The mission of the UCSF-GIVI CFAR is to promote multidisciplinary research at the intersection of the basic, clinical and behavioral-epidemiological sciences with the goal of ending the global HIV epidemic. To fulfill its mission, CFAR collaborates with UCSF's Center for AIDS Prevention Studies (CAPS) to coordinate a multi-pronged program that includes: 1) providing scientific leadership and direction through a proactive planning process that identifies the most important challenges emerging at the leading edge of HIV research; 2) assembling research teams across different disciplines and sites to address all dimensions of these identified challenges; 3) maintaining an outstanding set of scientific cores that extends the scientific reach of Center investigators; 4) ensuring a highly skilled, ethnically diverse, and thoughtful next generation of HIV investigators by providing a strong mentoring and pilot grants program unique at UCSF; 5) directing CFAR's research and capacity building programs to international sites where the epidemic is hitting the hardest; 6) engaging the communities we serve through a set of novel alliances involving Project Inform, the Forum for Collaborative HIV Research, and UCSF's Science and Health Education Partnership and 7) ensuring our programs are closely aligned with the NIH's AIDS programs, OAR's strategic plan for HIV/AIDS, and the President's National Strategy for HIV/AIDS. CFAR brings value by creafing and sustaining a true community of HIV/AIDS science. CFAR seeks transparency, discipline and inclusiveness in all of its operations and programs. CFAR is proud of its accomplishments in the last four years including publication of 1,172 papers, the mentoring of 44 early career investigators, the award of $4.1 million in CFAR grants and supplements to 85 scientists, the success of CFAR investigators in winning $135 million dollars in peer-reviewed, HIV related funding, and the planning and organization of the first Sub-Saharan Africa CFAR Conference that featured the work of African scientists from 13 countries and will help to build effective South-South collaborations. However, much work remains to be done. CFAR looks forward to helping stimulate progress on multiple scientific fronts including HIV and Aging, HIV eradication, increasing access to proven biomedical approaches to HIV prevention including chemoprophylaxis and reducing community viral load, and addressing disparities in HIV care and treatment within resource-limited communities in the Bay Area and abroad.

RELEVANCE (See instructions): The UCSF-GIVI CFAR is dedicated to promoting multidisciplinary research to accelerate progress in answering the important questions emerging in HIV/AIDS biology, treatment, and preven2ion. This approach has led to breakthrough discoveries advancing patient care and providing new approaches for curbing HIV infection in the United States and at international sites. CFAR is also committed to identifying and supporting the next generation of HIV investigators who are critical for truly ending the HIV epidemic.