UMass Chan CFAR Working Groups

Scientific Working Groups are designed to investigate CFAR research priorities on HIV, the host, coinfections and associated diseases.  The Scientific Working Groups are comprised of researchers from UMass Chan and surrounding smaller colleges, universities, and research institutions.  These groups work on the major themes in HIV research on campus.  

HIV Replication and Host Factors: brings in leading researchers undertaking highly significant research on various aspects of HIV replication. Members of this group study nearly every step of the HIV life cycle as well as the cellular factors utilized by the virus. 

Opportunistic Infections and their Impact on HIV Infection: brings together UMass Chan researchers working on significant opportunistic infections of HIV/AIDS such as Tuberculosis, Cryptococcus, and HCV. The mission of this group is to integrate the study of these diseases with the study of HIV to create an interactive community focused on understanding the unique biology of each coinfection. 

Impact of HIV on Global Health: provides scientific leadership that stimulates innovative HIV research and translation of discoveries into diagnostic, treatment, or prevention strategies, particularly in limited resources.
 

Exploratory Working Groups focus on research and activity at UMass Chan with high significance for HIV/AIDS including immunity, vaccines, drug development and outreach. These areas are greatly enhanced as a result of WG formation.

Innate and Adaptive Immunity: Successful host-defense against viruses requires activation of both innate and adaptive immune processes. This EWG will develop projects that bring together key HIV and innate immunity researchers to identify new research areas that will evaluate how HIV evades innate immunity and how it impacts subsequent adaptive immune responses during pathogenesis. 

Vaccine Development: HIV vaccine researchers at UMass Chan have made significant contributions to the vaccine field. This EWG takes advantage of opportunities for developing new and further collaborative research, particularly in antigen/immunogen design and delivery and studying the immune response. 

Drug Design and Resistance: Over 40 faculty at UMass Chan and 17 more on other UMass campuses are focused on some aspect of drug design or drug resistance – at least 21 of these faculty members are UMass Chan CFAR members. Together, this group will focus efforts to design improved HIV that are effective despite viral evolution. 

Clinical and Community Outreach: This group promotes clinical and translational research and seeks opportunities for outreach to providers and clients to build a foundation for future studies. Members include basic scientists, primary care providers for individuals infected with HIV and HIV-related diseases, clinical data managers, social workers, community HIV advocacy and service group members, mental health providers, and Quantitative Health Service/Quantitative Measurement Service faculty members.