DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The Lifespan/Tufts/Brown CFAR was established in 1998 as a collaboration between Brown University and Tufts University and their affiliated hospitals. Since the Initial CFAR award in 1998, we have successfully competed for two renewals, and met our stated benchmarks and milestones throughout the 12 years since the Initial award. We have revised our goals as the epidemic and its treatment have evolved, and steadily increased the interdisciplinary research essential to further progress in this area. This CFAR serves as the basis for extensive collaborative, interdisciplinary research among the CFAR members, and has served as the leading force in developing and supporting relevant new initiatives. This application emphasizes the return on investment of funding cross-disciplinary HIV research throughout Brown and Tufts Universities, their affiliated hospitals, and partner institutions in the developing world. In accordance with directives in the NIH CFAR PAR, we have developed a multidisciplinary environment that supports basic, clinical, epidemiologic, behavioral and translational research in the detection, prevention, and treatment of HIV infection and AIDS. This application emphasizes our progress toward this mission over the past four years, and its proposed activities over the next five years. If this application proves to be successful. Looking ahead, we Intend to further emphasize multi-institutional, cross-disciplinary studies related to HIV/AIDS both in New England and In Sub-Saharan Africa and Asia, with continuing support for our established CFAR Scientific Programs In International HIV/AIDS and in Prisoner Health and Human Rights for cross-disciplinary work In our Scientific Working Groups related to neurocognitive aspects of HIV and its treatment, cardiovascular and metabolic consequences of HIV and antiretroviral therapy In our aging population of persons living with HIV, and further multidisciplinary studies of the consequences of alcohol and other substances of abuse on HIV acquisition and response to treatment.

RELEVANCE (See instructions): Despite advances In HIV/AIDS treatment and prevention, the disease continues to ravage many lives. Our CFARs ultimate goal is to Improve the lives of people living with HIV and prevent new Infections by serving as a basis for extensive collaborative, multi and Interdisciplinary research. The development of junior investigators within the field is crucial to stemming this epidemic.