HANC Newsletter | June 2023
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The Office of HIV/AIDS Network Coordination (HANC) is located at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center in Seattle, WA. We acknowledge the Coast Salish peoples of this land, the land which touches the shared waters of all tribes and bands within the Duwamish, Puyallup, Suquamish, Tulalip and Muckleshoot nations.
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HANC Stands in Solidarity: Addressing Anti-LGBTQIA+ Legislation
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The Office of HIV/AIDS Network Coordination (HANC) stands in solidarity with our LGBTQIA+ family and colleagues around the world as we confront violent legislation that attacks our humanity. As individuals who are part of the LGBTQIA+ community, we are unwavering in our commitment to uphold and protect human rights.
We are concerned about the potential impact of this legislation on LGBTQIA+ research staff, participants, and communities. We are working closely with DAIDS and Network Leaders to monitor how these laws might impact the safety and operations of research conducted around the world.
Conducting research to develop safe and effective drugs, prevention strategies, and vaccines to end the global HIV epidemic involves combatting stigma, discrimination, homophobia, and transphobia on all fronts. HANC will continue to offer support to all our LGBTQIA+ colleagues, research sites, and communities. We stand shoulder to shoulder with all our colleagues in advocating for and upholding the human rights of all individuals.
We encourage you to reach out to HANC and let us know how we can offer support to staff, research participants, and communities impacted by these legislative developments.
Russell Campbell, HANC Director; Brian Minalga, HANC Deputy Director
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Streamlining Financial Disclosures: HANC Adopts AAMC's Convey System
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As of May 30, 2023, HANC has switched to a new financial disclosure collection system called Convey. The former disclosure site (fd.hanc.info) was taken offline on May 30, 2023. Over the course of the next few months, Network investigators will receive emails that provide more information about the new financial disclosure collection system. Convey, a global disclosure system developed by the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC),
will help us centralize and streamline the data collection and review process. Network investigators will receive information on how to create their personal AAMC Convey account. Please monitor your email for these important instructions. Learn more about Convey and its system by watching this brief video demonstration.
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Join Adolescent Trials Network Leaders for an Overview of ATN Research Priorities
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The Office of HIV/AIDS Network Coordination (HANC) invites you to join the Adolescent Trials Network (ATN) leaders as they provide an informative overview of ATN and their research priorities. Register for Defeating the HIV Epidemic Among Adolescents and Young Adults in the United States: The Adolescent Trials Network (ATN). The
webinar is scheduled for Thursday, June 8, 2023, 08:00 am - 09:00 am PDT.
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Solicitation for Site Consortiums to Participate in the Adolescent Trials Network
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The Adolescent Trials Network (ATN) is soliciting applications for up to three (3) Site Consortiums (SCs) to join the current Network to maximize recruitment and enrollment in support of the ATN’s scientific agenda. Access the Requests for Applications here and the Sub-award Budget Form
here.
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2023 Hybrid Annual ACTG Network Meeting
The AIDS Clinical Trials Group (ACTG) Network Leadership invites you to attend the 2023 Annual ACTG Network Meeting, which will be held from Tuesday, June 13th, through Friday, June 16th, at the Omni Shoreham Hotel in Washington, DC.
A draft agenda is available on the Meeting Info Tab at the top of the Meeting Homepage.
Meeting Registration is available. All attendees are encouraged to register by Wednesday, June 7th, through the Meeting Registration website.
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The 2023 HPTN Annual Meeting is just a few days away. More than 700 people have registered to attend in person and virtually as we gather again to celebrate our progress and discuss and consider future strategies to reduce the acquisition and transmission of HIV.
We are excited to offer a full agenda during the meeting, covering the latest developments in prevention research and novel approaches critical to furthering our research portfolio.
The HPTN Community Working Group starts with weekend sessions featuring best practices for community engagement, community advisory board involvement, and study participant recruitment and retention. The weekday plenary sessions cover a variety of topics, including the following:
- Biomedical agents for HIV prevention.
- Sexually transmitted infections (STI) prevention among communities affected by HIV.
- The peaks and valleys of intervention uptake.
- HIV and Mpox.
- Special considerations for people who inject drugs and pregnant people.
- Media rumors and myths.
Be sure also to check out plenary sessions organized by the HPTN Scholars, Laboratory Center (LC), and Statistical and Data Management Center (SDMC). These sessions are an excellent opportunity to support early-career investigators and the superb work produced by our LC and SDMC.
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Every year at the Full Group Meeting (FGM), HVTN Leadership presents awards to recognize clinical site staff and affiliated individuals who have made significant contributions to the Network. We thank them for their dedication, determination, and lasting impact. Please join the HVTN in congratulating the 2023 awards recipients.
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2023 IMPAACT Annual Meeting
We are four short months away from the 2023 IMPAACT Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C., and virtually, 22-27 October 2023. Additional details will be available on the IMPAACT website, including registration, hotel accommodation, and the meeting agenda in the coming weeks. We recommend submitting a
visa letter request for those traveling from outside the U.S. as early as possible.
To receive updates, subscribe to our newsletter and follow @IMPAACTNetwork on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn.
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Network Shoutouts
The IMPAACT Network is thrilled to celebrate the remarkable achievements of our talented investigators. Their contributions have been recognized by prestigious institutions and events, showcasing their immense dedication and expertise. Join us in congratulating these exceptional individuals:
- Sharon Nachman, MD, has recently been appointed as a Distinguished Professor at the State University of New York. This well-deserved recognition highlights her leadership, commitment, and contributions to the field of infectious disease.
