COLLEGE OF MEDICINE
Drew CARES Named A Winner of U . S . Department of Health and Human Services HIV Challenge
Drew CARES was selected as one of 15 winners in the first phase of the HIV Challenge , sponsored by the U . S . Department of Health and Human Services ( HHS ) Office of Minority Health ( OMH ) in partnership with the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health ( OASH ) Office of Infectious Disease and HIV / AIDS Policy ( OIDP ). Drew CARES was selected out of more than 80 submissions from around the U . S . All 15 winners receive a prize of $ 20,000 and will advance to the second phase .
UCLA / CDU Center for AIDS Research Receives $ 11M NIH Grant
The National Institutes of Health awarded UCLA / CDU Center for AIDS Research a five-year , $ 11 million dollar grant that will aid in funding research that addresses the health inequities that contribute to the spread of HIV in marginalized communities .
The Center for AIDS Research will not only support ongoing research at both CDU and UCLA , but will allow for new partnerships to be formed with community groups throughout Los Angeles and on a global scale in nations severely affected by HIV . The project will also aid in developing the next generation of basic , behavioral , and clinical scientists in the field of HIV / AIDS , with a focus on promoting diversity in HIV research .
The partnership will operate under the direction of Dr . Judith Currier , chief of the UCLA Division of Infectious Diseases ; Dr . LaShonda Spencer , professor of clinical pediatrics and internal medicine at CDU ; and Jerome Zack , chair of the UCLA Department of Microbiology , Immunology and Molecular Genetics . The goal will be to prevent new HIV infections , reduce deaths among people who are living with HIV , and develop strategies for eradicating HIV .
“ Through a collaborative effort with Community Partners , Drew CARES will address the disproportionate toll that HIV takes on women of color , and particularly black women ,” said LaShonda Spencer , Director of Drew CARES , which fights the HIV epidemic by studying the behavioral and clinical aspects of HIV diagnosis , prevention and treatment . “ Although services have been in existence in this area for many users , we have lacked the targeted interventions for women who are less likely to be linked to care or target for HIV prevention services based on both their race and sex .”
The HIV Challenge is divided into three phases with a total award of $ 760,000 . In this first phase HHS named Drew CARES for its numerous innovative concepts for community engagement to reduce stigma related to HIV prevention and treatment . The next phase allows participants to develop an approach to enhance community engagement and mobilization regarding HIV stigma and disparities . Seven participants will be chosen for the final phase to conduct a small-scale testing on their approaches . A panel of judges will choose the final three submissions as the overall HIV Challenge winners , receiving a prize of $ 60,000 each .
“ We are thrilled to have the opportunity to leverage the resources provided by the Center for AIDS Research to expand the support for HIV / AIDS research across Los Angeles and build new partnerships among investigators at all of the partner sites and communities most impacted by HIV ,” remarked Dr . Spencer .
The Center for AIDS Research further supports CDU ’ s commitment to social justice and health equity for underserved populations through outstanding education , research , clinical service , and community engagement .
The HIV Challenge was created to engage individuals , communities , and community-based organizations to identify innovative and practical approaches to reduce HIV stigma and disparities and increase prevention and treatment among racial and ethnic minority communities .
24 College of Medicine