The Developmental Core leadership congratulates the investigators recently selected for the Third Coast Center for AIDS Research (TC CFAR) Summer 2024 Pilot Awards, which span basic, clinical, and implementation science. These one-year, high impact projects address NIH’s Office of AIDS Research priorities and are supported by $60,000 awards from the Developmental Core.
“This is the fourth pilot awards competition held since I’ve led the Developmental Core at the TC CFAR, and I am impressed with the high impact proposals that we continue to receive,” said Jenny Trinitapoli, PhD, director of the TC CFAR’s Developmental Core and a professor of sociology at the University of Chicago. “I look forward to mentoring and supporting investigators with their preliminary data pilot projects that will enhance their future applications to NIH for HIV research.”
Pilot awardees will receive mentorship from TC CFAR core directors and utilize CFAR services to complete this vital work. The following is a list of the 2024 pilot awardees and their studies:
Pilot Awardees and Studies
Joshua Craft, MD, Northwestern University
Title of Study: Targeting hypoxia-induced factor 2 alpha for proteasomal degradation in latently infected cells to enhance proviral reactivation for HIV cure
Yogesh Goyal, PhD, Northwestern University
Title of Study: Ultrasensitive and high-throughput detection of HIV isoform-ome in single host cells
Marc Mendillo, PhD, Northwestern University
Title of Study: The role of the HAPSTR1/HUWE1 axis in HIV-1 susceptibility in CD4+ T cells
alithia zamantakis, PhD, Northwestern University
Title of Study: Exploring the Relationship Between Gender Affirming Care and PrEP Uptake and Adherence
Juan Pablo Zapata, PhD, Northwestern University
Title of Study: Adapting and Testing a Single Session Intervention for KIU! HIV Intervention for Young Men Who Have Sex with Men
Craft, Goyal, zamantakis, and Zapata are early career investigators. Mendillo is an established investigator new to HIV research.