NeuroHIV and Community Partnership and Disparity Core for Institution # 269291

SUMMARY
Despite many people with HIV (PWH) having well-suppressed infection with antiretroviral treatment (ART), some
populations of PWH experience disparities in their engagement in the HIV care continuum from timely HIV
diagnosis to viral suppression. These disparities, particularly the delayed initiation of ART and disruptions to HIV
care and ART adherence, may place populations deemed at risk or hard to reach at further risk of neuroHIV-
related complications, including neurocognitive impairments and neurobehavioral sequelae as well as other
comorbid clinical problems. Reducing HIV-related health disparities and health inequities is one of the four goals
of the National HIV/AIDS Strategy. The Comprehensive NeuroHIV Center (CNHC) is well-positioned not only to
support research that addresses the mechanisms of neuroHIV, but also how to facilitate exciting interdisciplinary
collaborations to investigate, prevent, treat, and address disparities that may contribute significantly to neuroHIV-
related disease in marginalized populations. By supporting a community-engaged research paradigm, the CNHC
will maximize the impact of neuroHIV scientists’ research for populations affected by health disparities while
leveraging community members’ expertise about their needs, strengths, and experiences. Thus, in this renewal,
we have initiated the NeuroHIV Community Partnership and Disparities Core (NHCPDC) to foster community-
partnership and interdisciplinary collaborations that examine, address, and prevent disparities involving
neuroHIV. The NHCPDC will aim to (1) conduct a community needs assessment to refine the Core’s research
infrastructure services; (2) serve as a primary resource to guide culturally competent research that engages
communities and addresses neuroHIV disparities; and (3) disseminate research findings in bidirectional
communication with the local and broader community to address neuroHIV disparities. The NHCPDC will work
in synergy with the Central Administrative and Management Core to complement its support by aiding research
involving neuroHIV disparities; the Developmental Research and Mentorship Core to support a diverse group of
researchers and NHCPDC-related studies; and the Clinical and Translational Research Support Core to enhance
its services for culturally competent research and expand its recruitment efforts involving underrepresented
groups at greater risk of developing neuroHIV; and all Cores, including the Viral Gene Editing and Bioinformatics
Core and the Cell Biology and Functional Analysis Core, to help disseminate findings and facilitate community
awareness and involvement with respect to the development of neuroHIV. The Core will increase the number of
interdisciplinary collaborations and resulting studies and publications. In synergy with the other Cores, the
NHCPDC will enhance the quality of the neuroHIV research enterprise by supporting research related to
neuroHIV disparities and the continuum of HIV care to prevent, treat, and understand neuroHIV disease in
marginalized populations most at risk.

Grant Number: 5P30MH092177-14
NIH Institute/Center: NIH
Principal Investigator: Sarah Bass