Developmental Core

University Of California, San Diego, La Jolla CA

Investigators

Linked publications & trials

Abstract

The overall aim of the Developmental Core is to attract new investigators and to foster novel pilot[unreadable] studies and approaches to neuroAIDS questions, based on sophisticated hypotheses and methods, as well[unreadable] as quality pilot data, requisite to the development of project proposals that are sufficiently competitive to[unreadable] secure extramural funding. In the current funding cycle, through its Developmental Grants program, the[unreadable] Developmental Core has awarded 16 developmental grants, all encompassing promising new directions in[unreadable] neuroAIDS research, to students, postdoctoral fellows, and junior and senior faculty, including an[unreadable] international fellow from Brazil. In addition, 16 junior researchers have received support through the[unreadable] Mentored Investigator Program, and 74 trainees of various levels have rotated through labs of the HNRC[unreadable] associated investigators. This seed funding has so far produced 12 investigator-initiated peer review[unreadable] proposals, 7 of which have been funded to date. Trainees working with the HNRC investigators have co-authored[unreadable] 83 original project publications (and an additional 7 in submission); 7 book chapters, and 67[unreadable] conference presentations. Our aims for the renewal are to augment synergistically the capacity and[unreadable] effectiveness of the Developmental Grants and Mentored Investigator Programs via (1) crossover activities[unreadable] with the newly proposed International Core, designed for mentoring international investigators and[unreadable] enhancing the potential for extramural support of innovative international research or projects; and (2),[unreadable] submission of an NIH T32 training program for pre- and postdoctoral neuroAIDS researchers at the HNRC[unreadable] and its affiliate laboratories, aimed toward attracting top-notch trainees (in particular, underrepresented[unreadable] minorities) and promoting careers in the neurobehavioral and neuromedical sciences. With its[unreadable] multidisciplinary research environment, talented and productive research staff, highly organized and[unreadable] integrated infrastructure, and rich longitudinal specimen and data banks, the HNRC is well-positioned to[unreadable] develop and support expanded opportunities for innovative research by fostering preliminary studies and[unreadable] mentoring of trainees from a wide array of disciplines.