Overall goals ofthe Basic Science Core includes: contributions to the National CFAR Mission, stimulating scientific collaboration in interdisciplinary and translational research, providing scientific leadership and institutional infrastructure dedicated to AIDS research, fostering scientific communication, sponsoring training and education, promoting knowledge of CFAR research findings and the importance of AIDS research through community outreach, promoting and supporting innovative NIH HIV/AIDS research initiatives, establishing collaborative research between CFARs, and supporting HIV/AIDS research networks, facilitating technology transfer and development through promotion of scientific interactions between CFARs and industry, and supporting research on prevention and treatment of HIV infection in hard-to-reach populations, especially in inner city, rural poor, and disadvantaged minorities. The mission ofthe Basic Science Core is to develop, refine, and provide training and services to HIV/AIDS investigators in DC for the assays used to evaluate and quantify HIV replication and gene expression, characterize HIV disease using immunologic, genomics and proteomics approaches, and facilitate drug development by providing small animal models of HIV disease. The assays, reagents, and training offered by this Core are designed to support basic, clinical, and translational research in the prevention, detection, and treatment of HIV infection and AIDS. The aims include: to provide technical support and laboratory services to promote HIV-related basic science research and translational studies through access to the following services and to provide mentorship and training opportunities for junior, minority and new HIV/AIDS investigators.