ANNUAL HVTN TRANSLATIONAL HIV EARLY STAGE INVESTIGATOR (ESI) CONFERENCE This R13 application requests continued NIH support for four annual conferences for Early Stage Investigators (ESIs) conducting translational HIV vaccine, co-morbidity, barrier to infection, and cure research with nonhuman primates (NHPs). The Conference offers an intimate setting where ESIs build skills, knowledge, professional networks and career development strategies with their peers and senior investigators in the field. Year 1 is proposed to take place September 28-29, 2020 in Portland, OR, immediately preceding the 38th NHP-AIDS Symposium, with complementary programming planned. Subsequent meetings will be adjacent to either the Symposium or HIV Vaccine Trials Network (HVTN) Full Group Meeting, allowing for additional opportunities for learning, training and networking. Conference topic selection will be guided by a needs assessment from K01 HIV/AIDS Scholars and mentors, an innovative practice used to great effect for the 2017-2019 Conferences. Agenda development and advising for these Conferences will be led by a diverse, multi-disciplinary group of experts in the fields at multiple stages in their careers. Attendees at the ESI Conferences will participate in training and skill-building activities on important translational scientific topics (e.g., state of prevention, vaccine, therapeutic and cure research; TB and coinfections in the NHP model); mentoring opportunities with senior and peer investigators (e.g., panel discussions on partnerships and career paths in the field); career development training (e.g., ESI funding landscape, how to conduct research with HVTN); ?Works in Progress? presentations; and organized networking opportunities with other ESIs and senior investigators (e.g., receptions, randomized seating). We will fund attendance at these Conferences and the HVTN Full Group Meeting or NHP-AIDS Symposium for talented ESIs, with priority for underrepresented applicants, and K01 mentors, providing opportunities for these groups to continue to interact and support translational science. The Conference is open to all qualified investigators at no cost to attendees. Inclusion of women, underrepresented minorities and individuals with disabilities will be supported as speakers, attendees and advisors. The Conferences will be organized by staff at the HVTN, the world?s largest publicly funded collaboration facilitating the development and testing of vaccines to prevent HIV/AIDS. They will be housed within the existing HVTN Training Program, which has shown considerable success in supporting investigators at multiple career stages, and which organized highly meaningful and impactful ESI Conferences from 2017-2019. These conferences fill a critical gap in scientific knowledge and workforce development by facilitating greater translation of research between preclinical NHP studies and clinical trials, which will ultimately accelerate progress towards controlling the HIV epidemic and related co-infections in the coming decade.
Many vaccines and interventions to prevent, treat and possibly even cure HIV, TB and related infectious diseases are currently being studied by researchers in both primates and humans. This application proposes four annual conferences to integrate young scientists working with primates and humans to gain skills and professional development opportunities, which will ultimately support a more rapid and informed approach to developing HIV, TB and other disease interventions.
