SWG2: End the HIV Epidemic

Modified Project Summary/Abstract Section

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has proposed ending the HIV epidemic in the United States with a bold goal of reducing new HIV infections by 75% in five years and 90% in ten years, focusing on communities most affected by the epidemic. Cuyahoga County, home to Case Western Reserve University (CWRU), is one of the 48 counties with the highest burden. CWRU and the University of Pittsburgh (Pitt) will establish an Ending the HIV Epidemic (EHE) Scientific Working Group (SWG2) within the RUSTBELT CFAR.

The main goal of EHE SWG2 is to foster interdisciplinary collaborations that lead to successful applications for new HIV prevention and implementation research projects. Pitt has a diverse portfolio of successful biomedical and behavioral research, with active community engagement, including initiatives like AIDS-Free Pittsburgh. CWRU maintains strong relationships with local public health officials and local HIV organizations, with formal and informal channels established over more than 19 years. EHE SWG2 will build on the regional, cultural, and demographic similarities between Pittsburgh and Cleveland to enhance HIV prevention research, practice, and training.

The SWG has two main objectives: (1) to expand partnerships among academia, community, and practitioners to develop research programs that identify gaps across EHE pillars in Cleveland and Pittsburgh. The leadership will support investigators in implementing successful community-based HIV prevention and research programs. This effort will create joint Pitt/CWRU investigative teams and produce valuable pilot data for additional proposals related to Ending the HIV Epidemic and other R21/R34 mechanisms. (2) to develop new EHE implementation research projects aligned with the NIH HIV strategy in communities affected by HIV. SWG2 will foster collaborations with RUSTBELT CFAR Cores, the HIV across the Lifespan SWG1, and the Inter-CFAR Implementation Science Working Group to generate grant proposals for comprehensive EHE research and practice, leveraging each institution’s strengths to create a dynamic HIV prevention and research program.

The SWG will adopt an empowered community framework to support shared decision-making in research prioritization, design, implementation, and dissemination, while encouraging new research initiatives and policy advocacy at the local and state levels. By building a strong HIV prevention research infrastructure, the EHE SWG2 marks a crucial first step toward ending the HIV epidemic in the Rustbelt region.

Grant Number: 5P30AI036219-29
NIH Institute/Center: NIH
Principal Investigator: ANN AVERY