The CFAR Program in HIV Vaccines provides a forum for interaction around basic, preclinical, and clinical research in HIV vaccines across Harvard and affiliated hospitals and institutions.
Two major goals of the Program are:
- To engage and develop Early Career Investigators with an interest in HIV vaccine research, and
- To maintain a forum for CFAR investigators to strategically promote integrated and efficient collaboration on preventive and therapeutic HIV vaccine related research.
An efficacy trial of a vaccine developed by HU CFAR researchers is underway, promoting additional collaborations within the CFAR, and the Program also sponsors a Vaccine Symposium through funds provided by BIDMC. The Program helped to nucleate efforts in response to the RFA entitled “Immune Mechanisms of Protection Against Mycobacterium tuberculosis Center (IMPAc-TB)”, led by one of the previous Directors of the Developmental Core, Dr. Sarah Fortune.
In part through support of Developmental Awards, a robust pipeline of young clinician-scientists is being developed who are committed to the clinical evaluation and translational development of vaccine concepts. A major new effort in the therapeutic use of monoclonal antibodies has also been launched and is supporting the careers of Early Career Investigators. Working together with the Advanced Lab Technologies Core, the Program is developing new approaches to monitor vaccine responses that have application beyond HIV. Dr. Dan Barouch, Professor of Medicine at HMS and BIDMC, serves as Co-Director of the Program in HIV Vaccines. Dr. Galit Alter, Professor of Medicine at HMS and MGH, also serves as Co-Director.