Stimulating Training and Access to HIV Research Experiences (STAR)

HIV is more common among adolescents and young adults (AYA, 13–24 years old) in the United States. Low uptake of HIV prevention services suggests a missed opportunity for implementing evidence-based interventions such as pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and sexually transmitted infection testing among this important population. Most research institutions in the United States have limited opportunities for AYA training, mentorship, and capacity building activities. Over the past three years, our multi-disciplinary team organized AYA implementation HIV research as part of ITEST, Innovative Tools for Expanding HIV Self-Testing. This study uses crowdsourcing methods and implementation science strategies to develop innovative HIV self-testing services for AYA. Crowdsourcing has a group of people solve all or part of a problem, then implement exceptional ideas. Our study discovered that crowdsourcing methods could also be used to help identify highly qualified trainees through open calls, build capacity for youth-led research using hackathons, and sustain these benefits through participatory learning communities. These approaches break new ground in HIV training using participatory methods that will help AYA to become junior leaders while building institutional capacity for AYA HIV research. Extending from this strong foundation, we propose the “Stimulating Training and Access to HIV Research Experiences” (STAR) Institute. The project brings together a highly qualified group of research mentors at Washington University in Louis, UNC Chapel Hill, Georgia State University, Northeastern, and Wake Forest University. Specific aims of this project include: 1) identify and recruit AYA interested in HIV research for STAR Institute; 2) develop crowdsourcing and implementation research capacity at participating US institutions; 3) initiate and sustain enduring AYA research capacity through a digital participatory learning community. Each year we will identify 10 trainees who will join our intensive six-week summer training program and a year-long virtual learning community. The proposed R25 training program complements existing training opportunities and will provide unique resources to build capacity for AYA studies, implementation research, and crowdsourcing.