NeuroHIV and Community Partnership and Disparity Core for Institution # 269291

SUMMARY Despite many people with HIV (PWH) having well-suppressed infection with antiretroviral treatment (ART), some populations of PWH experience disparities in their engagement in the HIV care continuum from timely HIV diagnosis to viral suppression. These disparities, particularly the delayed initiation of ART and disruptions to HIV care and ART adherence, may place populations deemed at risk or hard to reach at further risk of neuroHIV- related complications, including neurocognitive impairments and neurobehavioral sequelae as well as other comorbid clinical problems. Reducing HIV-related health disparities and health inequities is one of the four goals of the National HIV/AIDS Strategy. The Comprehensive NeuroHIV Center (CNHC) is well-positioned not only to support research that addresses the mechanisms of neuroHIV, but also how to facilitate exciting interdisciplinary collaborations to investigate, prevent, treat, and address disparities that may contribute significantly to neuroHIV- related disease in marginalized populations. By supporting a community-engaged research paradigm, the CNHC will maximize the impact of neuroHIV scientists’ research for populations affected by health disparities while leveraging community members’ expertise about their needs, strengths, and experiences. Thus, in this renewal, we have initiated the NeuroHIV Community Partnership and Disparities Core (NHCPDC) to foster community- partnership and interdisciplinary collaborations that examine, address, and prevent disparities involving neuroHIV. The NHCPDC will aim to (1) conduct a community needs assessment to refine the Core’s research infrastructure services; (2) serve as a primary resource to guide culturally competent research that engages communities and addresses neuroHIV disparities; and (3) disseminate research findings in bidirectional communication with the local and broader community to address neuroHIV disparities. The NHCPDC will work in synergy with the Central Administrative and Management Core to complement its support by aiding research involving neuroHIV disparities; the Developmental Research and Mentorship Core to support a diverse group of researchers and NHCPDC-related studies; and the Clinical and Translational Research Support Core to enhance its services for culturally competent research and expand its recruitment efforts involving underrepresented groups at greater risk of developing neuroHIV; and all Cores, including the Viral Gene Editing and Bioinformatics Core and the Cell Biology and Functional Analysis Core, to help disseminate findings and facilitate community awareness and involvement with respect to the development of neuroHIV. The Core will increase the number of interdisciplinary collaborations and resulting studies and publications. In synergy with the other Cores, the NHCPDC will enhance the quality of the neuroHIV research enterprise by supporting research related to neuroHIV disparities and the continuum of HIV care to prevent, treat, and understand neuroHIV disease in marginalized populations most at risk.