The mission of the Clinical Science Core is to support the translation of preliminary data and ideas into clinical and behavioral studies that advance HIV science and lead to interventions with quantifiable impact on the HIV epidemic. The Core aims to achieve this by reducing barriers to the development and implementation of studies. Both domestic and global research initiatives are supported.  

The Aims of this Core are:

  1. To provide support and training to investigators in the regulatory approval and implementation aspects of biomedical, behavioral, and basic translational studies in HIV.
  2. To facilitate clinical and translational research in HIV by increasing access to research participants and generating new scientific and community collaboration.

Core Leadership and Key Staff

Ste’von Afemata

Ste’von Afemata

Core Laboratory Coordinator
Clinical Science Core
Stephanie Buchbinder, MPH

Stephanie Buchbinder, MPH

Core Manager
Clinical Science Core
Kara Chew, MD, MS

Kara Chew, MD, MS

Core Director
Clinical Science Core
Risa Hoffman, MD, MPH

Risa Hoffman, MD, MPH

Core Faculty
Developmental Core Clinical Science Core
Ian Holloway, PhD, LCSW

Ian Holloway, PhD, LCSW

Core Faculty
Clinical Science Core
Aleen Khodabakhshian, MD

Aleen Khodabakhshian, MD

Core Clinical Coordinator
Clinical Science Core
Kevin Pizarro

Kevin Pizarro

Outreach Coordinator
Clinical Science Core

Services Offered by the Core

The Clinical Science Core provides the following services:

  • Support for developing and implementing studies
    • The Core offers support for every stage of study development and implementation. It provides resources to assist both seasoned and new investigators with protocol and informed consent form development, IRB and other regulatory submissions, and accessing of CFAR and non-CFAR resources to conduct the studies. Training and support provided by the core occurs through consultations and seminars/workshops. Examples include:
        • Domestic Regulatory Support- preparing submissions to committees such as Institutional Review Boards (IRB) and Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC) and clinicaltrials.gov. 
        • Global Regulatory Support- preparing submissions to local and foreign Ethics Committees, including use of reliance agreements where appropriate, development of international subcontracts, and counseling around compliance for working with foreign entities, including disclosures when work is funded through US government agencies such as NIH. 
        • Clinical protocol development and implementation- consultation with the investigator and review of the study design and available materials. Identification of the specific needs of the investigator, including assessment of protocol readiness, source data documentation, investigational pharmacy, database development, adverse event data collection, statistical support, study monitoring, and recruitment support.
  • Linkage to Research Populations
    • Research Study Volunteer Project (RSVP)
        • A diverse research participant registry of volunteers with and without HIV interested in participating in HIV-related studies.
        • Grant submissions can be supported through demonstrated feasibility of accessing the target study population available through RSVP. 
    • Samples to Aid Researchers To Upend HIV (START UP)
        • A diverse participant registry of volunteers with and without HIV interested in donating blood for HIV-related studies.
          • If you are interested in donating blood and would like to join the START UP registry, please click here for more information..
          • Investigators can request blood samples (whole blood, plasma, serum, or PBMCs) from volunteers with or without HIV upon individual investigator request. To learn more, please click here.
    • Consultation on proposals using data and sample repositories for NIH-funded cohorts of people with and without HIV (such as MACS/WIHS CCS, ACTG, HPTN, VACS, and others).

Workshop and Seminar Programs

    • Clinical Discovery Seminar series
      • Quarterly seminars to introduce researchers to new science conducted by peers, HIV networks, and available data and samples, to foster new proposals and collaborations.
    • Training Workshops
      • Biannual training workshops on regulatory and other aspects of patient-oriented research.

Resources (Please click HERE)

For our current fee schedule, please CLICK HERE.

For questions or more information, please contact Stephanie Buchbinder at sbuchbinder@mednet.ucla.edu

Contact the Core
cfarclinicalcore@mednet.ucla.edu

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