IMPLEMENTATION SCIENCE CORE (Core F)

Implementation Science Core ABSTRACT The Tennessee Center for AIDS Research (CFAR) is located in the Southeastern United States, the region with the greatest number of new HIV acquisitions, and of persons living with HIV. The CFAR continues its fourway partnership between Vanderbilt University Medical Center (a research-intensive institution), Meharry Medical College (a burgeoning academic health sciences center), the Tennessee Department of Health (an academically engaged state health department), and Nashville CARES (a sophisticated HIV community-based organization). There is a critical need to understand the gaps in the uptake of evidence-based interventions, including the delivery of preexposure prophylaxis to those at risk for HIV acquisition and treatment for those living with HIV. Implementation science (IS) theories, models, and frameworks hold the potential to bridge the evidence-to-practice gap. Following extensive strategic planning and needs assessments with CFAR investigators and partners, as well as the priorities laid out by the US Ending the HIV Epidemic Plan and the National Institutes of Health (NIH), we will establish an Implementation Science Core (ISC) within this CFAR. The ISC will integrate IS research into research projects at all phases of study. Our team brings complementary but distinct expertise in IS methods, including study design, measurement, and frameworks, as evidenced by several NIH-funded projects designed to improve the implementation of HIV testing and treatment. We are experienced in providing IS collaborative partnerships and mentorship. In addition, the team has the experience to develop advanced IS skills among HIV researchers, and to expand their work in IS to promote the translatability, practicality, and transferability of CFAR research. The ISC will support HIV researchers to lead rigorous, contextually appropriate IS projects aimed at addressing the needs of local communities and advancing goals to end the HIV epidemic, and will augment the capacity of researchers to translate effective HIV interventions into improved health outcomes through the application of IS methods. The ISC will support the mission of this CFAR by pursuing three specific aims: 1) To establish the Implementation Science Consultation Program (IS-Consult) to support Tennessee CFAR investigators and their community partners; 2) To provide ongoing Implementation Science Collaborative Partnerships (IS-Partner) to HIV investigators and community partners to integrate IS concepts, frameworks, and outcomes into funded projects; and 3) To provide Implementation Science Mentorship (IS-Mentor) to researchers and their community partners to advance sustainable IS expertise to end the HIV epidemic.