Dear Third Coast Center for AIDS Research members,

I’m delighted to once again celebrate our collective achievements during the previous year as I’ve done before – and 2019 was indeed a really successful year for the CFAR.

Today, however, I am excited to begin by announcing the Third Coast CFAR’s plans for 2020-25.
Our renewed mission and overall specific aims commit to an ambitious agenda that draws on the CFAR’s expertise across scientific disciplines and on our now-proven capacity to build new research partnerships. I look forward to engaging with you this year to identify opportunities for expanded synergy between CFAR and initiatives such as Getting to Zero-Illinois (GTZ-IL) and the federal Ending the HIV Epidemic (EHE) plan. In addition, we plan to enhance research on comorbidities in well-treated persons living with HIV.

Turning to a review of 2019, I’d like to highlight several accomplishments, and to thank Third Coast CFAR members for your contributions to our most successful year to date. Leading two high-profile, national HIV research meetings—the HIV Implementation Science Summit for NIH EHE Supplement Projects and the Inter-CFAR Women and HIV Symposium—showcased the work of local investigators and expanded our prominence in the national CFAR network.

The Third Coast CFAR also made significant investments in the development of early stage investigators, new research collaborations, and community engagement activities. In 2019, we funded five new pilot projects, six EHE planning projects, five Community Mini-Awards, and two Community Collaborative Awards. I invite you to read more about these projects, as well as CFAR news, core services, and events on our newly-updated website. Twitter users are encouraged to follow us @ThirdCoastCFAR.

Thank you again for your support of the Third Coast CFAR. I wish you a happy and healthy new year, and success in your work that will contribute to ending HIV.

Sincerely,

Richard D’Aquila, MD
Director, Third Coast Center for AIDS Research