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Developmental Core (Core B)

The Developmental Core supports new HIV/AIDS research at the university.  The Core is directed by Dr. Stephen Dewhurst. He is assisted by Dr. Gigliotti, who has extensive mentoring experience with clinical trainees. There are five interconnected goals for the core:

• Catalyze new multidisciplinary research on HIV/AIDS. This will be achieved by funding pilot awards that support new collaborative efforts in strategically selected “areas of opportunity” (prevention/behavior, Optics and Nanomedicine, mathematical modeling, and international collaborations).  Support will also be provided for generation of enabling preliminary data for new grant applications.  Travelling Fellowships will be awarded to support training and international collaboration. 
• Recruiting new HIV/AIDS investigators. This will be achieved by providing Mentored Investigator Awards patterned on the KO8 mechanism, with the use of experienced mentoring teams to assist young faculty, and by supporting new faculty recruitment.
• Support mentoring and career development of young HIV/AIDS investigators. This will use the structured mentoring program developed for the UR CTSI. Mentoring partnerships will be supervised by a Mentoring Committee of senior D-CFAR investigators with extensive mentoring experience. A grant facilitation service will also be initiated to provide (i) a forum for discussion and refinement of grant ideas at an early stage and (ii) expert advice and input on written materials, with prompt turn-around.
• Create a stimulating intellectual and scientific environment, through new seminar programs including a “Multi-Disciplinary D-CFAR" seminar, and a “HIV/AIDS Research-in-Progress” (HRIP) seminar; industry collaborations will also be supported. 
• Focus on international collaborations. Short-term instruction in biostatistics and HIV/AIDS clinical trial design will be provided for international partners in South Africa. In addition, a forum will be created in which UR trainees will work with datasets and research materials from our partners in South Africa, in a mutually beneficial research collaboration.

Overall, these activities are expected to strongly enhance HIV/AIDS research at UR.