ADOLESCENT MEDICINE TRIALS UNIT

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The Adolescent AIDS Program (AAP) at Montefiore Medical Center, Einstein College of Medicine, in the Bronx, NY is re-competing to be an Adolescent Medicine Trials Unit to implement clinical and behavioral Studies in the Adolescent Medicine Trials Network for HIV/AIDS Interventions (ATN). The AAP believes that its 23 years of experience and leadership in providing the highest quality clinical care and research, combined with innovative strategies for community outreach will offer important scientific and operational contributions to the ATN. The Specific Aims of the AAP's participation in the ATN are to: 1) contribute to the advancement of the scientific agenda of the ATN through participating in protocol teams, writing/reviewing protocols and research papers and disseminating of key findings; 2) advance HIV prevention and care by recruiting and retaining HIV+ and at-risk youth ages 13-24 years into all relevant ATN trials; 3) provide a comprehensive array of clinical and mental health services to youth to facilitate their clinical care and enrollment into trials while ensuring their rights and safety as research volunteers; 4) contribute to the prevention of HIV via Connect to Protect innovative outreach prevention strategies and community mobilization and structural change such as the Bronx Knows and 5) contribute to the effective operations of the ATN via participation in calls, meetings and committees. The goals of the RFA include the development and implementation of behavioral, community-based and translational, prophylactic, therapeutic and vaccine trials with HIV+ and at-risk youth. The success of these intervention studies will facilitate better clinical and behavioral management for HIV infected youth as well as make a significant contribution to the prevention of HIV infection among youth. The AAP is uniquely positioned to meet these goals both through experience as well as its population of HIV positive and at-risk youth living in the Bronx, NY. In 2009, the AAP cared for 134 HIV+ patients, 62% male and 98% ethnic/racial minorities. The heavy burden of HIV faced by Bronx residents and youth necessitates continued research. As the borough with the poorest congressional district in the nation, the health status of the 1.3 million Bronx residents continues to lag behind other residents of NYC. Participation in the ATN will help the AAP to continue to address the public health issues of HIV/AIDS in the Bronx, NY. RELEVANCE: Adolescents from communities of color as well as young men who have sex with men continue to experience disproportionate rates of HIV infection. A clinical trials network which addresses research to the care and prevention needs of these youth is crucial for addressing the HIV epidemic. The Adolescent AIDS Program represents a high quality clinical and research site in the heavily impacted community of the Bronx, NY.