The UCLA AIDS Prevention and Treatment Clinical Trials Unit (UCLA-APT-CTU) is a multidisciplinary research unit composed of a core administrative unit and four clinical research sites in metropolitan Los Angeles. The investigative team has over 15 years of leadership experience in the design, implementation, and conduct of clinical trials evaluating both therapeutic and prevention strategies. Under the leadership of Judith Currier MD, MSc and a senior investigator team including Thomas Coates, PhD, Ronald Mitsuyasu, MD, Eric Daar, MD, Cathy Reback, Ph D, Steve Shoptaw, PhD and Stephen Brown MD, the unit will participate in the design and conduct of studies addressing the following four priority research areas; Prevention of HIV Infection, Translational Research/Drug Development, Optimization of Clinical Management, and Vaccine Research and Development in collaboration with the AIDS Clinical Trials Group (ACTG), the HIV Prevention Trials Network (HTPN) and the Vaccine Trials Network (VTN). The CTU has an administrative core and clinical research site at the UCLA Center for Clinical AIDS Research and Education (CARE Center) and additional Clinical Research Sites (CRS) at Harbor UCLA Medical Center and Friends Research Institute/Integrated Substance Abuse Program (ISAP) UCLA and AIDS Research Alliance.
The specific aims of our unit are to: 1. Evaluate new and potentially more effective HIV treatments. 2. Evaluate strategies for optimal use of antiretroviral therapies (ARV) in diverse populations. 3. Evaluate strategies to optimize the management of HIV infection and related co-morbidities. 4. Investigate HIV vaccines for therapy and for prevention of HIV infection. 5. Evaluate novel strategies for prevention of HIV infection in high-risk stimulant and injection drug users. 6. Evaluate strategies using ARV to prevent HIV acquisition. 7. Assess the role of early interventions in acutely infected individuals on long-term outcomes and transmission rates. 8. Mentor new minority investigators in cross-disciplinary HIV/AIDS research. 9. Make significant contributions to the leadership of the ACTG, HPTN and VTN through participation in the group leadership, scientific committees and protocol teams. 10. Stimulate community involvement and encourage participation of women and racial/ethnic minorities in ACTG, HPTN and VTN clinical trials at the UCLA-APT-CTU.
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