TABLE OF CONTENTS
HANC ANNOUNCEMENTS
NETWORK ANNOUNCEMENTS
HANC PROGRAM UPDATES
CONFERENCES AND MEETINGS
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Sarah Read, M.D., Deputy Director, Division of AIDS (DAIDS)
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The Office of HIV/AIDS Network Coordination is proud to uplift collaborators in the field of HIV/AIDS research. To launch this new Spotlight in The Nexus, HANC spoke with Dr. Sarah Read, Deputy Director of the Division of AIDS (DAIDS), the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID).
Dr. Read trained as an infectious disease physician and clinical trialist, and worked as a medical officer in the Therapeutics Research Program (TRP) in DAIDS, later becoming the Director of the TRP. Dr. Reed has served as Deputy Director of DAIDS since 2018.
"Currently I work closely with the Director and program and office directors to shape and oversee the DAIDS research portfolio, and have a specific interest in clinical trials. I have specific roles such as the lead of the NIAID extramural TB vaccine team, and I also advise programs on various complicated clinical trial related issues when they arise…as they often do!"
Q: What goals do you have for the coming year?
"This year we kicked off the next recompetition cycle for the HIV clinical trials networks, with the new awards to be made in December 2027. It is a very large and very important part of our research portfolio so we spend a great deal of time and effort preparing for and soliciting input on all aspects of what the next iteration of the networks should look like…including all aspects of operations as well as scientific scope. My hope for this coming year is that we are able to connect with and hear input from all of our many partners, particularly those for whom the research results will be most relevant, and incorporate it in meaningful ways into the solicitations for grant application that we will publish in 2027."
Q: Share a recent career highlight.
Among
recent highlights, the most meaningful to me was the announcement and publication of results from the REPRIEVE trial which looked at whether taking a daily statin would reduce risk of major adverse cardiovascular events in people living with HIV who would not otherwise have an indication for taking a statin. I first became engaged with this research effort over a decade ago, when I was Director of TRP, when colleagues at the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI) reached out to explore ways for NHLBI and NIAID to support a large preventive cardiovascular medicine trial for people living with HIV. Since then, the investigators and protocol team, the ACTG, trial sites, staff from NIAID and NHLBI and many dozens more worked diligently for years, before, during and after COVID-19, to successfully implement a very large, global trial which ultimately showed that daily
statin use can reduce the risk of major adverse cardiovascular events by 36%. Earlier this year, these findings were incorporated into DHHS treatment guidelines and have the potential to improve the lives of people living with HIV. It is incredibly gratifying to see the fruits of the labor of so many people have such significant positive results that promise to be impactful for people with HIV.
Q: What can others do to support HIV research?
Maintain the focus and keep the conversation alive. I’ve worked in HIV research for my entire career, and I still get questions from friends and family about whether HIV is “still a problem.” People around the world need to hear frequently about the ongoing epidemic and the populations most affected by it. Others can help by keeping HIV in the forefront of everybody’s minds as an ongoing public health issue, particularly politicians and funding-decision makers, but really everyone needs ongoing awareness.
Q: What are your passions outside of work?
My family and friends are my passion. Like many fields, it is easy to get caught up in the work of HIV research but it’s important to also take time for family and friends. I just saw my daughter enter college and also have a second grader at home who keep me on my toes!
Q: What keeps you motivated?
The people I work with across the HIV research field keep me motivated and inspired. I consider myself incredibly fortunate to work with so many experienced and deeply knowledgeable people who are so dedicated to the mission of ending the HIV epidemic. This includes colleagues at NIH as well as investigators, community members, advocates and more. I am inspired by the people I encounter through my work in HIV research on a daily basis. There is nothing like it to keep you motivated.
Thank you Dr. Read for all you do for the HIV community and your family and and friends! We know staying hydrated and a big cup of coffee (or two) is a good motivator to get you excited for the next day. However you get it, we're grateful for your energy!
