The Developmental Core supports the research needs of the members of NCCFAR located at UC Davis, the Viral and Rickettsial Disease Laboratory of the California Department of Health Services, and UC Berkeley. The main objective of the Developmental Core is to provide financial support to meritorious pilot projects in clinical, epidemiological, social, behavioral, basic science and translational research that encompass all aspects of HIV infection.

Funds are provided to innovative pilot studies through a competitive review process instituted by the Developmental Core. This allows HIV investigators to generate sufficient preliminary results to compete for extramural funding for their research programs from federal and nonfederal granting agencies. Funds stimulate and foster multidisciplinary collaborative pilot studies among investigators from Davis and Berkeley sites of NCCFAR and recruit new investigators to HIV research.

Funding from the Developmental Core is important in developing new, as well as multidisciplinary collaborative, HIV research programs, at the NCCFAR. The Developmental Core also provides funding to junior investigators and graduate students for short-term training. Funds allow them to visit laboratories of their collaborators or other investigators to receive training in needed methodology, assays or data analysis.

In summary, the Developmental Core is a valuable resource of funding for HIV researchers and new investigators for their innovative research projects, so that they can perform proof-of-concept experiments, obtain preliminary results and seek extramural funding. Thus, the Developmental Core plays a crucial role in facilitating the preparation of a full CFAR application from UC Davis and participating institutions in the future.

Previous Developmental Core Award