The UCSD CFAR Clinical Investigation Core promotes translational, epidemiologic, and outcomes researchin HIV disease by providing access to an established and successful infrastructure. The objectives of theCore are as follows: (1) provide the services, expertise, and environment necessary for clinicalinvestigation and translational research; (2) provide access to a longitudinal database for epidemiologic,behavioral, and outcomes research; (3) foster communication and collaboration between basic and clinicalinvestigators in academics and industry; (4) support training of junior HIV investigators and education ofmedical personnel; and (5) provide education and awareness of HIV-related research opportunities andCFAR research findings to all HIV-infected individuals, including women and minorities. To meet theseobjectives, the resources of a large, well-established clinical trials unit are made accessible to a broadrange of clinical investigators for pilot and funded projects.Physicians, basic scientists, pharmacists, fellows, junior faculty, and students use Core services. The Corehas also processed requests from academic institutions outside UCSD. The Core provides a full range ofservices, including patient outreach and recruitment; specimen collection; data collection, entry, andanalysis; trial design consultation; training of clinical research personnel; and access to a longitudinal,5,000-patient database containing cumulative clinical, behavioral, and laboratory indicators forepidemiologic- and outcomes-related research. In addition, the Core Directors and affiliated experiencedinvestigators mentor junior investigators and participate in CFAR didactic courses in clinical researchmethods and biostatistics.The opportunities for outcomes and translational work have been expanded with the CNICS (CFARNetwork of Integrated Clinical Systems) project, a collaboration of seven CFAR sites with electronicmedical records databases. Core personnel have facilitated the addition of resistance data to the CNICScohort. In addition, the Core supports an extensive community outreach and education program, whichincludes concerted efforts to reach women, minorities, and injection drug users.CFAR support of the Clinical Investigation Core has enabled the development of new funded programs,scientific collaborations, and numerous abstracts and publications. Future plans include (1) expandingoutcome, resistance and translational research through the CNICS collaboration; (2) expanding the Core'scurrent database to include patient-based measures and enhanced quality assurance of data elements;and (3) fostering multidisciplinary research in the many complications and co-infections that accompany
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