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WEBINAR
Community & Stakeholder Input to Inform the Future of HIV Research
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Every seven years, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) engages in a process that will help determine the focus and priorities of its global HIV clinical trials research networks. As part of this process, the NIH also reviews the structure and funding of its HIV/AIDS Clinical Trials Units (CTUs), which provide the infrastructure to conduct clinical trials within the HIV clinical trials networks. In 2020, the NIH awarded grants to 35 US and international institutions selected as HIV/AIDS CTUs. The current process will determine the CTU awards for the next seven-year cycle. A
critical part of this process involves community and stakeholder input to help inform future CTU/CRS structure and priorities.
The Office of HIV/AIDS Network Coordination invites you to join conversations with Division of AIDS leadership and decision-makers about the future of NIAID HIV/AIDS Clinical Trials Units and Clinical Research Sites. Dr. Carl Dieffenbach, Manizhe Payton and Bola Adedeji from the Division of AIDS (DAIDS) at the NIH’s National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) will present.
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DATE & TIME:
DATE: Wednesday, September 4th, 2024
TIME: 7AM PDT / 10AM EDT / 4PM South Africa
DURATION: 60 minutes
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting. The email will also have the option to download the webinar to your calendar.
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WEBINAR DETAILS:
This online seminar will feature brief presentations from Manizhe Payton, Bola Adedeji, and Dr. Dieffenbach followed by a Q&A session moderated by HANC Deputy Director, Brian Minalga. We invite you to click on the following link to provide any questions/comments that you may have in advance related to your thoughts on the CTU/CRS structure and function.
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Dr. Carl Dieffenbach, Ph.D., Director of the Division of AIDS (DAIDS)
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Manizhe Payton, MPH, Director of the Office of Clinical Site Oversight (OCSO)
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Bola Adedeji, RPh, M.S., Deputy Director of the Office of Clinical Site Oversight (OCSO)
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Brian Minalga, MSW, Deputy Director, Office of HIV/AIDS Network Coordination (HANC)
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HIV Vaccine Research Grants for Medical Students
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The HIV Vaccine Trials Network, in collaboration with the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases of the National Institutes of Health, is investing in a young generation of HIV prevention researchers by providing medical students from communities that are underrepresented in medicine in the US with opportunities to conduct independent research while receiving mentoring, project and salary funding, training, and professional development opportunities.
Grant recipients will be mentored by HVTN-affiliated investigators while conducting research projects in areas of basic, clinical, behavioral and social science. Projects will be:
Short -Term Projects: 8-10 weeks
- Timed with a summer break or fourth year research elective
- Travel to an HIV Vaccine Clinical Research Site in the US or abroad
- Attend and present at an HVTN Conference
- Maximum award of $20,000
Project Options
During the application process scholars will have the opportunity to rank all of the research projects according to their interest. Projects for the 2025-2026 cycle will be posted to the following link on October 1, 2024: https://www.hvtn.org/ramp.
Eligibility Criteria
- Medical students that self-identify as being from communities that are underrepresented in medicine in the US
- Attending US MD, DO programs or international medical schools which are US certification eligible (ECFMG)
- In good academic standing
- US citizen or US permanent resident or DACA status
- Interested in pursuing a future career in HIV research
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Want to learn more?
Join us for a RAMP Informational Webinar:
Wednesday, September 18, 2024
2:00pm – 3:00pm PT
(5:00pm – 6:00pm ET)
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For More Information:
All correspondence concerning the program should be addressed to:
Linda Oseso, MPH
RAMP Program Manager
HIV Vaccine Trials Network
Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center
1100 Fairview Ave. N., Mail Stop M2-B500
Seattle, WA 98109
206-667-2175
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Application Materials
The Request For Applications (RFA) and application materials will be available on October 1, 2024. Carefully read the Request for Applications before applying.
Applications are due via online by 5:00 PM PT on Monday, December 2, 2024.
