Abstract/Summary Since the Center for Interdisciplinary Research on AIDS (CIRA) was founded in 1997, it has supported a diverse portfolio of interdisciplinary research in domestic and international settings, contributing to scientific knowledge of HIV vulnerability and transmission and the cost-effectiveness and efficacy of HIV interventions in highly impacted groups and settings. In the next 5 years, CIRA will focus on stimulating and supporting innovative interdisciplinary research that combines behavioral, social, structural, and biomedical approaches to improve HIV equity of status neutral HIV care (i.e., HIV prevention and treatment services across the care continuum, regardless of one’s HIV status). We will leverage the extensive multi-disciplinary expertise of our scientists and community partners to have substantial impact on the global epidemic through a focus on HIV equity through the support of key research skills shown to improve equity: implementation science, community- engaged research, HIV service integration, and digital health. As the sole AIDS Prevention Research Center in New England, we will continue to focus on a regional response to HIV, by focusing on HIV prevention in small urban areas in New England, while at the same time providing support to CIRA affiliates outside of New England (mostly made up of former trainees from our successful training grants) who are in ending the epidemic areas with limited resources and support. We will focus on drivers of the epidemic across the ecological model (e.g., stigma, racism, forced displacement, neighborhood factors) and use the expertise of CIRA scientists to address the intertwined issues of substance use, mental health, and HIV. Our global research will also focus on promoting HIV equity in low resource settings, thus supporting UNAIDS 95-95-95 goals. We will also continue to invest in the training, mentoring, and development of the next generation of HIV researchers and leaders, with a particular focus on the training and support of scientists from historically marginalized populations. CIRA’s mission will be implemented through the coordinated effort of five cores: Administrative; Development; Justice, Community, Capacity, and Equity; Clinical Health Services Research; and Dissemination and Implementation Science Methods. Each Core will support and build capacity for HIV equity research. We will embed Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) approaches into strategic planning and evaluation processes to optimize Center efficiency and services. Core specific and center-wide impact will be measured through systematic monitoring and evaluation.

Project Narrative Recent advances in HIV science make ending the epidemic achievable, yet barriers to implementing proven strategies in practice persist. HIV disparities, rising incidence of HIV in marginalized populations, increasingly complex HIV co-morbidities, presence of social and structural barriers, and the need for cost-effective approaches present continuing challenges to public health. CIRA will provide a nexus for scientific inquiry and research collaborations to advance implementation of effective solutions to the epidemic in the U.S and globally.