July 10, 2006

Please send any information for inclusion in the Bulletin to Marina Neris (marina.neris@yale.edu) by noon of the Thursday before the week the Bulletin goes out.

• A. CIRA SPONSORED AIDS SEMINARS
• B. CIRA MEETINGS/ANNOUNCEMENTS
• C. OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS

A. CIRA SPONSORED AIDS SEMINARS

There are no seminars scheduled at this time.

B. CIRA MEETINGS/ANNOUNCEMENTS

1. NEW! THIS WEEK! Peer Review
   07/13/06, 10:00 A.M. to 11:30 A.M.
   Location: CIRA Conference Room, 40 Temple Street, Suite 1B, New Haven
   Materials for peer review must be submitted one week in advance of the peer review meeting. If you would like to have a manuscript reviewed, please contact Debra Tompkins (debra.tompkins@yale.edu). If you would like to have a proposal reviewed as part of the process of affiliating your research project with CIRA, please contact Kim Blankenship (kim.blankenship@yale.edu). We encourage you to have your proposal reviewed early in its development. The purpose of peer review is to enhance the quality of proposals and publications from CIRA scientists by allowing them to benefit from the Center’s expertise. The spirit of CIRA's peer review program is one of collegiality and respect; it is meant to be constructive rather than evaluative. Investigators use the feedback they receive as they see fit.
2. THIS WEEK! Interdisciplinary Research Methods (IRM) Core Meeting
   07/14/06, 10:00 A.M. to 11:30 A.M.
   Location: CIRA Conference Room, 40 Temple Street, Suite 1B, New Haven
3. NEW! Community Research (CR) Core Meeting
   07/27/06, 10:00 A.M. to 11:30 A.M.
   Location: CIRA Conference Room, 40 Temple Street, Suite 1B, New Haven
4. NEW! Peer Review
   07/24/06, 10:00 A.M. to 11:30 A.M.
   Location: CIRA Conference Room, 40 Temple Street, Suite 1B, New Haven
   
5. NEW! Peer Review
   07/28/06, 10:00 A.M. to 11:30 A.M.
   Location: CIRA Conference Room, 40 Temple Street, Suite 1B, New Haven
   
6. NEW! Peer Review
   08/09/06, 2:00 P.M. to 3:30 P.M.
   Location: CIRA Conference Room, 40 Temple Street, Suite 1B, New Haven
   
7. NEW! Interdisciplinary Research Methods (IRM) Core Meeting
   08/14/06, 10:00 A.M. to 11:30 A.M.
   Location: CIRA Conference Room, 40 Temple Street, Suite 1B, New Haven
8. NEW! RFA! CIRA is seeking proposals under a new program entitled "Innovative Pilot Projects in Priority Areas of HIV/AIDS Prevention Research." This program differs from our traditional pilot project program in the following ways:
   • The program aims to stimulate innovative research in specific priority areas.
   • The maximum award is $30,000.
   • Funds may be used to support Principal Investigator effort.
   • All investigators are eligible to apply, irrespective of their seniority or previous HIV research experience.
   • There will be a two-stage application process.
   For complete information on this RFA please go to: http://cira.med.yale.edu/opportunities/pilotrfa_pas.html
9. CIRA INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL AWARDS Availability Extended to December 2006! For more details go to http://cira.med.yale.edu/opportunities/cita_rfa.html or contact Reshma Trasi (reshma.trasi@yale.edu)
10. CIRA International Research (IR) Core Consultations
    The IR Core is offering CIRA-affiliated scientists and CIRA Postdoctoral Fellows the opportunity to call on its expertise through Core Consultations. A portion of the Core meetings, held on the fourth Monday of every month from 3:00-4:30 P.M., will be available for scientists seeking guidance or the exchange of ideas about an ongoing or new international HIV/AIDS research project.
    
    The IR Core members include internationally renowned scientists from diverse disciplinary backgrounds like epidemiology, medicine, ethics, sociology, economics, and community research. Their research experience spans countries like China, India, Russia, South Africa and many more. Our IR Core members have designed and implemented preventive HIV/AIDS research projects with injection drug users, sex workers, orphans and vulnerable children and several other high-risk and vulnerable groups.
    
    At the IR Core meeting, the scientist receiving the Consultation will first provide a brief, informal overview of the research project and the issues he or she would like addressed by the Core. This will be followed by an informal, non-evaluative discussion. Examples of issues that might be discussed include study design, finding international collaborators, ethical issues, and how current research could lead to future research proposals.
    
    We hope that scientists will take advantage of this opportunity to receive feedback from their peers. Kindly email Reshma Trasi (reshma.trasi@yale.edu) if you would like to schedule a Consultation or if you have any questions.

C. OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS

1. Reminder for Applicants Considering the Multiple PI Option (NOT-OD-06-074)

   
   Issued by: National Institutes of Health (NIH)
   Applicants are reminded that the National Institutes of Health is conducting a pilot on the option to include more than one Principal Investigator (PI) on a grant application. The programs participating in this pilot are listed on the Multiple PI Web site at http://grants2.nih.gov/grants/multi_pi/. The multiple PI option is available only for programs involved in the pilot and listed on the Web site.
   
   Contact: Questions about the Multiple PI pilot can be sent to multi_PI@mail.nih.gov. For more information go to: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-06-074.html.



2. DUE THIS WEEK! ProVisions X Call for Abstracts

   
   The Program Committee of ProVisions X would like to invite you to submit an abstract to one of the largest HIV/AIDS conferences in New England. The Connecticut AIDS Resource Coalition (CARC) is sponsoring this year's conference, which will be held in Mystic, Connecticut, on October 5 and 6, 2006 at the Mystic Hilton. The theme of ProVisions X is "Honor the past, claim the future! The conference will bring together AIDS researchers, physicians, service providers, People Living With HIV/AIDS (PLWHA), advocates, educators and students. We expect 300 attendees or more to participate.
   
   The sessions at the conference will be divided into five tracks (1) Advocacy, (2) Employment, (3) Housing, (4) Prevention, and (5) Care & Support. Those submitting abstracts have the option of doing an interactive workshop or making a formal presentation, and should tailor the presentation to one or more audiences (e.g. PLWHA, providers, and advocates).
   
   Abstract submission forms are due on July 14, 2006 and will be accepted via e-mail, fax or standard mail.
   
   Contact: If you have any questions please call (860) 761-6699, email will@ctaidscoalition.org or go to: http://www.ctaidscoalition.org/provisions.htm