The primary tool of the Developmental Core is the Developmental Grant Program which funds peer reviewed intramural HIV/AIDS related research grants targeted to junior faculty members and investigators new to the HIV/AIDS field. Embedded in the Developmental Grant Program is the core’s mentoring program. Applicants are provided an experienced mentor from the CFAR Executive Board or CFAR Core Director in a related research area to the proposed project.

Services

• Research funding assistance to qualified junior investigators and those interested in new HIV research initiatives to fund high quality research proposals each year through the Developmental Grants Awards program.
  
  • The Request for Applications for the 2011-2012 Pilot awards program is no longer active. Contact the core for more information.
• Scientific guidance through a mentoring program to each of the developmental grant awardees.
• Facilitates investigational Research Groups (IRGs) to address new research initiatives by collaborations between researchers across diverse disciplines.
• Services to facilitate grant submission and review.
  • These services include assistance with grant preparation including financial planning and helping to establish links between the PI and appropriate experts at UAB for Letters of Collaboration (especially Core Directors and facilities available to CFAR members).
• New educational opportunities to graduate students and fellows to become familiar with HIV/AIDS research.
  • The Developmental Core provides additional educational opportunities for graduate, post-doctoral and fellows interested in HIV research at UAB. In collaboration with the CFAR Virology/Molecular Biology Core, yearly workshops will be offered in which graduate students, post docs and fellows, can become acquainted with current technology for growth and characterization of HIV.