The Johns Hopkins Center for AIDS Research provides pilot grants to faculty in the Schools of Public Health, Medicine, and Nursing to enable and support HIV/AIDS research projects. Junior faculty at other JHU schools are eligible to apply if the proposal meets all other criteria. The prime purpose of these awards is to strengthen the individual’s ability to secure independent funding. We plan to award up to ten $50,000 grants per year, depending upon the number of fundable applications and availability of funds. The CFAR Scholar Grants were previously named the Faculty Development Awards.

1. JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY CFAR
SCHOLAR AWARDS
December 2, 2013

2. PROGRAM
DESCRIPTION
• The Johns Hopkins Center for AIDS Research
provides pilot grants to faculty in the Schools of
Public Health, Medicine, and Nursing to enable and
support HIV/AIDS research projects.
• The prime purpose of these awards is to
strengthen the individual’s ability to secure
independent funding
• The grants are for junior faculty (Such as
Instructors, Assistant Professors, Assistant
Scientists)
• Up to $50,000

3. STUDY SECTIONS
Behavioral, Substance Abuse and Social
Sciences
• Chair: Dr. Carl Latkin
Clinical Studies
• Chair: Dr. Justin McArthur
Community-based Research
• Chair: Dr. David Holtgrave
Epidemiology and Biostatistics
• Chair: Dr. Larry Moulton
Immunology, Virology, Molecular Biology
• Chair: Dr. Joel Blankson
Prevention Research
• Chair: Dr. Maria Wawer

4. REVIEWERS:
Behavioral, Substance Abuse and Social Sciences: Geetanjali Chander, Carl
Latkin, Greg Lucas, Shruti Mehta, Betsy McCaul, Erica Sibinga, Douglas Storey,
Stella Babalola, Heidi Hutton, Jacky Jenning, Carol Underwood, Yu-Hsiang Hsieh,
Bradley Herring, Justin McArthur, Ned Sacktor, Nick Ialongo
Clinical Studies: Andrea Ruff, Chris Hoffman, Lois Eldred, Norman Haughey,
Greg Lucas, Justin McArthur, Richard Moore, Ned Sacktor, Dave Thomas, Holly
Taylor, Stephen Berry, Joe Margolick, Sean Leng, Bryn Burkholder, James Handa,
Adrian Dobs, Mark Sulkowski, Sam Durso, Kelly Dooley, Charlie Flexner, Jeffrey
Ellenbogen, Gayle Page, Mike Smith, Namandje Bumpus, Joel Blankson, Avi
Nath, Arun Venkatesan
Community-based Research: Nancy Kass, Amy Knowlton, Karin Tobin; Danielle
German, Susan Sherman, Cathy Maulsby
Epidemiology and Biostatistics: Christopher Cox, Lisa Jacobson, Brian Lau,
Larry Moulton, Richard Thompson, David Dowdy
Immunology, Virology, Molecular Biology: Joel Blankson, Andrea Cox, Petros
Karakousis, Joseph Mankowski, Stuart Ray, Janet Siliciano
Prevention Research: David Celentano, Deanna Kerrigan, Taha Taha, Lori
Leonard, Carla Zelaya, Michele Decker, Saifuddin Ahmed, Kate Sutcliffe, Court
Robinson, Alexander Vu, Arik Marcell, Neil Martinson

5. 36 APPLICATIONS SUBMITTED
• Behavioral, Substance Abuse and Social
Sciences: 7 Applications
• Clinical Studies: 10 Applications
• Community-based Research: 4 Applications
• Epidemiology and Biostatistics: 3 Applications
• Immunology, Virology, Molecular Biology: 7
Applications
• Prevention Research: 5 Applications

6. BREAKDOWN OF
APPLICANTS
9 (25%) Male
27 (75%) Female
17 (47%) Caucasian
13 (36%) Under-represented minority
6 (17%) Other (Asian)

7. BREAKDOWN OF
AWARDEES
14 Awards to be granted this year:
10 to women (71%)
4 to men (29%)
8 to Caucasians (57%)
4 to Under-represented minority (29%)
2 to Other (14%)

8. AMANDA BROWN
"Humanized mice for HIV “
• SOM, Neurology, Neuroimmunology
• Mentors: Norman Haughey
• Study Section: Immunology, Virology and
Molecular Biology

9. JENNIFER KANAKRY
"Cell-free EBV-DNA as a marker of EBV(+)
lymphomas in HIV/AIDS: using CpG
methylation to distill a tumor marker from a
sea of virions“
• SOM, Hematology
• Mentors: Richard Ambinder
• Study Section: Immunology, Virology and
Molecular Biology

10. CAITLIN KENNEDY
"Qualitative research to explore HIV
transmission and prevention dynamics in
high-prevalence fishing villages in Rakai,
Uganda “
•
JHSPH, Social and Behavioral Sciences
•
Mentor: Maria Wawer
•
Study Section: Prevention Research

11. LEE KLINKENBERG
"Mechanisms of BCG vaccine-induced HIV
infectivity of CD4+ T cells “
•
SOM, Infectious Diseases
•
Mentor: Petros Karakousis
•
Study Section: Immunology, Virology, Molecular
Biology

12. MARK MARZINKE
“High-throughput pharmacogenetic
analysis to direct antiretroviral therapies”
•
SOM, Pathology and Medicine
•
Mentors: Craig W. Hendrix
•
Study Section: Clinical Studies

13. KATHLEEN PAGE
“Typology of Latina immigrant sex work
in Baltimore to identify research and
program needs”
•
SOM, Infectious Diseases
•
Mentor: Susan Sherman
•
Study Section: Community-based Research

14. RACHEL SALAS
"Spatio-temporal dynamics of Sleep EEG in
a Sero-positive HIV Cohort“
•
SOM, Neurology/ Sleep Studies
•
Mentors: Sridevi Sarma, Joshua Ewen
•
Study Section: Clinical Studies

15. JENNIFER SCHRACK
"Energy Expenditure and Aging in HIV “
•
BSPH, Epidemiology
•
Mentor: Joe Margolick, Todd Brown
•
Study Section: Clinical Studies

16. RAMANA SIDHAYE
“Synergistic effects of HIV and cigarette
smoke on airway epithelium predisposition
to the development of COPD”
•
SOM, Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine
•
Mentor: Joel Blankson
•
Study Section: Immunology, Virology and
Molecular Biology

17. SUNIL SOLOMON
"Exploring the epidemiology and sexual
transmission of HCV among MSM in India “
•
SOM, Infectious Diseases
•
Mentor: David Celentano, Shruti Mehta
•
Study Section: Epidemiology and Biostatistics

18. JENNIFER STEWART
"Development of a Church Based HIV
Testing and Linkage to Care “
•
SON, Community Public Health Nursing
•
Mentor: David Celentano
•
Study Section: Community-based Research

19. PAMELA SURKAN
"Depressive symptoms and early life
predictors of neurocognitive function in
HIV + men “
•
BSPH, International Health
•
Mentors: Glenn Treisman
•
Study Section: Behavior, Substance Use and
Social Science

20. CECILIA TOMORI
“HIV-risk among wives of men who have
sex with men (MSM) in India”
•
BSPH, Epidemiology
•
Mentor: David Celentano
•
Study Section: Prevention Research

21. KENNETH W. WITWER
“Exosomes and extracellular RNA of the
cervicovaginal compartment in health, HIV
infection, and HIV exposure without
infection”
• SOM, Molecular and Comparative Pathobiology
• Mentor: Dick Markham
• Study Section: Immunology, Virology and
Molecular Biology