Columbia University-Weill Cornell Medicine CFAR (CU-WCM CFAR)

About This Grant

PROJECT SUMMARY: OVERALL The Columbia University (CU) – Weill Cornell Medicine (WCM) Center for AIDS Research (CFAR) is a partnership between two large New York City (NYC) academic institutions, each with an expanding investment in HIV research and connected by the NewYork-Presbyterian hospital system, which spans four NYC counties designated as priority high-burden jurisdictions by the US Ending the HIV Epidemic (EHE) initiative. The overall specific aims of the CU-WCM CFAR are to (1) catalyze innovative, interdisciplinary, inter-institutional HIV research that addresses key HIV research priorities for ending the epidemic in NYC and beyond; (2) engage and support career development of HIV researchers, including early-career investigators (ECIs) and investigators new to HIV; and (3) advance community-engaged participatory research that promotes health for all people. The CU-WCM CFAR will accomplish these goals by establishing, engaging, and working through six Cores: The Administrative Core will provide leadership and management; implement strategic planning; and stimulate communication, collaboration, and capacity building. The Developmental Core will provide grant funding awards; mentoring and career development for new investigators; and provide resources, training, and feedback for mentors to improve their skills. The Structural Immunology Core will provide state-of-the-art imaging and immunological technologies; molecular structure determination; and bioinformatics to understand antibody-virus co-evolution, and structural modeling. The Virology Core will provide specialized assays to measure virus replication, infectivity, and cell susceptibility to infection; comprehensive reservoir characterization; and training in these methodologies. The Clinical Research Core will provide consultative support across the course of a study ranging from study design and biostatistical planning to participant recruitment, and data analysis. The Behavioral, Implementation and Community Sciences Core will support investigators engaged in behavioral, implementation, health services, and community science research and catalyze bi-directional collaborations with communities. We also will establish a Scientific Working Group – Integrating Systems of Care to End the HIV Epidemic – that will bring together a group of dynamic multi-sector collaborators to develop a robust research agenda that addresses fragmentation of care for HIV, mental health, and substance use care co-morbidities. The CU-WCM CFAR will add value to our institutions’ existing strong research portfolios through scientific leadership and strategic planning that builds synergistic new collaborations, enhances community engagement on HIV research and health, and supports innovation and research productivity as well as the next generation of leading HIV researchers.