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Enrolling Study Highlight—A5418
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ACTG A5418/Study of Tecovirimat
for treatment of Mpox (STOMP)
is a randomized, placebo-controlled trial of tecovirimat for the treatment Mpox. The protocol is currently 60% accrued with 340 randomized participants out of a planned sample size of 553. There have also been 214 participants enrolled in an open label arm. The study is projected to close to randomization in March 2025. The STOMP team is coordinating with the CDC to encourage rapid enrollment and coordinating efforts with the other major trial of tecovirimat, UNITY (sponsored by ANRS). A fully remote option is available for US participants. We have enrolled participants in 22 US states, Puerto Rico and Washington DC as well as 5 non-US countries (Brazil, Japan, Mexico, Peru, Thailand). We have presented data from intensive pharmacokinetic sampling to better understand tecovirimat pharmacokinetics in people with Mpox.
Learn more:
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IMPAACT Network Annual Meeting
We’re less than a month away from the IMPAACT Network Annual Meeting! Registration is still open for in-person and virtual attendees. This year’s hybrid meeting will be held 22-27 September at the Crystal Gateway Marriott in Arlington, VA. To register for the meeting and view a preliminary agenda, please visit the Annual Meeting page
on our website.
Early Career Investigator Program
Applications are being accepted until Tuesday, 01 October 2024 for the IMPAACT Early Career Investigator Program. Eligibility criteria, key dates, and application materials can be found
here. Approved applicants will receive funding for a period of two years, during which time they will work with a mentor scientist in the Network to complete a research project based on existing IMPAACT data. Additionally, they’ll be expected to submit a manuscript to a peer-reviewed journal and present findings at the IMPAACT Annual Meeting and at one or more other scientific meetings.
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The HPTN 096
Community Engagement team members participated in the Saving Ourselves Symposium (SOS) in Atlanta from August 15 to 18. The team led a capacity-building session focusing on addressing systemic racism at medical provider offices. The group also conducted tabling and provided conference attendees with additional information regarding the HPTN 096 study and how they might become involved with the research.
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(L-R) Rita Labbett, HPTN clinical research manager, and Jonathan Paul Lucas, HPTN community engagement director.
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The
Saving Ourselves Symposium is a one-of-a-kind conference providing first-hand information to individuals and organizations, emphasizing HIV awareness to the Black LGBTQ+ community. This year’s conference celebrated the vibrancy of individual and collective strengths and how those strengths manifested through advocacy and artistic expression. Capacity-building sessions presented cutting-edge research, promising health practices and strategies, and celebrated the culture and creativity of the Black LGBTQ+ community. SOS took a dual approach of prioritizing those who provided services and those who identified as LGBTQ+. It was a unique and intentional space for the community to share with, learn from, and celebrate one another.
The Saving Ourselves Symposium, established in 2013 by founder Marvell L. Terry II and the Red Door Foundation, is an annual conference hosted by the Southern AIDS Coalition and designed to educate and empower the Black LGBTQ+ community in the Southern United States.
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(L-R) Marvell Terry, SOS founder, and Jonathan Paul Lucas.
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The HVTN will be participating at the US Conference on HIV/AIDS (USCHA) in New Orleans, Sept. 11-15, 2024. The HVTN is a co-sponsor of the USCHA Interfaith Preconference hosted by the U.S. HIV/AIDS Faith Coalition, which is Chaired by HVTN Faith Initiative Program Director Dr. Ulysses Burley.
The preconference will feature a presentation by HVTN External Relations Director Louis Shackelford on the latest in HIV vaccine and antibody research. The HVTN is also sponsoring the Black in the South Summit Preconference hosted at Xavier University of Louisiana, which aims to bring together community members in New Orleans, HIV activists, and various movement leaders to discuss the impact of HIV on the Black community in the Southern US. During the conference, a panel discussion with Gail Broder, Dr. Huub Gelderblom, Sally Bock, and Jonathan Lucas from the HPTN will cover “Broadly Neutralizing Antibodies (bnAbs) 101: HIV prevention’s newest option.”
In keeping with the conference focus on the American South, HVTN community educators Jarissa Greenard of the Vanderbilt CRS, Anthwen Washington of the University of Alabama-Birmingham CRS, and Rafael Gonzalez from the HVTN will present “Understanding and Addressing Vaccine-Induced Seropositivity (VISP) in the Southern U.S. HIV Epidemic.” Rafael Gonzalez will also present on “Promoting Language Access and Ethical Participation in HIV/AIDS Clinical Trials.”
