2022 EHE Projects

In August 2022, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) awarded SD CFAR key funding devoted to the Ending the HIV Epidemic Initiative to research projects led by two UC San Diego School of Medicine researchers.

• Robert Deiss, MD, Associate Physician, Department of Medicine, will lead a collaborative approach for navigating, developing strategies and uplifting the health of persons with substance use disorders, the CAN DU Health project.

• Susan Little, MD, Professor in Residence, Department of Medicine, and Director of the SD CFAR EHE SWG, will direct a study using molecular epidemiology to prioritize HIV prevention resources.

2021 EHE Projects

In September 2021, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) awarded SD CFAR key funding devoted to the Ending the HIV Epidemic Initiative to research projects led by four UC San Diego School of Medicine researchers.

• Tommi Gaines, DrPH, Associate Professor, Department of Medicine, will lead a study to address interrelated substance use and HIV prevention needs among reservation-based American Indians using an intersectionality approach.

• David Grelotti, MD, Associate Clinical Professor, Department of Psychiatry, will lead a study on integrating delivery of injectable antiretroviral treatment and injectable medication-assisted treatment for people with HIV and substance use disorders.

• Adrienn (Borsika) Rabin, PharmD, PhD, MPH, Associate Professor, Herbert Wertheim School of Public Health and Longevity Science, and Nicole Stadnick, PhD, MPH, Assistant Professor in Residence, Department of Psychiatry, successfully renewed the SD CFAR Implementation Science Consultation Hub for two additional years. The hub provides consultation and technical assistance to EHE project teams from across the United States and coordinates and collaborates with the NIH-funded Implementation Science Coordination, Consultation, and Collaboration Initiative (ISC3I). 

• Kiyomi Tsuyuki, PhD, MPH, Assistant Professor in the Division of Infectious Diseases and Global Public Health, Department of Medicine, will direct a study on leveraging EHE resources to improve access to care among people of color in San Diego County, the LEAPS project.

2020 EHE Projects

In August 2020, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) awarded SD CFAR key funding devoted to the Ending the HIV Epidemic Initiative to research projects led by four UC San Diego School of Medicine researchers.

• David Moore, PhD, Professor in the Department of Psychiatry, and Jessica Montoya, PhD, Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Leadership Trainee of the SD CFAR EHE SWG, will co-lead a study to explore and prepare for implementation an individualized text messaging PrEP adherence intervention in a community setting.

• Adrienn (Borsika) Rabin, PharmD, PhD, MPH, Associate Professor, Herbert Wertheim School of Public Health and Longevity Science, and Nicole Stadnick, PhD, MPH, Assistant Professor in Residence, Department of Psychiatry, will lead the SD CFAR Implementation Science Consultation Hub to provide consultation and technical assistance to EHE project teams from across the United States and will coordinate and collaborate with the NIH-funded Implementation Science Coordination, Consultation, and Collaboration Initiative (ISC3I). 

2019 EHE Projects

In September 2019, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) awarded SD CFAR key funding devoted to the Ending the HIV Epidemic Initiative to research projects led by five UC San Diego School of Medicine researchers.

• Joel Wertheim, PhD, Associate Professor in the Division of Infectious Diseases and Global Public Health, Department of Medicine, will lead a team to develop and implement a protocol based on real-time surveillance of HIV genetic transmission clusters, including transgender women, to better identify HIV-infected persons who are undiagnosed and those at greater risk for HIV.

• Laramie Smith, PhD, Associate Professor, and Jill Blumenthal, MD, Associate Clinical Professor, both in the Division of Infectious Diseases and Global Public Health, will lead a team implementing a strategy co-designed by and for transgender Americans to ensure hard-to-reach populations affected by sex work, violence and substance abuse benefit from HIV testing, treatment, prevention and response efforts.

• Kiyomi Tsuyuki, PhD, Assistant Professor in the Division of Infectious Diseases and Global Public Health, will lead a team to identify and address societal barriers that prevent Latino men from accessing HIV and ancillary health care services and to tailor services that improve care and retention.

• Maile Karris, MD, Associate Clinical Professor in the Division of Infectious Diseases and Global Public Health, will lead a team exploring the impact of multi-clinic collaborations that offer maximum assistance to people living with HIV who are not currently receiving care.

SD CFAR continues to work with local U.S. Department of Health and Human Services partners and has launched a scientific working group to address the needs of Southern California, which has been identified as a “hotspot” for new HIV diagnoses. Five of the eight counties in the state targeted by the Ending the HIV Epidemic Initiative are in Southern California.