Involvement with the criminal justice system, substance use, and infection with HIV and hepatitis C virus (HCV) are syndemic in the United States. Despite this public health crisis, there is a relative dearth of clinical research aimed at improving treatment outcomes among CJ populations. To address this gap and increase the number and capacity of clinical scientists working with CJ populations, we have established this clinical research training program based at the Lifespan/Tufts/Brown Center for AIDS Research (CFAR) and in collaboration with the Brown Program in Public Health. The program will recruit five early career research scientists at the post-doctoral level annually from the U.S. and Puerto Rico through existing research networks, collaborations, and dissemination through relevant scientific meetings. The program is 24 months in length and is comprised of specific course modules and seminars held in Providence, RI, and a mentored research experience which will be conducted at the participant's home institution. The program has the following aims: 1) Provide a solid educational foundation for clinical research including research methodology and scientific writing skills by having participants attend the six week Summer Institute for Clinical and Translational Research offered by the Brown University of Program in Public Health. 2) Through on-site teaching during the Summer Institute course, the program will provide supplemental education on issues unique to CJ populations. 3) Provide a mentored research experience including funds for pilot projects that will provide participants with the opportunity t develop preliminary datasets appropriate for future NIH grants and to disseminate their findings at national meetings and through the peer-reviewed literature. 4) Provide ongoing mentored research support and collaborative learning experiences by convening research-in-progress seminars to review data collection, analyses, dissemination efforts, and to provide technical grant writing assistance that integrates the research experience. Scientific guidance will be provided by an Executive Committee and an external Advisory Committee; and a research mentoring network for participants will be created leveraging the faculty and resources at Lifespan/Brown including the Lifespan/Tufts/Brown Center for AIDS Research, the Center for Prisoner Health and Human Rights, the Center for Alcohol and Addiction Studies, the Centers for Behavioral and Preventive Medicine, the Program in Public Health, and the Alcohol Research Center on HIV (ARCH). The program will be evaluated by assessing dissemination activities, grant submissions, and grants funded for two years following program participation.
Involvement with the criminal justice system, substance use, and infection with HIV and hepatitis C virus are syndemic in the United States. Despite this public health crisis, there is a relative dearth of clinical research aimed at improving treatment outcomes among CJ populations. To address this gap and increase the number and capacity of clinical scientists working with criminal justice-involved populations, we have established this clinical research training program based at the Lifespan/Tufts/Brown Center for AIDS Research (CFAR) and in collaboration with the Brown Program in Public Health.
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