Highly Impacted Populations Scientific Working Group

The Highly Impacted Populations (HIP) Scientific Working Group (SWG) brings together two interest groups, Criminal Justice Affected Communities and MSM and Sexual Minorities.

The HIP SWG facilitates research in these areas through the following strategies:

  • Generation of innovative HIV/AIDS research to promote prevention, care and treatment among highly impacted populations in the Washington, D.C. area, including MSM, gender and sexual minorities, criminal justice affected communities and vulnerable women
  • Collection of data and conduct  of analyses that highlight the multi-level factors affecting risk, care and treatment outcomes in each of these highly impacted populations and identify and explore the implications of overlap among them and critical cross-cutting theories, concepts and approaches that affect some or all of them
  • Creation of new opportunities for investigators to build on the work of currently R01-funded investigators in generating research among these highly impacted populations

DC CFAR investigators interested in joining the Hightly Impacted Populations SWG should contact the Co-Leads, Kim M Blankenship, PhD and Maria Cecilia Zea, PhD, for more information.

Criminal Justice Affected Communities

The mission of the Criminal Justice Affected Communities (CJAC) Scientific Interest Group (SIG) is to foster multi-disciplinary collaborations among DC CFAR investigators interested in and conducting HIV research related to criminal justice processes and the resulting community impacts.

The SIG recognizes that the impact from being involved in the criminal justice system occurs at multiple levels including individuals, relationships and partnerships, families, institutions and communities and is committed to supporting HIV-related research at any of these levels.

The CJAC SIG meets as a part of the Highly Impacted Populations Scientific Working Group and separately to address research opportunities and collaborations.

For more information on the CJAC SIG or to become a member contact the CJAC SIG Co-Leads, Kim Blankenship, PhD and Irene Kuo, PhD, MPH

MSM and Sexual Minorities

The MSM and Sexual Minorities Scientific Interest Group (SIG) gathers a multi-disciplinary, experienced group of DC CFAR investigators and community representatives working on issues that concern social, behavioral health and mental health correlates associated with HIV infection among MSM, sexual and gender minorities.

The SIG supports researchers to develop innovative approaches to reduce HIV/AIDS among these populations and serves to provide a collaborative, cross-institutional platform for the conception and development of grant applications and scientific manuscripts.

The MSM SIG meets as a part of the Highly Impacted Populations Scientific Working Group. During SIG meetings, members can present their research concepts or preliminary data and receive feedback from their peers in a collegial and supportive atmosphere.

For more information on the MSM and Sexual Minorities SIG or to become a member, contact the SIG Co-Leads, Maria Ceclia Zea, PhD and Martin Iguchi, PhD.