The Johns Hopkins Center for AIDS Research (JHU CFAR)

The mission of the CFAR is to catalyze, support, and sustain the continuation of innovative research to end the HIV epidemic in the United States and globally; our vision is The End of AIDS Begins Here. For the past 9 years the CFAR has reinvigorated a sense of connectedness among investigators in the School of Medicine, Bloomberg School of Public Health, School of Nursing, and other JHU divisions; built thriving platforms through which interdisciplinary collaboration occurs; engaged new and early stage investigators (ESI) in cutting-edge research activities; provided vitally needed developmental resources for conducting pilot studies; and contributed to the recruitment or retention of 13 junior faculty members. Developmental Awards for pilot studies, microgrants for small projects, and supplements have been provided to 217 ESI and investigators new to HIV, resulting in $263 million in subsequent extramural funding. JHU-authored publications on HIV have increased by 80% since 2008, with a total of 1240 supported by the CFAR. Forty percent of all HIV grants from the NIH are now awarded to ESIs and new investigators who received developmental support from this CFAR (compared to 7% when CFAR began), and the overall HIV funding research base has grown by $19 million per year. Generous co-funding from the University supports the Baltimore HIV Collaboratory to build stronger connections with local partners, involving numerous stakeholders including the Baltimore City Health Department and other organizations. The Collaboratory is also expanding the pipeline of future HIV researchers through the Baltimore HIV Scholars Program and Generation Tomorrow programs emphasizing trainees from undergraduate institutions. We established the Mid-Atlantic CFAR Consortium (MACC) with the District of Columbia and Penn CFARs that supports research on HIV prevention in all three cities and awards MACC Scholar Grants to ESIs. The CFAR has 7 Cores and 2 Scientific Working Groups that provide services and support innovation in high-priority HIV research.