- Debbie Persaud, MD, shared her insights during an exclusive interview at the 2023 TIME 100 Summit alongside David Sinclair, AO, PhD, discussing groundbreaking achievements in medicine.
- Elaine Abrams, MD, has been honored with the 2023 Virginia Apgar Academy for Medical Educators Mentor of the Year Award. This award recognizes her remarkable achievements that continue to inspire and empower aspiring medical professionals.
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Behavioral and Social Sciences
Greg Davis, HANC Project Manager
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Behavioral Science Consultative Group: In May, the Behavioral Science Consultative Group (BSCG) met with the HPTN 096 team for consultation on the peer support component.
The report from the BSCG’s face-to-face meeting in April was also finalized and shared with the BSCG and NIAID’s BSSPT team.
Financial Disclosure Working Group: Please see the financial disclosure announcement under “HANC Announcements” regarding a change to the way Network investigators will report their financial disclosure statements going forward. More information will be shared as we get closer to the annual solicitation date.
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Community Partners
Greg Davis, HANC Project Manager
Russell Campbell, HANC Director
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Community Partners (CP) is excited to announce that the group has two new co-chairs; Pearson Mmodzi and David Crawford. We look forward to working with the new co-chairs to address CP’s priorities and activities for the rest of the year.
Several members from Community Partners, along with Dr. Jeff Schouten, volunteered to revise the “How to critically (and quickly) read a protocol” document for cure studies. Once finalized, the document will be shared on the HANC website and with our collaborators. The group is also considering hosting a webinar to highlight the updates to the document.
HANC is hosting a webinar with the Adolescent Trials Network (ATN) on June 8, 2023, at 8am PT/11am ET. The webinar will provide an overview of the ATN. The ATN research program aims to defeat the HIV epidemic among adolescents and young adults in the US. Register here to learn more about the ATN.
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Cross-Network Coordination
Kathleen Pescasio, HANC Cross-Network Project Manager
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The Cross-Network Data Management Center Working Group (DMCWG) discussed changes to survey software tools and study enrollment systems. The group shared recent experiences with EMA inspections.
The Cross-Network Protocol Deviation Working Group (PDWG) continues to refine the Cross Network Protocol Deviation Reference Guide for major and critical protocol deviations in network studies. The Cross Network Protocol Deviation Reference Guide is now in the final stages of review and sign-off.
The Cross-Network Site Coordinators Working Group (SCWG) plans to incorporate HANC in the Annual Network Meeting agendas to gather input regarding the development of new resources, and to present information on where resources can best be accessed by site coordinators. The group is also working on developing a Site Business Continuity Plan.
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Laboratory Coordination
Tyler Brown, HANC Laboratory Project Manager
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The Lab Technologists SOP Working Group met in May to revise the Guidelines for Shipping and Receiving Biological Substance, Category B Specimens. An updated version of this SOP will be published by the end of July.
In May the Lab Focus Group (LFG) held a meeting with DAIDS Clinical Laboratory Oversight Team (DCLOT) to address key issues related to cross-network lab activities including current DAIDS GCLP training requirements, recent audit experiences and DCLOT's Lab Expansion Pilot Project.
In May the Cross-Network PBMC Processing SOP Working Group re-convened to begin updating the current Cross-Network PBMC Processing SOP. The working group is comprised of experts in PBMC processing from each network, DAIDS and the IQA. The revised SOP is expected to be published this summer.
The Clinical Pharmacology Quality Assurance Advisory Board (CPQAAB) held a meeting in May, which featured a presentation from Dr. Marina Caskey from Rockefeller University on the latest developments and research on HIV-1 broadly neutralizing antibodies (bNAbs).
In May the DAIDS Office for Policy in Clinical Research Operations (OPCRO) published DAIDS GCLP Training Related FAQs (Version 2.0). Find the updated document on the DAIDS Clinical Research Policies webpage: DAIDS Clinical Research Policies.
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The Legacy Project
Brian Minalga, HANC Deputy Director
Pedro Goicochea, HANC Community Engagement Officer
Gabriella Olague, HANC Project Coordinator
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6/1: The Be the Generation Newsletter will be released in English and Spanish with first ever involvement from IMPAACT! Find both the English and Spanish versions by going to bethegeneration.org
6/5: The HANC Legacy Project team will present about their working group activities at the HPTN Annual Meeting from 1:30 to 3 p.m. The Legacy Project also recognizes National HIV Long-Term Survivors Day.
6/8: Legacy recognizes National Caribbean American HIV/AIDS Awareness Day.
6/12-16: Members of the Legacy Project will be in attendance at the ACTG Annual Meeting, and HANC Director Russell Campbell will present on the work of HANC on Wednesday the 14th.
6/22: The New Investigators Working Group will hold a webinar, “Payment to research participants: regulations, stakeholder perspectives, and data” with Dr. Brandon Brown. To register, click here.
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HPTN Annual Meeting (Washington DC, USA)
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Annual ACTG Network Meeting (Washington DC, USA)
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International AIDS Society Conference on HIV Science (IAS) 2023 (Brisbane, Australia)
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The US Conference on HIV & AIDS (Washington DC, USA)
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Annual IMPAACT Network Meeting (Washington DC, USA)
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