Scientific Focus Areas

The DC CFAR promotes and supports a wide range of HIV research at multiple institutions and across a broad spectrum of scientific disciplines. This research portfolio can largely be categorized into the following NIH high priority HIV scientific focus areas:

Reduce the Incidence of HIV

Integrating PrEP into an Effective Community-Driven Model of HIV Prevention among Tanzanian Women at High Risk (Deanna Kerrigan, George Washington University)

The Role of Penile Bacteria and Inflammation in HIV Susceptibility; Rakai, Uganda (Lance Price, George Washington University)

Evaluating Companion Diagnostics to the Anal Pap Test to Improve Prediction of AIN2+ In HIV-Infected MSM (Jeanne Ann Jordan, George Washington University

Effects of Boosting Mucosal Immunity by Microbiota Manipulation on B Cell Responses to HIV-1 Vaccine (Rebecca Marie Lynch, George Washington University)

Developing and Validating New Measures of Multilevel Intersectional Stigma to Improve the HIV Prevention Continuum for Young Black Gay Bisexual and Other Men Who Have Sex with Other Men in the South (Lisa Bowleg, George Washington University)

Developing an HIV Prevention Intervention for Young MSM Through Improved Parent-Child Communication (David Huebner, George Washington University)

Research Toward HIV Cure

Developing Pathogen Recognition Receptor Agonists as Latency Reversing Agents (Alberto Bosque, George Washington University)

Biomaterials-Enhanced NK Cells for Improved Elimination of the HIV Reservoir (Rohan Fernandes, George Washington University)

The Impact of HIV Driven T Cell Immune Activation in Activation in Angiogenic CD8 T Cell Function: The Role of PAR1 Signaling (Marta Catalfamo, Georgetown University)

Role of PROBNDF and P75NTR in HIV Mediated Axonal/Dendritic Degeneration (Italo Mocchetti, Georgetown University)

Multivirus-Specific T Cells from Naïve CB-Derived T Cells (Catherine M. Bollard, Children’s National Medical Center)

Address HIV-Associated Comorbidities, Coinfections, and Complications

Stigma, Cohesion and HIV Outcomes Among Vulnerable Women Across Epidemic Settings (Deanna Kerrigan, George Washington University)

Role of Cytokines and APOL-1 In The Pathogenesis of Childhood HIV Associated Nephrology (Patricio Ray, Children’s National Medical Center)

Metabolic Complications of HIV Disease Caused by NEF Released from HIV-Infected Cells (Michael Bukrinsky, George Washington University

Epigenetic Reprogramming in HIV-Associated Cardiovascular Disease (Michael Bukrinsky, George Washington University)

NEF and NeuroAIDs: Role of Cholesterol Metabolism Impairment and Inflammation (Michael Bukrinsky, George Washington University)

Accelerated Aging of Microvessels and Perivascular Adipose Tissue in Women with HIV (Dan Wang, Georgetown University)

A Novel FMRI Biomarker of Asymptomatic HIV-Associated Neurocognitive Disorders (Xiong Jiang, Georgetown University)

Perineural Proteolysis and Circuit Dysfunction in Hand (Katherine Conant, Georgetown University)

Cross-Cutting Research

Social Determinants of HIV: The Intersecting Impacts of Mass Incarceration, Housing Stability, and Subsidized Housing Policies (Kim Blankenship, American University)

AIDS and Cancer Specimen Resource (ACSR) (Sylvia Silver, George Washington University)

Terry Beirn CPCRA Clinical Trials Unit (Virginia Kan, Veteran’s Affairs Medical Center)

Surviving the HIV Epidemic in Metropolitan Washington, DC – Advancing Knowledge Through Cohort Studies (Seble Kassaye, Georgetown University)