UNC MACS/WIHS Combined Cohort Study Clinical Research Site

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT This application proposes to establish The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill as a Clinical Research Site (CRS) for the Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study (MACS)/Women’s Interagency HIV Study (WIHS) Combined Cohort Study (MACS/WIHS-CCS). The proposal represents a collaborative effort between investigators from The UNC Institute for Global Health and Infectious Diseases, Center for AIDS Research, UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health, Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, Eshelman School of Pharmacy, and Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research. We propose to rapidly establish the UNC MACS/WIHS-CCS CRS, contribute meaningfully to the MACS/WIHS- CCS (CCS) Unified Science Agenda, and undertake ambitious research that encompasses pulmonary, cardiovascular, neurocognitive, and other HIV-related comorbidities; HIV pathogenesis/cure; social epidemiology and health outcomes; behavioral research; and advanced epidemiologic methods. We aim to: (1) Enroll 310 male and female participants who reflect the HIV epidemic in the southeastern US, and re-consent current WIHS enrollees for participation in the CCS; (2) Lead critical components of the CCS Unified Science Agenda; (3) Support all aspects of the CCS Science Agenda at the UNC CRS. By contributing a representative population of men and women, innovative science, and a strong, multidisciplinary cadre of investigators, UNC will enhance the efforts of the CCS, expand the range of questions that can be addressed and, in collaboration with the entire group, improve the health of men and women with or at high risk for HIV infection.