2026 HIV Proposal Bootcamp

Submit a concept paper
Check out this year's consultants

Event Overview

HIV Proposal Bootcamp is a full-day in-person event designed to support emerging HIV researchers in developing competitive grant proposals. Participants are matched with established investigators with expertise in HIV research. During the event, attendees receive rapid, expert feedback through a series of 30-minute, face-to-face "lightning round" consultations. These sessions provide insights to refine proposals and enhance grant competitiveness.

The 2026 HIV Proposal Bootcamp will take place in person on March 30 in St. Louis. Accepted proposal teams will have the opportunity to network during meals and consult with HIV research experts.

Who can participate?

The event is open to WashU, SLU, HSSU, or Mizzou researchers and/or research teams with a principal investigator from WashU or SLU. Each principal investigator may bring along up to three team members.

We welcome plans for a range of proposals - from NIH mechanisms (R01, R03, R21, R34, K01, K08, K99) to foundation funding.

2026 KEY DATES

Submission deadline: March 13

Notification of acceptance: March 16

Bootcamp: March 30

This year’s consultants

Experts include members of the Midwest D-CFAR External Advisory Committee:

  • David Haas (Associate Professor of Medicine and Director, AIDS Clinical Trials Center, Vanderbilt University)

  • Manya Magnus (Professor and the Chair of the Department of Epidemiology, George Washington University)

  • Marina Caskey (Associate Director, Einstein-Rockefeller-CUNY CFAR)

  • Gregorio Millet (Vice President and Director, Public Policy, AmfAR)

  • Lauren Sterling (Associate Director, UCSF Bay Area CFAR)

And more! Check out the full list of Consultants here.

Plenary Keynote Presentation

March 30, 8:30am CT

Manya Magnus, PhD, MPH of George Washington University will discuss Collaborative Science in Action: How CFAR Partnerships Drive Innovation and Impact in HIV Research.

The presentation will be followed by a panel discussion with members of the Midwest D-CFAR External Advisory Committee, moderated by several of our early-stage HIV investigators. The panelists will discuss Collaborative Pathways in HIV Research: Innovation, Policy, and the Next Generation of Scientists.

  • Professor Manya Magnus, PhD, MPH, is Chair of the Department of Epidemiology at the Milken Institute School of Public Health at George Washington University. Dr. Magnus is the PI/Clinical Trials Unit Leader of the NIH-funded DC Clinical Trials Unit (DC CTU) and Co-Director of the Administrative Core of the NIH-funded DC Center for AIDS Research (DC CFAR). Dr. Magnus serves as the Co-Director of the School of Public Health’s MPH Epidemiology Program and is the Interim Chair of the Department of Epidemiology.

    Dr. Magnus received her BA in social psychology from the University of California, San Diego, and her MPH and PhD in epidemiology from Tulane University; she is also a nurse. Dr. Magnus has collaborated on and directed a variety of epidemiologic studies, including multisite randomized controlled clinical trials and observational studies. She applies epidemiologic methodology to conduct studies with a focus on prevention of HIV and other infectious diseases. This includes participating in multi-site clinical trials of biomedical prevention and treatment interventions as well as investigator-initiated studies of structural barriers to care for those most affected by HIV.

  • The keynote presentation will take place on the 2nd floor of the Taylor Avenue Building (600 S Taylor Ave., St. Louis, MO 63110). 

    The Taylor Avenue Building is located at the intersection of Scott and Taylor Avenues on Washington University’s Medical Campus. Directions are available here.

    Parking:

    Free, limited visitor parking is available in two-hour increments in the lot in front and back of the building. Do not park on Medex or spots for 660 S. Taylor. If the lots are full or you are staying for more than 2 hours, please park in the Clayton Avenue Garage (view parking map). 

    We will validate parking for the Clayton Avenue Garage. Please inquire with event team at Bootcamp.

Register for the Keynote

This event is sponsored by the Midwest Developmental Center for AIDS Research.

Email dev@midwestdcfar.org with any questions!