This is a revision of an R13 application to hold an annual scientific meeting for the Southern HIV Alcohol Research Consortium (SHARC). The SHARC was formed in 2011 by linking three NIAAA-funded research proposals involving HIV and high-risk alcohol consumption. The SHARC now focuses on research and training that is culturally relevant to the range of affected populations in Florida, a state with significant diverity in regards to ethnicity, country of origin, urban/rural distinctions, and aging populations. Over te past two years, the number of students and faculty involved with SHARC has grown substantially. The meeting will showcase our current research activities and also help to develop new ideas and collaborations related to SHARC. The meeting will encourage interaction and collaboration among senior investigators, trainees, research staff, NIH scientists, and community stakeholders. Components of the meeting will include formal talks, poster presentations, and an overview of current SHARC program activity, multidisciplinary working groups, a community health forum, and opportunities for mentor-mentee interaction. The meeting will be unique in terms of its focus on HIV and alcohol, its emphasis on multidisciplinary team science, and opportunities for interaction between students, faculty, and the HIV community. As part of the conference, a Scientific Advisory Board that includes research scientists, clinicians, and public health experts will review the SHARC research and training activities and provide feedback to the SHARC executive committee. The SHARC conference meetings will occur annually in January 2015, 2016, and 2017, congruent with the current U24 grant that supports the SHARC administrative core. Meetings will alternate between Gainesville and Miami, using conference facilities affiliated with the University of Florida and Florida International University. A meeting planning committee will oversee planning for each year's meeting. The planning committee will identify a unique theme related to HIV and alcohol, suggest outside speakers, and help to ensure diversity among meeting presenters and attendees. Meeting evaluations will assess the impact of the meeting on the generation of new research ideas and collaborations, interaction with persons from different scientific and cultural backgrounds, and understanding the current issues related to HIV and alcohol in the Southeastern US.
The purpose of the proposed meeting is to allow for cross-study collaboration amongst the various SHARC research students and faculty, invited guests, and the community. The meeting will address the intersection between alcohol consumption and HIV infection, which are each topics of major public health significance in Florida and the Southeastern United States.
| Cook, Robert L; Thompson, Erika L; Kelso, Natalie E et al. (2014) Sexual behaviors and other risk factors for oral human papillomavirus infections in young women. Sex Transm Dis 41:486-92 |
