The Centers for AIDS Research (CFARs) are NIH-funded programs at major U.S. research institutions, which support HIV research in the U.S. and globally. The inter-CFAR Working Group on HIV Research in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) aims to build capacity of institutions and investigators conducting HIV research in SSA, and to promote collaborative research between CFARs. One of the major activities led by the working group is a biennial Symposium typically attended by up to 200 investigators. The next Symposium is planned for January, 2019, in Nairobi, Kenya, hosted by the University of Washington/Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center (UW/Fred Hutch) CFAR, in collaboration with our long-term partners at the Kenya Medical Research Institute, University of Nairobi, Kenyatta National Hospital, and the National AIDS and STD Control Program (a program within the Kenyan Ministry of Health). At the 2019 Symposium, we will provide targeted career development opportunities to early career investigators, hold keynote talks addressing scientific topics of particular importance for African HIV research, and identify novel future research directions.
The specific aims for the Symposium are: 1. To provide high-impact career development activities leveraging the resources of the CFARs and their African collaborating institutions to support junior investigators as they transition to independent research careers. Specific activities will include a career development workshop, networking opportunities, and scientific updates. 2. To highlight cutting-edge research topics of particular relevance to researchers in SSA, including (but not limited to): HIV prevention and treatment in adolescents, pre-exposure prophylaxis to prevent HIV during pregnancy and the postpartum period, and implementation research to improve delivery of prevention of mother-to-child transmission services. 3. To identify priorities for the next decade of CFAR-supported HIV research in SSA, with an emphasis on training requirements, building new collaborations including South-South educational and research partnerships, and exploring scientific frontiers.
The inter-CFAR (Center for AIDS Research) Working Group on HIV Research in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) aims to build capacity of institutions and investigators conducting HIV research in the region, and to promote collaborative research between CFARs. At the 2019 Symposium in Nairobi, Kenya, we will incorporate career development activities targeted to the needs of early career investigators, hold keynote talks addressing scientific topics of interest for African HIV research, and identify novel future research directions. The Symposium will provide measurable impact in terms of career development for junior investigators and define US/SSA collaborative research priorities for the coming decade.
