Midwest D-CFAR Impact - Year One (2024-2025)
A message from our directors
Elvin Geng, MD, MPH, and Juliet Iwelunmor, PhD
Dear Supporters,
In May 2024, we launched the NIH-funded Midwest Developmental Center for AIDS Research (Midwest D-CFAR) with your generous support. This powerful collaboration between Washington University in St. Louis (WashU) and Saint Louis University (SLU) was born out of a shared commitment to end the HIV epidemic through bold science and authentic community partnerships.
We recognize that this progress comes at a time of growing uncertainty and challenges in the research funding landscape. Public health programs face tightening budgets, and early-stage investigators often struggle to find the resources they need to launch their careers. Your support has never been more essential or impactful.
In just our first year, you have helped us to lay a strong foundation for a transformative research enterprise. From seeding new investigations to centering community voices, the progress we have made is a direct result of your belief in what we can accomplish together. We are deeply grateful—and we’re just getting started.
With gratitude,
Elvin Geng, MD, MPH
Director, Midwest D-CFAR
Juliet Iwelunmor, PhD
Co-Director, Midwest D-CFAR
What you have helped us to build
With the catalytic support of the NIH and your investment, we:
Supported 31 HIV research proposals, with 19 submitted (10 to NIH).
Launched our Pilot Award Program and funded six groundbreaking projects.
Grew our research portfolio to $18.5M—an increase of 35% over FY23.
Welcomed 56 active D-CFAR members, most of them early-stage investigators.
Held 26 events with 495 attendees from academic institutions and local communities.
Midwest D-CFAR activities supporting research grant proposal development.
Seeding the next generation of HIV research
The Pilot Award Program represents one of the most significant investments the Midwest D-CFAR has made to support early-stage innovation. These awards are intentionally designed to catalyze new HIV-related research by supporting investigators who are either launching their first HIV-focused studies or transitioning into this field from adjacent disciplines. Each award offers critical support to help researchers generate preliminary data necessary for future NIH R- or K-series funding.
The inaugural cohort of awardees reflects our mission to build a robust, community-informed, and scientifically rigorous HIV research ecosystem across the Midwest:
Investigator Pilot Awardees
Javan Kisaka, PhD, postdoc: Investigating the potential of ITIH4, a protein highly expressed in latently infected HIV cells, as a biomarker for measuring the HIV reservoir. This study could contribute to long-term HIV cure strategies.
Julia Lopez, MD, assistant professor: Through the ENGAGE-HIV project, researchers are collaborating with providers and birthing persons living with HIV to evaluate and improve guidelines surrounding chest/breastfeeding, promoting informed, inclusive decision-making in clinical care.
Octavio Mesner, PhD, assistant professor: Investigating stress-related factors and social stigma that may contribute to HIV transmission risk among certain urban populations. This research seeks to improve the design of public health interventions by focusing on individual and community-level predictors.
Chen Shen, PhD, assistant professor: Studying how HIV-1 RNA interacts with the innate immune receptor CARD8 at a molecular level. By detailing the structural and biochemical mechanisms of this interaction, the project could illuminate new pathways for HIV detection and control.
Partner Pilot Awardees
Aditi Ramakrishnan, MD, assistant professor, and Stephen Adams, APO Community Health Center: ‘PrEPForward’ addresses barriers and facilitators to pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) services in rural and urban Missouri. This academic–community collaboration prioritizes real-world solutions for HIV prevention.
Centering community, not just including it
Participants in the inaugural Research Community Collaborative meeting in April 2025.
Our Stakeholder and Community Advisory Committee (SAC) has played a critical role in shaping D-CFAR’s first year. SAC members helped review pilot award proposals, advised on strategic direction, and ensured that community perspectives were integrated into both the process and the science.
SAC Chair Darius Rucker participated in executive committee planning and represented the Midwest D-CFAR at the National CFAR Meeting in December 2024.
Hosted Robert Siliciano, MD, PhD, for HIV Transdisciplinary Grand Rounds, where he shared groundbreaking research on HIV latency and pathways toward a functional cure.
Launched the HIV Proposal Bootcamp to accelerate grant development through rapid consultations, cross-institutional collaboration, and expert mentorship.
Welcomed David Haas, MD, a leader in HIV pharmacogenomics, as both an HIV Transdisciplinary Grand Rounds speaker and keynote presenter at the HIV Proposal Bootcamp.
Organized Partners 4 Health, a bold cross-sector initiative that invests in grassroots-led innovation by pairing academic researchers with community leaders to co-develop solutions for HIV prevention and care. In its first year, the initiative funded nine projects and elevated local leadership through competitive awards that prioritized feasibility and real-world impact.
Convened the Scientific Working Group Community Collaborative with keynote speaker Erise Williams to co-create research priorities rooted in community voice and shared implementation.
Conducted our first social network analysis survey in September 2024 to measure institutional and interpersonal connectivity. The network included 117 individuals with a 71% response rate, revealing strong internal cohesion and clear opportunities for greater cross-institutional collaboration. Going forward, we will repeat this analysis annually to track progress and deepen ties between WashU, SLU, and community partners.
Social network analysis survey visualization of connections between stakeholders.
Transparency in Real Time
From day one, the Midwest D-CFAR made a commitment to public accountability. We developed a public dashboard that tracks our activities and outputs as they happen, providing insights into proposal development, event participation, communication reach, and community engagement. In 2025, we will expand it to include publications, funded awards, and integration of research with community priorities.
Expanding Our Reach
Our communication strategy ensures that knowledge and opportunity reach every corner of our network. Since the Center’s launch:
Our website has attracted over 4,400 unique visitors and more than 10,000 page views.
Our monthly newsletter subscriber list grew by 43%, maintaining a 63% average open rate.
LinkedIn impressions exceeded 7,900, showing strong engagement with our work.
What’s Next? Priorities for Year 2
Thanks to your support, the foundation is solid. Looking ahead, we will:
Expand the Pilot Award Program to reach more early-career investigators
Launch our inaugural Show Me the Response Day to spotlight local HIV research and innovation
Deepen academic–community partnerships through new engagement models
Expand the dashboard to include research impact, publications, and implementation science
Strengthen regional collaboration with new institutional partners
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