The
HVTN External Relations and Marketing teams will also host a workshop highlighting HVTN’s partnerships with social media influencers to increase research engagement. This workshop will include a panel discussion headlined by the HVTN’s three influencer partners: Conscious Lee (George Lee), Hope Giselle, and Jai the Gentleman, host of the Dear Black Gay Men Podcast. Additionally, HVTN External Relations Director Louis Shackelford and Dr. Burley are partnering with NMAC to host a pathway at USCHA engaging Cisgender Heterosexual (CisHet) men. The CisHet pathway will feature two workshops, one focused on CisHet discussing sex, sexuality, and masculinity, and the second examining CisHet models of masculinity that are positive and healing.
Finally, the HVTN is partnering with the DC-based organization Us Helping Us, People Into Living to host a celebration at USCHA that will include entertainment and education around HIV research.
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Behavioral and Social Sciences
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Greg Davis
HANC
Project Manager
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Behavioral Science Consultative Group: The Behavioral Science Consultative Group (BSCG) held a face-to-face meeting on August 2, 2024, at Fred Hutch Cancer Center in Seattle, WA. The meeting focused on the current project that the BSCG has been working on this year. The BSCG’s next meeting will be held in September.
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Members of the Behavioral Science Consultative Group
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Financial Disclosure Working Group: The Financial Disclosure Working Group is currently updating the investigators list for each Network. The annual solicitation will be held on September 20, 2024.
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Greg Davis
HANC
Project Manager
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Russell Campbell
HANC Director
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Community Partners: Community Partners is preparing for its upcoming face-to-face meeting in September. The meeting will be held September 19-20, 2024, in Crystal City, VA. Community Partners Executive Committee met on August 20 to finalize the agenda for the meeting. The agenda is packed including a discussion with Dr. Carl Dieffenbach. The group will spend the second day of the meeting planning for 2025.
TB Vaccine Community Engagement Strategy Work Group: New members have been added to the group and a new call time has been identified. The group met again on August 28, 2024.
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Cross-Network Coordination
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Kathleen Pescasio
HANC Cross-Network
Project Manager
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The Cross-Network Site Coordinators Working Group (SCWG) discussed strategies for site success and training and mentorship needs. The group also shared ways to identify and address site-level issues. The SCWG will continue to discuss best practices for improving communication lines and support structures across networks.
The Cross-Network Data Management Center Working Group (DMCWG) discussed ongoing initiatives and updates on survey software tools and study engagement systems. The group also discussed experiences with data sharing, as well as the recent rollout of the new DAIDS policy on investigator sign-off.
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Tyler Brown
HANC Laboratory
Project Manager
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Attention PBMC Processing Labs: We’re excited to share that earlier last month, HANC published a new version of the Cross-Network PBMC Processing SOP (Version 7.0)! The updated SOP is now available on the HANC website for public access in English, Spanish, Portuguese, Vietnamese, and Thai. You can access the new document
here. If you have any questions or need further information, feel free to reach out to us at tdbrown3@fredhutch.org
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In August, the Lab Focus Group held a meeting with members of the DAIDS Clinical Laboratory Oversight Group (DCLOT) to discuss laboratory record retention requirements.
The CPQA Cross-Network Clinical Pharmacology Forum (CNCPL Forum) convened in August to discuss current and upcoming CPQA proficiency testing rounds, future study compounds, updates on the CPQA AVR/SOP Review Program, and the review and forthcoming publication of the CPQA Bioanalytical Method Validation Tutorial.
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Brian Minalga
HANC
Deputy Director
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Cat Banobi
Legacy
Project Manager
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Gabriella Olague
HANC
Project Coordinator
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September 11-15: Find Team Legacy at USCHA and the
BLK in the South Summit in New Orleans! Cat and Russell will be at BLK in the South, and you’ll see the whole Legacy team participating at USCHA. Come find us to collaborate (and share your New Orleans food recs)!
September 22-25: Gabriella will be in attendance at the IMPAACT Annual Network meeting!
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Community Partners Meeting (Arlington, USA)
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IMPAACT Annual Network Meeting (Arlington, USA)
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