Ending the HIV Epidemic

Co-leads of the Ending the HIV Epidemic Strategic Working Group (EHE SWG) are Ann Avery of CWRU and James Egan of Pitt.
     
The EHE SWG will expand academic, community, and practitioner partnerships to develop research programs that identify gaps across EHE pillars in Cleveland and Pittsburgh. Gaps in the HIV pillars driving the local epidemic, specifically diagnosis, treatment, prevention, and response will be identified by the EHE SWG.  The EHE SWG will provide opportunities for its members to engage productively with community stakeholders, practitioners, and policymakers to develop collaborations and research proposals designed to address the specific gaps within each pillar.

New EHE research projects that align with the pillars of the NIH HIV strategy in communities disproportionately impacted by HIV will be facilitated through the EHE SWG. Productive interactions with RUSTBELT CFAR Cores and Working Groups to develop grant proposals for a robust EHE research and practice will be developed.  The EHE SWG will leverage the expertise of the Inter-CFAR Implementation Science Working Group and the respective strengths of Pitt and CWRU to establish an inter-institutional HIV prevention and implementation research training structure linking junior investigators with senior investigators in the field of EHE.  Opportunities for its members to engage productively with community stakeholders, practitioners, and policymakers to develop collaborations and research proposals designed to address the specific gaps within each pillar will be provided by the EHE SWG.

The EHE SWG plans to enhance RUSTBELT CFAR investigator participation and training to develop a rapid assessment of current HIV epidemiological trends across the geographical hotspots in Cuyahoga and Allegheny Counties; leverage the relationships of the RUSTBELT CFAR with community programs and health departments to establish an implementation strategy to reduce new HIV infections in Cuyahoga County; initiate effective and innovative community prevention research programs to EHE high-priority sites in Cuyahoga County; and establish an inter-institutional HIV prevention and implementation research training structure linking junior investigators with senior investigators.