This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. Primary support for the subproject and the subproject's principal investigator may have been provided by other sources, including other NIH sources. The Total Cost listed for the subproject likely represents the estimated amount of Center infrastructure utilized by the subproject, not direct funding provided by the NCRR grant to the subproject or subproject staff. The Retrovirus Research Center (RRC) is a facility that promote and stimulates research addressing the HIV and AIDS epidemic in Puerto Rico. The RRC is composed of a Leadership Core and a Laboratory Core. In addition it works intimately with the Data Management and Statistical Research Support Unit (DMSRSU), which manages a longitudinal database of over 4,000 patients with HIV infection. It's considered unique in Puerto Rico since it is the only one in which full integration of the research effort with the health care delivery facility is in place. The aim of the RRC is to promote the study of HIV- infection as a multidisciplinary research arena in which the clinical, immunological, virological, psychosocial and behavioral parameters need to be integrated into a coherent research strategy. The center agglutinates multidisciplinary researchers interesting in describing and understanding key elements of HIV infection according to an ecological view. The RRC has an important role in continuing the research agenda with this patient population with the goal of diminishing the spreading nature of the HIV epidemic in the Island. The Leadership Core coordinates and facilitates an intellectually stimulating environment for HIV/AIDS research by playing a proactive role in generating hypothesis-driven studies. This multidisciplinary vision of the RRC is responsive to the vision of the National Institutes of Health their role of studying the complexity of diseases. Our objectives for the next five years will include 1. Provide the support for the study of the multidimensional aspects of HIV infection, by planning and stimulating HIV/AIDS research, scientific productivity and hypothesis driven studies. 2. Provide support for HIV research activities. The resources include the HIV Data Registry, the specialized laboratory and the plasma and lymphocyte repository. 3. Contribute to the research development career of the RRC faculty members and research staff in coordination with the DMSRSU and the SRDU. 4. Continue to provide support for community involvement in research activities. 5. Develop strategies to become a RCMI independent HIV Research Center.
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