application's abstract): The long-term objective of the Richmond AIDS Consortium (RAC) is to acquire knowledge regarding the clinical management of HIV infection through the conduct of therapeutic trials in populations who are traditionally underrepresented in clinical research and often without access to state-of-the-art health care. This will be achieved throughout the life of this proposal by adhering to the following design points: (1) each individual will have a primary care physician, versed in the management of HIV, and responsible for the individual's comprehensive medical care; (2) research nurses will follow patients in real time during the patients' office visits; and (3) social work and pharmacy services will be available for all patients. The infrastructure for this design consists of a network of primary care providers at Virginia Commonwealth University/Medical College of Virginia Hospital (VCH/MCVH) and its associated Veterans Hospital, seven physicians in the Richmond metropolitan community, and the addition of a new site associated with Eastern Virginia Medical School in Norfolk. The total number of patients immediately available is 2,828 with another 4,000 present in the catchment area. One central IRB, one central laboratory, and one central pharmacy are all in place and functioning. A Community Advisory Board (CAB) is functioning and contributes to the Research Agenda through patient recruitment and advice on concepts and protocols. Investigators will contribute to the Research Agenda through enrolling patients, and participating in concept and protocol development. A QA plan is in place, methods for data collection and review, adverse event reporting, regulatory affairs and sound fiscal management and accountability. RAC is eager to start the IL-2, PIP and FIRST protocols and expects to either enroll or be following 200 patients at the unit at any given time.
| Nixon, Daniel E; Landay, Alan L (2010) Biomarkers of immune dysfunction in HIV. Curr Opin HIV AIDS 5:498-503 |
