP.

Remembering Dr. Ada Adimora

The Duke CFAR is saddened to hear of the passing of Dr. Ada Adimora, Sarah Graham Kenan Distinguished Professor of Medicine and Professor of Epidemiology at UNC. As shared by our UNC CFAR colleagues, "Ada worked at UNC as a national and international leader for more than three decades. She was committed to improving the care of underserved populations and she was a tireless and fearless advocate for women living with HIV and at risk for HIV. Ada was loved and admired by all those she touched, and her loss leaves a gap that cannot be filled. We will miss Ada and her creativity, warmth, passion, and courage."

As shared by UNC Medicine, "Dr. Adimora, a brilliant and compassionate physician scientist, left an indelible mark on our department and the broader medical community. A true pioneer, Dr. Adimora made history as the first African American woman in our department to achieve tenure. With over 25 years of clinical experience, she dedicated her career to treating patients with HIV disease and investigating the epidemiology of HIV and STIs. Her groundbreaking work shed light on the epidemiology of heterosexual HIV transmission among African Americans, emphasizing the role of sexual network patterns and addressing the impact of macroeconomic and social forces on racial disparities in the US HIV epidemic.

In 2019, Dr. Adimora was elected to the National Academy of Medicine, a testament to her exceptional intellect and commitment to advancing healthcare. Her leadership extended to numerous state and national positions, including roles in the NC Department of Health Communicable Disease Control Section, NIH Prevention Trials Network, The HIV Medicine Association, and the U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services Antiretroviral Treatment Guidelines Panel. She also served on prestigious advisory councils such as the Presidential Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS and the National Institutes of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Advisory Council.

Notably, Dr. Adimora’s tireless efforts did not stop with her research and leadership roles. Despite her demanding schedule, she generously gave her time to mentor and advise countless students, trainees, and junior faculty. This commitment to nurturing the next generation of healthcare professionals reflects her deep passion for education and mentorship.

Dr. Adimora will be profoundly missed, and her legacy will continue to inspire. In lieu of flowers the family has asked that you consider donations in Ada’s honor to the Southern Coalition for Social Justice. A larger celebration of Ada’s life will be planned for Spring 2024."

The Duke CFAR sends our heartfelt condolences to Dr. Adimora's family, friends, and colleagues. 

Quantitative Methods for HIV Researchers:

Part II Statistics Workshops from the QS Core - Register by January 15

Mondays in January & February 2024 | 1-4pm EST| Hock Plaza

Registration is 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. Completion of Part I-Data Science Workshops or prior knowledge/ competency in R is required to attend. Register 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

Learn more and register for the workshops.

NIDA HIV Seminar Series: Integrating Addiction and HIV Prevention and Treatment for Everyone and Bringing it to Where They Live

Wednesday, January 24, 2024 | 1pm EST | Zoom

Join the NIDA HIV Research Program for the upcoming NIDA HIV Seminar with Dr. Sandra Springer of Yale School of Medicine, 2022 recipient of the NIDA HIV Avant-Garde Award, for her presentation "Integrating Addiction and HIV Prevention and Treatment for Everyone and Bringing it to Where They Live."

Sandra Springer, M.D., is a Professor of Medicine at the Yale School of Medicine. Her research integrates aspects of substance use and infectious diseases, with a focus on opioid use disorder treatment and the treatment and prevention of HIV among people with carceral experience.

Register for the webinar.

CERI Examples from the Field: Barbers, Beauticians and Researchers Uniting to Improve Community Health

Friday, January 26, 2024 | 12-1pm EST | Zoom

The Duke Clinical and Translational Science Institute's Community Engaged Research

Initiative (CERI) presents Examples From the Field for clinicians, researchers, research support staff, public health practitioners, and the community.

Barbers, Beauticians, and Researchers Uniting to Improve Community Health

Panelists:

Dr. Schenita Davis Randolph, Associate Professor in the Duke School of Nursing and Director of the Duke University HEEAT Research Lab

Dr. Craig Scott Fryer, Associate Professor and Interim Chair, Behavioral and Community Health, University of Maryland School of Public Health

Moderator: Chiquitta Lesene, CEO, Shackle Free Community Outreach Agency

From this webinar you will learn about:

• The role of barber and beautician communities in fostering health equity through collaborations with academic researchers.
• Successful examples of community-engaged research initiatives involving barber and beautician networks.
• Strategies for building effective partnerships between researchers, healthcare providers, and barber/beautician professionals.
• Challenges and opportunities in advancing health equity through collaborative efforts.

Learn more and register for the Zoom.

