Training in Sexually Transmitted Infections and HIV

Project Summary The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC) conducts interdisciplinary training in STIs and HIV through the Training Program in Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI) and HIV, which has recently completed 43 consecutive years of support from the NIH/NIAID. Of the trainees who have completed our training program since 2005, 45 of 45 (100%) predoctoral and 33 of 38 (87%) postdoctoral trainees are now engaged in research, further research training, teaching, or public health activities. This record demonstrates the quality of our trainees, our training faculty, and the rich environment of UNC. In the current grant cycle, we have trained 17 predoctoral and 12 postdoctoral trainees, including five African Americans. The training program supports six predoctoral and four postdoctoral (MD or PhD) trainees. Predoctoral trainees are supported by three academic departments (Epidemiology, Health Behavior, and Microbiology & Immunology); postdoctoral trainees are also supported in the Division of Infectious Diseases. The training faculty comprises 34 members in these four academic units, with support from an additional ten clinical, laboratory, and social science resource faculty members. The program has three primary goals: 1) Train pre- and post-doctoral trainees to conduct outstanding STI/HIV research; 2) Foster the development of the skills necessary to conduct productive interdisciplinary research; and 3) Facilitate professional growth and development to ensure academic and research success. The program incorporates a research project with a primary mentor in one of four core areas: STI/HIV Pathogenesis & Immunology; Clinical Research in STI/HIV; Epidemiology of STI/HIV; and Behavioral Interventions for STI/HIV. The program focuses on interdisciplinary activities to maximize the trainees’ potential for impactful research. Oral and written communication is emphasized. All trainees participate in the STI/HIV Seminar, which incorporates not only critique of trainees’ works in progress, but also professional development. Training is individualized using individual development plans. The training program includes a comprehensive evaluation plan, with individual review of the trainees and short- and long-term review of the program, and an External Advisory Board of leading STI/HIV researchers. In response to program evaluation and increasing competition of the research environment, this renewal significantly expands professional development training and partnerships with public health to enhance the retention and success of trainees in STI/HIV research. In addition, the Program will provide new training opportunities through partnerships with public health entities. This training will help produce researchers who go on to tackle major problems in the field of STIs and HIV.