UCLA/CDU Center for AIDS Research Receives $11M NIH Grant 

Headshot photos of Dr. Judith Currier, chief of the UCLA Division of Infectious Diseases; Dr. LaShonda Spencer, professor of clinical pediatrics and internal medicine at CDU; and Jerome Zack, chair of the UCLA Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics

The National Institutes of Health has awarded UCLA/CDU Center for AIDS Research a five-year, $11 million dollar grant that will aid in funding research that addresses the health inequities that contribute to the spread of HIV in marginalized communities.

The Center for AIDS Research will not only support ongoing research at both CDU and UCLA, but will allow for new partnerships to be formed with community groups throughout Los Angeles and on a global scale in nations severely affected by HIV. The project will also aid in developing the next generation of basic, behavioral, and clinical scientists in the field of HIV/AIDS, with a focus on promoting diversity in HIV research.

The partnership will operate under the direction of Dr. Judith Currier, chief of the UCLA Division of Infectious Diseases; Dr. LaShonda Spencer, professor of clinical pediatrics and internal medicine at CDU; and Jerome Zack, chair of the UCLA Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics. The goal will be to prevent new HIV infections, reduce deaths among people who are living with HIV, and develop strategies for eradicating HIV.

“We are thrilled to have the opportunity to leverage the resources provided by the Center for AIDS Research to expand the support for HIV/AIDS research across Los Angeles and build new partnerships among investigators at all of the partner sites and communities most impacted by HIV,” remarked Dr. Spencer.

The Center for AIDS Research further supports CDU’s commitment to social justice and health equity for underserved populations through outstanding education, research, clinical service, and community engagement.