? AOIC Scientific Working Group AIDS was first described as a clinical syndrome defined by opportunistic infections and cancer. As the AIDS epidemic has been curtailed in the developed world by antiretroviral therapy (ART), a new epidemic has emerged of HIV-infected patients succumbing to both AIDS-defining and non-AIDS-defining cancers due to increased longevity. Furthermore, the ART era provides a new backdrop for the association between HIV and co-infection with viruses, bacteria, parasites, and fungi that can occupy new niches in immunocompromised or immune-modified hosts. As such, there is an important need to identify the clinical and biological problems of this new era and to bring researchers studying these co-morbidities together. In addition, HIV-associated co- infections and cancers in the developing world are increasing at an alarming rate. Therefore, it is our expectation that a Scientific Working Group (SWG) focusing on the interplay between HIV, co-infecting pathogens and cancer will provide a forum to establish new collaborations and seed new ideas that would not be provoked in traditional settings. The AIDS-associated Opportunistic Infections and Cancers (AOIC) SWG was formed in 2012 through natural organization around strengths at Duke in microbiology, genetics, and cancer. Five thematic subgroups include investigators with strong basic or clinical research programs in molecular pathogenesis, genetics, or the epidemiology of infectious disease and cancer with a specific focus on i) EBV lymphomas, ii) HPV-associated cancers, iii) HCV co-infection, iv) fungal pathogens, and v) mycobacterial co-infection. The strength of the AOIC SWG relies on identifying cross-cutting technologies and common research themes as high priority opportunities for discovery. These high priority opportunities will be: i) international research in AIDS malignancy and co-infection, ii) genetics and genomics of host susceptibility to infection, pathogen variation, and the development of cancer in HIV-infected individuals, and iii) immune dysfunction that promotes susceptibility to co-infection and cancer. The overall goal of the Duke CFAR is to maximize the impact of HIV/AIDS research contributions by Duke investigators on the global HIV pandemic. The AOIC SWG contributes to this goal by bringing together and supporting investigators across campus with an interest in AOIC-focused research. We will achieve this goal through the following two complementary specific aims: i) to foster intra-CFAR and cross-institutional collaborations in AOIC-focused research and ii) to develop new, high-impact scientific research programs in AOIC-focused research.
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