The complex biomedical, psychological, neuropsychiatric, psychosocial, and sociocultural challenges associated with the HIV/AIDS epidemic are such that there continues to be a pressing need for specialists in HIV/AIDS clinical behavioral research. The purpose of the proposed T32 program is to provide comprehensive postdoctoral clinical research training in HIV/AIDS mental health and behavioral science for psychiatrists and clinical psychologists. Through the creation of a training infrastructure consisting of an interdisciplinary collaborative faculty, the program: (1) provides broad HIV/AIDS clinical research training through didactic seminars and involvement in research projects, and (2) offers specialized training along one of two pathways: applied/translational mental health research and behavioral prevention/intervention research. The program is located in the Emory University Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences with key training linkages to the Emory University School of Medicine, Rollins School of Public Health, Yerkes Regional Primate Research Center, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and Georgia State University. The program also capitalizes on the vast resources of the Emory Center for AIDS Research. The diversity of the program permits research pursuits with clinically, ethnically, and culturally diverse populations of HIV seropositive and HIV affected individuals and groups, including African Americans, adolescents, prison populations, individuals with substance use disorders, and populations in underdeveloped countries. In addition, special areas of expertise of program faculty in brain imaging, psychoneuroendocrinology/immunology, psychopharmacology and HIV/AIDS clinical trials provide unique opportunities for research training in the pathology and treatment of neuropsychiatric complications related to HIV/AIDS. The ultimate goal of the clinical research training program is to train clinical researchers who can meaningfully contribute to the scientific agenda for HIV/AIDS mental health and behavioral science research. Special emphasis in the revised application is placed on the development of hypothesis-driven research grants (in the first year), followed by an emphasis on the professional skills required for transitioning into an academic position post graduation. ? ?
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