Mission

The mission of this fellowship program is to recruit, mentor, and train investigators to conduct domestic HIV/AIDS prevention research in communities of color. The fellows will be located in various branches in the Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention (DHAP) at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), headquartered in Atlanta, GA.

Go to top

CDC’s HIV Prevention Research Efforts

As a part of its overall public health mission, CDC provides national and international leadership in helping to control the HIV epidemic. CDC works with community, state, national, and international partners in surveillance, research, prevention, and evaluation activities.

Many of CDC’s HIV prevention research efforts are concentrated in DHAP in the National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention (NCHHSTP), which is part of CDC’s Coordinating Center for Infectious Disease. DHAP conducts surveillance, epidemiologic, and behavioral research to monitor HIV/AIDS-related trends and risk behaviors. Many of these research activities are targeted to reducing current severe racial/ethnic disparities in new HIV infections in the United States. The resulting data provide a basis for developing interventions, directing prevention resources, and evaluating programs. In addition to its activities in the United States, DHAP is active in research to improve surveillance, prevention, evaluation, and technology transfer activities in developing countries. (Click here for an organizational chart of the branches within the Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention.)

DHAP staff members work collaboratively on research activities with staff throughout NCHHSTP: the Global AIDS Program, the Division of Viral Hepatitis, the Division of STD Prevention, and the Division of TB Elimination. For more information about HIV prevention and research activities at CDC, go to CDC's HIV/AIDS website. Specifically, you may wish to look at the Research pages of CDC's HIV/AIDS website to see a summary of our recent research activities, or at the report “HIV Prevention in the 3rd Decade” for a detailed account of CDC’s prevention efforts.

Go to top

The HIV Epidemic

Is it estimated that, worldwide, 33 million people are living with HIV (UNAIDS, 2007). In the United States, the latest estimates indicate that at the end of 2006, the total number of persons with HIV was estimated between 1,056,400–1,156,400 (MMWR, 2008). More recently, CDC estimates that 56,300 new HIV infections occurred in the United States in 2006 (Hall et al, 2008). Gay and bisexual men of all races remain the group most heavily affected by HIV, accounting for 53% of all new infections. Among all racial or ethnic groups, the impact of HIV is greatest among blacks. Blacks have an HIV incidence rate that is 7 times higher than that of whites (83.7/100,000 for blacks compared to 11.5/100,000 for whites) and almost 3 times higher than that of Latinos (29.3/100,000). The rate of new HIV infections has remained steady at about 55,000 per year since 1999 (Hall et al, 2008).

With more people living with HIV than ever before, it is increasingly important that people are aware of their HIV status so they can be linked to appropriate medical care and prevention services. The stability in new HIV infections since 1999 indicates that prevention efforts are reaching many individuals living with HIV/AIDS and that most are taking steps to protect themselves and their partners. There is significant evidence that prevention works. HIV counseling and testing reduce risk behaviors and help link persons living with HIV to medical care and treatment. For persons living with HIV and for those at risk for HIV infection, behavioral and social interventions significantly reduce risk behaviors and sexually transmitted infections. The effectiveness of HIV prevention has been repeatedly shown in multiple scientific reviews. But the fact remains that many populations at risk, especially men who have sex with men (MSM) and people of color are not being reached by prevention efforts, and much more must be done.

The current HIV incidence and prevalence estimates underscore the need to reach all populations at risk for HIV with effective prevention programs and serve as an urgent reminder that we all-as individuals, as communities, and as a nation-need to do more to prevent the further spread of HIV and its devastating effects.

CDC. HIV Prevalence Estimates—United States, 2006. MMWR 2008;51(39) 1073-1076

Hall HI, Song R, Rhodes P, Prejean J, An Q, Lee LM, Karon J, Brookmeyer R, Kaplan EH, McKenna MT, Janssen RS for the HIV Incidence Surveillance Group. Estimation of HIV Incidence in the United States. JAMA, August 6, 2008;300(5):520

Go to top

Fellowship Description

The fellowship seeks four (4) doctoral-level researchers (e.g., behavioral scientists, epidemiologists, social scientists, evaluators, educators, economists, anthropologists, or MDs with research training and/or experience). Applicants must have completed their doctorates within the past five (5) years (i.e., no earlier than May 2004 and no later than May 2009). Applicants with research expertise or experience in communities of color are preferred (i.e., African Americans, Latinos/Hispanics, American Indians/Alaska Natives, and Asians/Pacific Islanders).

The four (4) successful applicants will be matched into one of these six (6) fellowship training positions.

• Capacity Building Branch
• Epidemiology Branch
• Prevention Research Branch
• Program Evaluation Branch

Upon completion of this program, participants will be able to design, conduct, and evaluate scientifically sound, culturally competent, HIV/AIDS research in communities of color.

Go to top

Applicants

Applicants must have completed all requirements for and been awarded a doctorate within the past five years, i.e., no earlier than May 2004 and no later than May 2009.  Successful applicants will re-locate to Atlanta for the 2-year fellowship appointment. Stipends will vary based on educational credentials and related experience. Following are some general guidelines for stipend ranges.

Click here for descriptions of 2002-2009 fellows.

Go to top

Required Fellowship Activities

Mentors and fellows will collaborate to develop a list of diverse research activities that they will complete together over the two year training period. These activities will be based on the fellow's area(s) of interest, training, and expertise. The activities listed below represent the minimum requirements that all fellows must complete. Documentation of completion for each activity is required at the end of each year and is the responsibility of both the mentor and the fellow.

1. Produce a first draft of one manuscript for peer review per year.
   The fellow must be first author on a least one manuscript. The type of manuscript produced should be determined by the mentor and fellow.
2. Assist the mentor in developing a research study protocol.
   Examples of this activity include developing a section of an IRB protocol or developing the background and design sections of a Request for Funding Announcement.
3. Develop and deliver an oral or poster presentation at an international, domestic, or CDC scientific meeting (seminar, branch meeting, TRIP, etc).
4. Attend and participate in a CDC-sponsored site visit for a funded research study.
5. Assist the mentor in a review of a manuscript for a peer-reviewed journal.

Go to top

Office Support

Office Support will include office space, computer, appropriate software, phone, mail and clerical services and other equipment as required and approved. Funds for travel will be available as appropriate

Click here for Questions and Answers.

Go to top

Application and Deadline

Applications will be accepted no earlier than November 1, 2008 and no later than December 31, 2008.

The fellowship will begin August 1, 2009 and end August 1, 2011.

Click here for a PDF version of the application materials.

Click here for a Word document version of the application materials.

Go to top

For more information contact:

Laura Coker
Coordinator, CDC/NCHHSTP/DHAP ORISE Fellowships (CoC)

This web page was prepared by the Divisions of HIV/AIDS Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE) through an interagency agreement with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). ORISE is managed by Oak Ridge Associated Universities under DOE contract number DE-AC05-06OR23100.

Go to top