(Lead: Nevan Krogan; Co-I Robyn Kaake)

The mission of the HARC Center Developmental Core is to stimulate HIV research, foster internal and external collaborations, and support Center investigators and members - with an emphasis on early-career researchers- in their career trajectories and development. We aim to build a strong and diverse community of researchers using structural and systems biology techniques to advance the knowledge of HIV prevention, treatment, andcure.

The Developmental Core will support the Center’s postdoctoral fellows and junior faculty without independent research support through the Mentored Scientist Awards, which not only provide guidance to the awardees from senior faculty, but also enables them to gain hands-on experience in mentoring summer intern students who are recruited by the Developmental Core in partnership with existing internship programs supporting underrepresented minorities in the sciences. Additionally, the Developmental Core will provide a broad portfolio of training and career development opportunities for HIV systems biology researchers. To foster innovation through collaboration, and expand and strengthen the community of HIV structural and systems biology researchers, the Developmental Core will implement and oversee the Collaborative Development Award (CDA) Program. This program will provide early-career investigators in the HIV/AIDS field as well as investigators who are new to HIV research from outside the HARC Center the opportunity to enhance the Center’s overall research theme through the short- term exploration of highly innovative or high-risk concepts.