UAB Regional Consultation Hub for Precision HIV Implementation Science towards Ending the HIV Epidemic

ABSTRACT The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) HIV Implementation Science (IS) Hub, one of the 5 inaugural resource hubs dedicated to supporting the goals of the U.S. Ending the HIV Epidemic (EHE) initiative, is a resource for investigators and community partners. Located in the heart of the U.S. Deep South region – one of the heaviest burdened with HIV and a designated “focal state” for the EHE initiative (one of 7 states with this designation) – the UAB HIV IS Hub has strengths in understanding the HIV epidemic in the U.S. South and teaching foundational implementation and dissemination science methodologies as well as advanced IS study designs, the conduct of implementation science in community and clinic spaces, community-engaged science, academic-public health department collaborations, and the integration of social determinants of health frameworks. In our four years as a regional consultative hub, we provided >125 post-award technical consultations in support of 27 funded projects led by early/mid-career investigators, training to >2,000 individuals who have joined our >24 virtual seminars live or asynchronously via our YouTube channel, and conference opportunities to ~400 people who attended the 2nd annual national EHE meeting that we hosted in 2022. Our Hub consultative services, training, and collaborative opportunities cater to the full spectrum of investigator experience with implementation science and are available to support the full span of project stages from conceptualization to operationalization to dissemination. Building on our 4 prior years of continuous funding, our goals for the next 5 years are to: 1) Provide robust services at the pre- and post-award phases to advance implementation science dedicated to ending the HIV epidemic via precision IS support offered via technical advising, coaching, and monthly “conversation hours” by faculty, community representatives, and staff; 2) Enhance skills and career development of HIV implementation scientists through the provision of seminars, interactive workshops, and programs geared towards inspiring high school, undergraduate, and medical students to learn about implementation science; 3) Nurture partnerships and collaborative opportunities with the R24-supported Coordination, Consultation, and Data Management Center, other R24-supported regional consultation hubs, and national HIV research networks.