Chicago D-CFAR: Developmental Core B

Core Mission

The main goal of the Developmental Core is to advance and promote HIV/AIDS research at the Chicago D-CFAR by encouraging the initiation of interdisciplinary research and also attracting and supporting new investigators to the HIV/AIDS research effort, especially young investigators beginning their career.

Core Objectives

• To solicit, review and award pilot project grants with the goal of promoting innovative and collaborative/interdisciplinary research in HIV/AIDS;
• To develop and coordinate a mentoring system for young HIV/AIDS investigators. Interactions of a young investigator with an experienced and trusted advisor or group of advisors can aid in technical and non-technical decision making;
• To award travel grants to enable travel by trainees to present work at national meetings.

Core Services

• Pilot project grants with the goal of promoting innovative and collaborative/interdisciplinary research in HIV/AIDS.  Funding will be for one year with a possible second year and prioritized for three groups:
  (a) awards to foster the careers of early stage investigators in HIV/AIDS
  (b) awards to established investigators in other fields who wish to do HIV/AIDS research
  (c) projects that promote interdisciplinary research, i.e., creates linkages between social/behavioral, clinical and basic science research

To learn more about applying for pilot project funds.

• A mentoring system for early stage HIV/AIDS investigators.   Interactions of early stage investigators with an experienced advisor or group of advisors can aid in technical and non-technical decision making.  The developmental core will form mentoring groups consisting of one primary established investigator with expertise in HIV/AIDS research and training along with additional mentors to provide needed expertise.  Appropriate pairing of mentors with junior investigators will facilitate development of specific research directions and ideas, and enable positive critical feedback for potential manuscripts and grant proposals including NIH K or R award series.

Click here to learn more about the mentoring program.

 

Core Contacts

Director: Greg Spear, PhD

Dr. Gregory T. Spear is a Professor in the Department of Immunology/Microbiology at RUMC. He is co-author on more than 100 peer reviewed papers; he studies the effects of innate immune factors and genital HSV-2 infection on HIV expression in the genital tract of women. Dr. Spear is an experienced grant reviewer and is currently a regular member of the NIH/AIDS SBIR/STTR Biological Sciences Study Section. He is Deputy Editor of the journal AIDS Research and Therapy and is an Editor for the Journal Infectious Diseases in Obstetrics and Gynecology.

Co-Director:  Ronald Hershow, MD, MPH

Dr. Hershow an Associate Professor of Epidemiology at UIC School of Public Health.  He studies viral co-infections and other cofactors that influence HIV disease progression. He is a Principal Investigator for the Chicago WIHS and Chair of the Clinical Working Group and Drug Use Working Group for WITS.

Core Steering Committee: TBD

For more information, contact

Gregory T. Spear, PhD
Director, Core-B - Developmental
Email: gspear@rush.edu

Ronald Hershow, PhD
Co-Director, Core-B - Developmental
Email: rchersho@uic.edu