The University of Washington provides a rich and stimulating environment for the STD & AIDS Research, with Federal and foundation funding for STD & AIDS-related research, training, and service at UW and its affiliated institutions exceeding $500 million in 2017. The number of UW faculty involved in STD and HIV/AIDS research has grown from 10 in 1970 to over 700 in 2017. This STD & AIDS Training Program, now in Year 40, has trained 225 trainees (62 pre- and 163 post-doctoral). Of all fellows and students who have completed training, 83% hold faculty or senior research positions in academia, leadership positions in public health or government, or senior scientist positions in the biomedical sciences. For the current proposal, Sheila Lukehart PhD will continue to serve as Program Director, with Anna Wald MD, MPH as Co-Director; they will lead an Executive Committee comprised of Drs. King Holmes, Grace John-Stewart, R. Scott McClelland, Lisa Frenkel, and Julia Dombrowski. The EC will also provide oversight of the program, help to monitor trainee progress, evaluate and select applicants, and discuss potential new initiatives and developments in STD & AIDS research. A carefully selected group of 68 faculty will serve as Senior or Junior Mentors. We request continued funding for 7 post-doctoral (3 PhDs and 4 MDs) and 5 predoctoral trainees. The Program's Core Curriculum, mandatory for all trainees, includes the following annual events: ? Principles of STD and AIDS Research, a 2 week intensive course on research questions and methods ? STD & AIDS Research Symposium, held in Fall, with presentations by trainees and new investigators ? STD & HIV Winter Dinner, with a special guest speaker ? STD and HIV Training Retreat, to be held annually each Spring ? Biomedical Research Integrity series ? Survival and Thriving in the Research Years ? Focused research conferences, seminars, and symposia relevant to trainees' area of research ? Didactic training related to Rigor and Reproducibility ? MD trainees will receive clinical training experience in STD, HIV/AIDS, and HIV/viral hepatitis clinics. Research training has been re-organized into three tracks representing research from the Molecular and Cellular level (Host-Pathogen) through the Individual level (Clinical & Behavioral) to the Societal level (Population Health), all offering pre- and postdoctoral training (including MPH options for MD trainees). Trainees will have mentoring committees and will use Individual Development Plans to guide their career development. The program evaluation plan includes process and outcome objectives, with systematic collection of these measures with ongoing program modification as indicated.
Sexually transmitted infections, including HIV, are major public health issues in the United States and globally. This training program, now in its 40th year, has trained 225 postdoctoral and predoctoral fellows in STD and HIV/AIDS research, 83% of whom have continued in academia, public health or government, or in other biomedical research venues. Continued support for this training program is requested.
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