To achieve its mission, the Division of AIDS (DAIDS), National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), National Institutes of Health (NIH), actively supports and promotes public and private-sector alliances, in order to maximize available research opportunities and resources. By surveying developments in key research areas, DAIDS assesses ongoing needs in biomedical research, as well as requirements for outreach activities and the training of scientific investigators. As part of this process, DAIDS works with advisory groups, the scientific community and health professional organizations, to evaluate and redirect program emphasis, in order to respond to changing global research needs. Office and Program staff members in DAIDS are often required to convene several scientific meetings, in order to further important scientific goals, as well as manage large and small consortia meetings and related activities. The purpose of these scientific meetings and conferences is to gather select groups of scientists, who are experts in the fields of HIV/AIDS and other infectious diseases, to work in groups to coordinate research studies, assist the DAIDS staff as they monitor research progress, review the state of current research, and set priorities for future research directions.