The Alabama to Zambia Clinical Trials Unit (A-to-Z CTU) represents a collaboration between the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) and the Centre for Infectious Diseases Research in Zambia (CIDRZ). UAB has been continuously funded to perform NIH-funded HIV network clinical trials since 1990 and in 2015 added the CIDRZ CRS at the request of DAIDS. Over the past 6 years, our team has successfully enrolled over 1000 participants, including 45% female and 59% minority participants, into 48 network trials and contributed to over 175 publications of the networks. We have met or exceeded the expectations regarding enrollment, retention, data management, pharmacy management, and laboratory facilities and metrics. The past performance of the A-to-Z CTU exemplifies the preparedness of our team to contribute to the science of the NIH-funded HIV clinical trials networks for the next seven years. In this application, we highlight the A-to-Z CTU commitment to HIV research with the following specific aims:
Aim 1. Enroll and retain participants efficiently into HIV clinical trials at our two clinical research sites capable of yielding the highest quality data to meet the needs of the HVTN, the HPTN and the ACTG scientific networks and their respective scientific research agendas.
Aim 2. Maintain a cohesive, integrated group of investigators and staff where communication, community engagement, interaction, problem solving, flexible staffing, quality data and sample management, and regulatory assurance currently exist as evident via our track record of high-quality performance.
Aim 3. Contribute to the respective scientific agendas by remaining engaged with the network leadership to respond quickly to emerging scientific priorities, including the ability to rapidly scale-up a protocol- specific site for targeted, high-priority studies for any DAIDS-funded research network.
Aim 4. Mentor a talented group of young investigators who will lay the foundation for continued excellence in this ever-changing field of HIV research domestically and internationally. We will leverage our long-standing experience in clinical trials to contribute to HIV research through the NIH- funded HIV clinical trial networks.
The Alabama to Zambia Clinical Trials Unit (A-to-Z CTU) is dedicated to advancing science to improve the quality and longevity of lives of people living with HIV (PLWH), ending the HIV epidemic, and eliminating disparities for PLWH. Our two Clinical Research Sites are geographically located in Alabama, where the US HIV epidemic is ongoing, and Zambia, where the global burden of HIV is greatest. Our integrated leadership group and staff will leverage our long-standing experience in clinical trials to contribute to the global efforts to end the HIV epidemic.
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