The leadership of the Baylor-UTHouston Center for AIDS Research thanks the reviewers for theirthoughtful comments in the previous critique. Those comments were very helpful and guided our strategicthinking as we planned and prepared this revised application. We also consulted with NIH CFAR programofficials and obtained advice from our External Advisors as part of the resubmission process.Some of the criticisms in the critique reflected inadvertant omissions of certain details as well as inadequatepresentations of past accomplishments or future plans. We have responded to those criticisms throughout thisrevised application by expanding the narrative and providing more detailed descriptions and specific examplesof activities and services and of research and educational programs. We regret the omission and inadequatedescriptions of Protection of Human Subjects information in some of the Cores and it has been corrected in thisresubmission.There were more substantive concerns expressed about the organization or value of certain cores. Torespond to those criticisms, we carried out a complete re-evaluation of our strengths, weaknesses andopportunities and analyzed the role of each core in facilitating AIDS-related translational research. Severalcores were reorganized and major modifications made in their goals and/or services and functions (ClinicalResearch, Behavioral Science, and International Research). The other scientific cores (Immunology, Virology,Design and Analysis) were also revised.Questions about lack of innovation prompted us to formulate a strategy involving a more proactive use ofDevelopmental funds to foster translational research in areas of gaps and opportunity at our CFAR that wouldtake advantage of our strengths and promote synergy among the cores. Two applications of this type werefunded in the most recent Developmental grants cycle, both of which involved collaborations between Baylorand UTHouston researchers. We also formalized a plan to support the development of a broad ScientificProgram in HIV and Coinfections, focusing on HIV and Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Diagrams illustratingthese new collaborative projects are included in various Core descriptions. In addition, we designed acomprehensive mentoring plan to help the career development of junior investigators in HIV/AIDS research.These new plans are presented in the Developmental Core and referenced throughout the application.There were questions raised about the new partnership between Baylor College of Medicine and theUniversity of Texas-Houston. We acknowledge that aspects of that relationship were ill-defined in the previousapplication. In the intervening year between that first application and this resubmission, substantial progresshas been made in integrating CFAR activities and management at the two institutions. This improvedintegration will be evident throughout this revised application. Examples of this integration include addition ofUTHouston faculty members to the leadership of several cores and to Core Oversight Committees, successfulcompetition by UTHouston CFAR members for 2004 Developmental funds, and the development of newresearch collaborations between Baylor and UTHouston faculty. Importantly, leaders of ADDS research at thetwo institutions share a common vision of the CFAR and its benefits. We are energized by the plans for a moreproactive CFAR and the expanded opportunities for translational HIV/AIDS research that emerged during thisrevision process.Responses to specific comments in the critique are presented at the beginning of each core. Unless notedotherwise, changes in this revised application are marked with a vertical line in the left-hand margin.
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