This is a proposal for a midcareer investigator award in patient-oriented research for Dr. Gregory Lucas, Associate Professor at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. Dr. Lucas is medically trained as an infectious diseases specialist and he completed a PhD in clinical investigation at the Bloomberg School of Public Health in 2004. His research career focuses on interventions to improve access to care and outcomes among injection drug users (IDUs), and on chronic kidney disease, a common HIV-related comorbidity that is especially prevalent among IDUs. Injection drug use remains an important mode of HIV transmission worldwide, is a consistent barrier to optimal HIV treatment outcomes, and is a risk factor for medical comorbidity and early mortality. The objective of this proposal is to support a program for mentoring junior investigators and for fostering innovative research. This grant discusses two active research platforms that will serve as a framework for engaging trainees in HIV-related patient-focused research. First, Dr. Lucas is PI of kidney disease cohort designed to assess the roles of HIV, hepatitis C, and active drug use on kidney and cardiovascular disease in a cohort of HIV-infected and HIV-negative subjects. This study includes longitudinal measurements of iohexol clearance (a gold-standard measure of glomerular filtration rate), surrogate measures of cardiovascular disease, and the opportunity to assess putative mechanisms and novel biomarkers through stored specimens. Second, Dr. Lucas is co-PI of a cluster-randomized trial to evaluate the effectiveness of IDU-friendly integrated care centers (ICCs) in India. After baseline data collection and stratification, 12 IDU-prevalent sites in India will be randomized to ICC or control. In the 6 ICC sites, IDU- oriented non-governmental organizations will be scaled-up to provide free HIV testing and on-site ART, in addition to counseling and risk reduction services. After 2 years of service delivery, community-level outcomes will be evaluated with respondent-driven sampling surveys of 1,000 IDUs in each experimental and control site. In addition to these research platforms, Dr. Lucas proposes plans to assist the entry of junior investigators into HIV clinical research through a major commitment to the Johns Hopkins Center for AIDS Research (CFAR) and through his role as kidney disease working group director in the North American AIDS Cohort Collaboration on Research and Design (NA ACCORD). The outstanding environment for HIV research at Johns Hopkins is a key backdrop to this proposal. Dr. Lucas's training, experience, and career goals are well- suited to the objectives of the K24 award.

Public Health Relevance

This is a proposal for a midcareer investigator award in patient-oriented research for Gregory Lucas, Associate Professor at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. Dr. Lucas conducts research addressing barriers to HIV treatment and medical comorbidity in populations of HIV-infected injection drug users. The objective of this proposal is to support a program for mentoring junior investigators and for fostering innovative epidemiologic and implementation research targeting underserved populations.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)
Type
Midcareer Investigator Award in Patient-Oriented Research (K24)
Project #
5K24DA035684-05
Application #
9464525
Study Section
AIDS Clinical Studies and Epidemiology Study Section (ACE)
Program Officer
Flournoy Floyd, Minnjuan Wyncephel
Project Start
2014-04-01
Project End
2019-03-31
Budget Start
2018-04-01
Budget End
2019-03-31
Support Year
5
Fiscal Year
2018
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
Johns Hopkins University
Department
Internal Medicine/Medicine
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
001910777
City
Baltimore
State
MD
Country
United States
Zip Code
21205
Elliott, Jennifer C; Brincks, Ahnalee M; Feaster, Daniel J et al. (2018) Psychosocial Factors Associated with Problem Drinking Among Substance Users with Poorly Controlled HIV Infection. Alcohol Alcohol 53:603-610
Koubar, Sahar H; Estrella, Michelle M; Warrier, Rugmini et al. (2017) Rhabdomyolysis in an HIV cohort: epidemiology, causes and outcomes. BMC Nephrol 18:242
Sheets, Kerry M; Atta, Mohamed G; Fine, Derek M et al. (2017) Longitudinal Assessment of Proximal Tubular Dysfunction in HIV Seropositive and Seronegative Persons: Correlates and Implications. J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr 75:45-51
Solomon, Sunil S; McFall, Allison M; Lucas, Gregory M et al. (2017) Respondent-driven sampling for identification of HIV- and HCV-infected people who inject drugs and men who have sex with men in India: A cross-sectional, community-based analysis. PLoS Med 14:e1002460
Sabri, Bushra; McFall, Allison M; Solomon, Sunil S et al. (2017) Gender Differences in Factors Related to HIV Risk Behaviors among People Who Inject Drugs in North-East India. PLoS One 12:e0169482
Cepeda, Javier A; Solomon, Sunil S; Srikrishnan, Aylur K et al. (2017) Injection Drug Network Characteristics Are Important Markers of HIV Risk Behavior and Lack of Viral Suppression. J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr 75:257-264
Achhra, Amit C; Mocroft, Amanda; Ross, Michael et al. (2017) Impact of early versus deferred antiretroviral therapy on estimated glomerular filtration rate in HIV-positive individuals in the START trial. Int J Antimicrob Agents 50:453-460
Lucas, Gregory M (2017) Association between hepatitis C virus and chronic kidney disease: heterogeneity begets heterogeneity. Kidney Int 92:546-548
Muzaale, A D; Althoff, K N; Sperati, C J et al. (2017) Risk of End-Stage Renal Disease in HIV-Positive Potential Live Kidney Donors. Am J Transplant 17:1823-1832
McFall, Allison M; Solomon, Sunil S; Lucas, Greg M et al. (2017) Epidemiology of HIV and hepatitis C infection among women who inject drugs in Northeast India: a respondent-driven sampling study. Addiction 112:1480-1487

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