Center for AIDS Research (CFAR)

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Since the beginning of the AIDS epidemic, the Bronx has been one of the epicenters of HIV infection within the United States. The Einstein/Montefiore Medical Center (MMC) CFAR serves the Bronx, a borough of New York City that remains at the leading edge of the AIDS epidemic. The 20,627 known individuals living with HIV/AIDS in the Bronx represent 2.6% of the estimated national caseload. Investigators at Einstein and MMC have developed a broad-based research effort that is examining multiple and diverse aspects of the basic science, clinical manifestations, behavioral aspects and epidemiology of HIV and HIV-related diseases. The AIDS research effort at Einstein and MMC is led by over 70 principal investigators who are supported by greater than 25 million dollars of annual funding from the NIH. The leadership and infrastructure provided by the Einstein/MMC CFAR has been extremely successful in incorporating the diverse AIDS investigative effort at Einstein/MMC into a unified and highly interactive Program. During the past four years of NIH funding, the Einstein/MMC CFAR has been extremely successful in implementing its proposed Specific Aims and markedly increasing collaborative research projects among Einstein basic investigators and MMC clinical investigators, establishing well-run and highly-used Core facilities and providing intellectual, scientific, technical and financial help to foster and nurture the careers of junior AIDS investigators. Through internal and external recruitment, the CFAR has increased the number of investigators involved in AIDS-related research from 38 to 72. During this time, CFAR investigators have published over 700 papers almost 10% of which specifically acknowledge support from the CFAR. The CFAR has dramatically increased institutional support for AIDS-related research at Einstein, which has contributed almost 3.4 million dollars to recruit CFAR investigators, subsidize CFAR cores, renovate CFAR Core space and purchase equipment to expand CFAR Core services. In addition, the administration has committed another one million dollars to recruit additional AIDS researchers to Einstein. We have engaged in detailed Strategic Planning sessions using SWOT analysis to address our weaknesses and leverage our strengths into new areas. A major accomplishment that is directly attributed to this process is the dramatic expansion of our international AIDS research programs in developing countries. Four years ago we had no active International AIDS research programs. We now have active programs in South Africa, Rwanda, Ethiopia, India, Bangladesh and Guatemala. These and other accomplishments and scientific advances made by Einstein/MMC CFAR investigators during this funding period represent a very high level of value-added benefit from the Einstein/MMC CFAR.