This application represents the fourth competitive renewal for our T32 program ?Training in HIV Pathogenesis?. To reflect the vibrant development of our program, in step with NIH HIV/AIDS research priorities as articulated in NOT-OD-15-137, we have renamed our program ?Training in HIV Pathogenesis, Vaccination, and Cure?. The program supports 6 predoctoral and 3 postdoctoral trainees per year. The program is based at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, the University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine, Children?s Hospital of Philadelphia and the Wistar Institute, which occupy a single, contiguous campus in Philadelphia. Together, these institutions have one of the largest HIV/AIDS research programs in the country, with a funding base of $49.5 million as determined by the NIH Office of AIDS Research. Closely associated with our training program is our Center for AIDS Research (CFAR) which was renewed in 2018 (i.e. $2.6 million annually), thereby supporting numerous programs that benefit our trainees. Our program provides robust and innovate training in HIV research, while integrating key concepts from numerous other disciplines. Appointments are for 1-3 years. Over the last 15 years, the program has supported 52 predoctoral students who worked in 22 different laboratories and 27 postdoctoral trainees who have worked in 15 laboratories. Of these, 91% of graduate students and 91% of postdoctoral fellows are continuing in research or research-related careers. Among the many individuals who study HIV/AIDS on our campus, a select group of 24 mentors are associated with this T32 program. Excitingly, we have added five new mentors in training (four assistant professors and one associate professor), providing robust growth and new directions for years to come. In our program, we place special emphasis on collaborative science and a commitment to training students and postdoctoral fellows. The cohesive nature of our training program is demonstrated by the fact that 22 of our 24 trainers have published papers with other trainers, and 69% of our trainees over the last 10 years have published with two or more trainers. We are particularly pleased that of our Diversity Trainees supported in the last 10 years (five predocs and three postdocs), all are still in Research Related or Research Intensive careers. Based on these outcomes we feel we are training young scientists effectively, and so propose to maintain the training program at its present size.
This application is for the fourth competitive renewal of our training program, now entitled ?Training in HIV Pathogenesis, Vaccination and Cure?. Over the last 15 years the program has trained 79 distinguished young scientists, the great majority of whom are continuing in research. HIV/AIDS continues to be a severe health burden in the US and globally; experts on HIV/AIDS trained by our program are well positioned to lead the effort to reduce this disease burden.
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