Drs. John Schneider and Jenny Trinitapoli, leaders of the Developmental Core, and CFAR director, Dr. Richard D’Aquila, would like to congratulate the investigators recently selected for CFAR pilot awards. These one-year, high impact projects address NIH’s Office of AIDS Research priorities and are supported by $50,000 awards from the Developmental Core. The early career investigators who lead pilot projects will receive mentorship from CFAR core directors and will utilize CFAR services to complete this vital work. The preliminary data pilot projects generate will enhance investigators’ future applications to NIH. 

Mental Health, COVID-19-related Anxiety, and HIV Care Engagement: Exploring the Experiences of Black Youth Living with HIV 
Julia Rosebush, DO, FAAP, The University of Chicago 
Mentor: Alida Bouris PhD, The University of Chicago 

Exploring the Impact of HIV Stigma and Depression Stigma on HIV Treatment Outcomes Among African Immigrants Living with HIV 
Aderonke Pederson, MD, Northwestern University   
Mentor: Judith Moskowitz, PhD, Northwestern University 

Cerebral Small Vessel Disease in Early HIV Infection 
Yu Fen Chen, PhD, Northwestern University 
Mentor: Ann Ragin, PhD, Northwestern University 

Development of an experimental system to study the role of HIV-1 recombination in the maintenance and rebound of the tissue reservoir 
Ramon Lorenzo Redondo, PhD, Northwestern University 
Mentor: Thomas Hope, PhD, Northwestern University 

CVD Analyses Designed to Elucidate Consequences of Comorbidities, Environment, SDOH, and HIV at Howard Brown Health (CADENCES HIV – HBH)  
Lauren B. Beach, JD/PhD, Northwestern University 
Laura Rusie, ScM, Howard Brown Health 
Mentor: Gregory Phillips II, PhD, Northwestern University 

The Third Coast CFAR scientific cores will provide services and resources to support the Winter 2021 Pilot Projects as they develop. Learn more about CFAR core services.