This proposal draws upon the combined strengths Of UAB's experience In AIDS Research, Coordinating Center leadership, and national clinical trials and longitudinal/cohort studies activity to serve as the Data and Operations Center (DOC) in support of and collaboration with the Adolescent Medicine HIV/AIDS Research Network. The principle goal of the Network is to achieve a better understanding of HIV disease progression and comorbidity in adolescents 15-19 years of age and thus improve health care management. Other goals involve resolution of remaining questions of susceptibility, infectivity and transmissibility of HIV in adolescents. The network will also evaluate clinical management guidelines recognizing and studying the unique biological and behavioral features of this group. During Phase I (first six months) the DOC will organize and manage two meetings of the entire network, all conference calls and ad hoc calls for the Basic Science and Clinical Science groups. The purpose of the Network meetings and conference calls will be to define end points, variables to be collected and time intervals for their collection and to address the details of the base protocol to be used and develop data collection Instruments. The DOC will organize an implementation meeting of the Steering committee and the entire Network at month six. Following protocol development Phase II is initiated in which it will be necessary for the DOC to implement training of clinical staff in the data collection and to manage procedures for patient recruitment. The DOC staff will also work with the Basic Science Group members to develop data collection and quality control measures for special studies. Participation of both an epidemiologist and a behavioral scientist, experts in both basic and clinical science issues of HIV in adolescents, will permit the DOC to provide valuable bridging functions among Basic Science ,Clinical Science, and government collaborations. Maximizing communication and strategic and timely exploitation of research opportunities and findings will characterize our DOC.
Showing the most recent 10 out of 27 publications
