Dr. Henna Budhwani, Assistant Professor in the Department of Health Care Organization and Policy, has been awarded a Mentored Research Scientist Development Grant (K01) of $900,000 from the National Institutes of Mental Health (NIMH).

Budhwani's research will focus on the field of HIV prevention. Her proposed project seeks to address the HIV crisis in Alabama, where rates of undiagnosed HIV in black young men who have sex with men (YMSM) exceed 20%.

This project will adapt and test a behavioral intervention to promote HIV rapid testing in the community, deliver culturally appropriate prevention education, offer sociostructural supports, and refer eligible participants for pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP).

The five-year project includes intensive training at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) and from other prominent institutions.