The Tennessee Center for AIDS Research (CFAR) is a four-way partnership between a research-intensive institution (Vanderbilt University Medical Center, VUMC), a historically black medical college (Meharry Medical College, MMC), an academically-engaged state health department (Tennessee Department of Health, TDH), and (newly added) a sophisticated community-based organization with an exclusive focus on HIV (Nashville CARES). Thoughtful study design, data collection, statistical analysis, and tool development are essential to high quality HIV/AIDS research. The CFAR Data Sciences Core (DSC) has been a critical component of the first cycle of the CFAR and will continue to pursue its overarching goal of elevating the quality of HIV/AIDS research. The DSC has provided statistical and informatics support to HIV/AIDS investigators at VUMC, MMC and TDH. The DSC consults with Development Core Award applicants prior to submission, provides guaranteed statistical/informatics support for award recipients, and actively collaborates with CFAR investigators at all participating institutions. The DSC collaborates closely with other cores and develops novel resources, tools, and methods to enhance HIV/AIDS research at the participating institutions and beyond. The DSC team has broad HIV research experience, including leadership roles for international HIV research consortia, long-standing collaborations with HIV investigators, experience handling and analyzing large genomic datasets, and proven track records of developing novel methods and tools informed by and beneficial to the HIV research community. The DSC will provide mentorship and training by actively participating in scientific working groups, sponsoring data science seminars, and providing topic-specific instruction at walk-in clinics. DSC services are expanding to include database development and analysis support for new partner institution, Nashville CARES, and novel bioinformatics support for CFAR investigators. The well-attended biostatistics/biomedical informatics walk-in clinics will expand from 4 clinics per month (2 at VUMC, 1 at MMC, and 1 at TDH) to 6 clinics per month by adding an additional data-focused clinic at Nashville CARES and a new bioinformatics-focused clinic at VUMC. The DC, in collaboration with the Laboratory Sciences Core, has also added expertise in high-throughput bioinformatics, so that CFAR investigators may fully take advantage of state-of-the-art single-cell transcriptomics and related technologies at Vanderbilt. DSC service offerings are continually informed by user feedback and CFAR strategic planning initiatives. The DC will support the mission of this CFAR by pursuing three specific aims: 1) Provide biostatistics, bioinformatics, and research informatics support for the CFAR.; 2) Develop databases, tools, and methods to advance HIV research in the CFAR and beyond; and 3) Provide data science training to CFAR investigators
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