SBS Core Joint Duke and UNC CFAR Networking Event: Untangling the Quagmire of Stigma

Wednesday, January 31, 2024 | 9-10:30am EST | In-person at the Duke University School of Nursing (307 Trent Dr)

Join the Social & Behavioral Sciences Cores of the Duke and UNC CFARs for a spring networking event at Duke exploring the state of the science on HIV and stigma, stigma interventions, and stigma measurement. Register for the event to receive a calendar invite with exact location.

Register for the networking event.

INTEREST 2024 Abstracts due February 2

May 14 - 17, 2024 | Cotonou, Benin

The annual INTEREST Conference (International Conference on HIV Treatment, Pathogenesis, and Prevention Research in Resource-Limited Settings) is the premier scientific conference for HIV in Africa and brings together scientists involved in HIV treatment, pathogenesis, and prevention research from around the world. The conference will showcase cutting-edge knowledge in the diagnosis and treatment of HIV and the prevention of the HIV-1 infection. Additionally, it will continue to foster building a community of African physicians and scientists to facilitate the implementation of local solutions for the management of patients living with HIV-1 infection and for the prevention of HIV transmission.

INTEREST 2024 will be held in Cotonou, Benin May 14-17, 2024. Abstract submission is open through February 2, 2024.

Learn more about INTEREST 2024 and submit an abstract.

2024 NIDA Diversity Scholars Network - Applications due January 12

Calling all early-stage investigators! Submit a letter of interest for the 2024 NIDA Diversity Scholars Network (NDSN) Program! The goal of the NIDA Diversity Scholars Network Program is to enhance the funding success of ESIs from diverse backgrounds, including investigators from underrepresented groups. The program provides workshops and supportive coaching as participants prepare a complete research or career development award application for NIDA funding consideration. The program culminates in a mock review meeting, where the participants’ grant applications are reviewed.

The deadline to apply for the 2024 NDSN Program is January 12, 2024. More information about eligibility and how to submit a letter of interest can be found on the NDSN website. The website also contains a recorded webinar and FAQs. Reach out to Isabela Ellenwood (Isabela.Ellenwood@nih.gov) if you have any questions. 

Learn more about the program.

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.

New NIH & CDC Funding Opportunities and Programs

The NIAID New Innovator Award program (DP2) website is now live, with profiles and RePORTER links for each awardee. The program seeks applications from individuals with ESI status who are in postdoctoral or other non-independent positions, or who are within the first year of an independent position. Similar to the Common Fund’s High-Risk, High-Reward Research program, the NIAID New Innovator program supports creative, original and insightful research concepts from exceptionally talented ESIs who are in postdoctoral, non-independent, or newly independent research positions. The next opportunity for ESIs to apply will be October 11, 2024. See the current PAR-23-198 for more information.

Opportunities for HIV Cure Strategies at the Time of ART Initiation (R01, Clinical Trial Not Allowed) and Opportunities for HIV Cure Strategies at the Time of ART Initiation (R21, Clinical Trial Not Allowed) - The purpose of these Notices of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) is to identify cure strategies suitable for administration at the start of combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) and/or at cART restart after an analytical treatment interruption (ATI), with the ultimate goal of achieving sustained treatment-free remission.

Translational Research Toward Development of a Kaposi Sarcoma Herpesvirus (KSHV) Vaccine (U01 Clinical Trial Optional) - Through this Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO), the National Cancer Institute intends to support basic and translational research that will guide the development of a prophylactic or therapeutic Kaposi sarcoma herpesvirus (KSHV) vaccine.

Addressing the Impact of Syndemics on the Health of People with HIV and Diseases and Conditions within the Missions of NIDDK and NHLBI (R01 Clinical Trial Optional) - This Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) invites research projects that seek solutions to the development, exacerbation, and ineffective management of co-occurring conditions in marginalized communities of People with HIV (PWH). Projects must be based on a syndemics (synergistic epidemic) framework with a focus on the impact of racism, marginalization, discrimination, and/or stigma and their inter-relationships with social and structural risks. Projects may use mechanistic interventional approaches, policy/program evaluation studies, or epidemiology studies that build the evidence base to support improved equity and outcomes. 

The CDC Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) PS24-063: Improving the Quality of Life of People with HIV Aged 50 Years and Older in the United States - The purpose of this Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) is to support investigator-driven research that invites recipients to explore and identify factors related to quality of life (QOL) for persons with HIV aged 50 years and older (PWH50+). The recipient will conceive, design, develop, direct, and conduct formative qualitative and mixed method research to explore factors that impact QOL for PWH50+, translate findings into strategies to improve QOL for PWH50+, assess strategies for acceptability with PWH50+ and/or their HIV service providers, and disseminate findings to organizations and partners serving PWH50+. Findings from this NOFO research are expected to contribute towards improving quality of life for people with HIV and are aligned with the HIV National Strategic Plan (2022-2025) and the goals of the national Ending the HIV Epidemic in the U.S. (EHE) initiative “Treat” Pillar.

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