Our Story
The US government announced the Ending the HIV Epidemic in the US (EHE) initiative in 2019, with a focus on reducing new HIV infections and scaling up proven HIV prevention and treatment strategies throughout the country. Certain areas have been recognized as EHE priority jurisdictions, including Missouri, which is one of seven states with a disproportionate occurrence of HIV in rural areas.
Although HIV cases and deaths have declined over the last decade in parts of the US, the epidemic remains a persistent challenge in the midwestern region.
We are guided by Office of AIDS Research (OAR) research priorities, which are:
Reduce the incidence of HIV, including supporting the development of safe and effective vaccines, microbicides and pre-exposure prophylaxis.
Develop next-generation HIV therapies with improved safety and ease of use.
Conduct research toward HIV cure.
Address HIV-associated comorbidities, coinfections, and complications through research designed to decrease and/or manage these conditions.
Advance cross-cutting areas of research in the basic sciences, behavioral and social sciences, epidemiology, implementation science, information dissemination, and research training.
More than ever, the scientific progress required to make progress against HIV requires a diverse and cross-disciplinary scientific workforce, new insights, and deep engagement with affected communities and stakeholders. With the leadership of Washington University in St. Louis, Saint Louis University, and Harris-Stowe State University, plus support from leading public health agencies and community-based organizations, the Midwest D-CFAR will advance impactful research to enable a more effective HIV response in our region and beyond.
The CFAR Network
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) created the Centers for AIDS Research (CFAR) program in 1988 to provide administrative support to promote high-quality research to combat the AIDS epidemic, which was then raging out of control. Twenty CFARs have been established across the US since its initiation. The Midwest D-CFAR is a “developmental CFAR,” in a five-year pilot phase where systems and processes will be established and strengthened with the intention to evolve into a standard CFAR in the future. Visit the NIH website to learn about this program and other CFARs operating nationwide.