Einstein-Rockefeller-CUNY Center for AIDS Research

PROJECT SUMMARY As the AIDS research community and public health systems locally, nationally and globally focus efforts on preventing HIV transmission and ending the epidemic, it is critical to integrate our efforts across institutions and disciplines, sharing resources among many researchers to achieve the greatest gain in scientific understanding. In the current absence of a CFAR in New York, an epicenter of HIV infection, our strategic planning process made clear that the greatest contribution of a New York City-based CFAR would be achieved by reaching out to other institutions. Thus, the Einstein/Rockefeller/CUNY (ERC)-CFAR has created a highly synergistic new partnership of non-overlapping complementary resources, linking a strong basic and clinical research institution (Einstein)`with a large patient base, a globally pre-eminent basic science institution (Rockefeller), and a strong public health/implementation science institution (CUNY) to catalyze research to prevent HIV and end the epidemic. We are structured to collaborate extensively across disciplines and institutions to drive a trans-institutional, interdisciplinary, and coordinated research agenda by ERC-CFAR investigators focused on ?bench to bedside to community and back to the bench? research, and translating science into reality by assessing implementation of strategies and treatments shown to be efficacious in clinical and bench research. The ERC-CFAR will stimulate, coordinate, and support an integrated multidisciplinary research agenda to achieve our mission, to arrest the AIDS epidemic, through improving utilization of current treatments and developing new therapies, such as potent broadly neutralizing antibodies, for prevention, reducing the incidence of new infections; treatment, improving treatment outcomes among infected individuals; and eradication of HIV reservoirs. The ERC-CFAR will develop new research aimed at ending the epidemic by implementing five Specific Aims: 1) To empower a proactive, inclusive, and integrated program leadership approach to drive a trans-institutional, interdisciplinary, and coordinated research agenda by ERC-CFAR investigators focused on ?bench to bedside to community and back to the bench? research to reduce HIV incidence, improve access to treatment, promote adherence, improve outcomes and eradicate HIV reservoirs to arrest the AIDS epidemic; 2) To utilize three Scientific Cores to support and advance the basic, clinical, behavioral, epidemiological, translational, and implementation research of the ERC-CFAR investigators; 3) To provide the intellectual, technical, and financial support to advance the careers of the next generation of young, innovative, and interdisciplinary HIV/AIDS investigators, while recruiting established investigators into HIV/AIDS research and forging new collaborations across institutions; 4) To build an innovative community partnership with representatives from government, community, and academia, to participate in collaborative studies to optimize HIV diagnosis, treatment, and prevention outcomes. 5) Identify pioneering scientific initiatives aligned with those identified by the Office of AIDS Research (OAR) Trans-NIH Strategic Plan for HIV- related research and actuate them by assembling interdisciplinary research/community ERC-CFAR teams and creative collaborations locally with other NYC HIV investigators and nationally with other CFARs.