Check this page often for news, updates, event recaps, and blog posts from the Midwest D-CFAR. Posts from 2024 can be found here.
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Get to know Brittney van de Water, Visiting HIV Transdisciplinary Grand Rounds Speaker
Brittney van de Water, a certified pediatric nurse practitioner and global health delivery researcher, will visit St. Louis in April to discuss strategies for “empowering the frontline” through nursing leadership and implementation science. Learn more about her career, motivations, and the future of TB/HIV research.
Persistence and Adaptivity: Lindsey Filiatreau Reflects on CFAR Meeting
Lindsey Filiatreau, PhD, MPH, Midwest D-CFAR member and Assistant Professor at the WashU School of Public Health, attended the 29th Annual National CFAR Meeting in Denver. We asked Dr. Filiatreau to share some key takeaways from the meeting.
The Midwest D-CFAR at 314 Day
Darius Rucker, M.Ed and Kneeshe Parkinson, B.S. reflect on 314 Day in St. Louis. Throughout the day, community leaders across the city gathered to strengthen relationships and celebrate and support the community.
Meet the Latest Cohort of HSSU Interns
The Midwest D-CFAR HSSU St. Louis Dept. of Health STAR internship program allows dedicated Harris-Stowe students to gain hands-on experience in the field of HIV research and public health.
Dima Dandachi Accepted to CAPS Visiting Professor Program
Dima Dandachi, MD, MPH, Co-Director of the Scientific Working Group, was accepted to the CAPS Visiting Professor Program at the University of California, San Francisco, which provides intensive training and mentoring to support the development of early-career researchers across the United States.
Thomas Odeny Awarded Clinical Investigator Leadership Award
Thomas Odeny, MD, PhD, MPH received the 2025 Winn Clinical Investigator Leadership Award, which provides salary support, advanced clinical trials expertise, high-impact mentorship, and institutional networks to help participants become independent and highly effective community-oriented clinical researchers.
Investing in Mentor Development: Dima Dandachi Reflects on Mentorship Workshop for HIV Researchers
Dima Dandachi, Co-Director of the Scientific Working Group, recently attended the Mentoring the Mentors Workshop for HIV Researchers in San Francisco. We asked Dr. Dandachi to share her reflections and key takeaways from the workshop.
SPOTLIGHT on Chen Shen
Meet Dr. Chen Shen, an early-stage HIV investigator at WashU. Chen studies the structural mechanisms of host-pathogen interactions.
Midwest D-CFAR Partner Pilot Award Reflections: Community Voices, Shared Learning, and Pathways to Impact
At a recent Scientific Working Group Community Collaborative meeting, individuals who submitted to the latest call for Partner Pilot Award applications were given the opportunity to reflect and share feedback about their experience.
Meet the Inaugural Cohort of SWG Community Champions
Meet the inaugural Scientific Working Group (SWG) Community Champions, San Juan Caffey Jr. and Jourdan Lacey. The Community Champion Program uplifts leaders whose lived experience and professional expertise strengthen our shared mission to equitably end the HIV epidemic in Missouri.
Find Midwest D-CFAR investigators at CROI
The 2026 Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI), happening February 22-26 in Denver, Colorado, features presentations by several Midwest D-CFAR investigators.
Midwest D-CFAR announces 2026 pilot funding awardees
These awards aim to support emerging and established researchers as they expand their focus to HIV-related studies.
VIDEO SPOTLIGHT on Beau Ances
Meet Dr. Beau Ances, professor of neurology at WashU and director of the Midwest D-CFAR Clinical Science Core.
Midwest D-CFAR investigators showcase work at D&I Conference
The 18th Annual Conference on the Science of Dissemination and Implementation in Health (D&I) was held this week in Washinton, D.C. and several members of the Midwest D-CFAR were there leading workshops, facilitating discussion forums, and presenting novel research.
SPOTLIGHT on Octavio Mesner
Meet Dr. Octavio Mesner, an early-stage HIV investigator at WashU. Octavio focuses on the intersection of methods and LGBTQ+ health, particularly in non-parametric causal discovery.
Why rural HIV research must be coordinated, inclusive and equity-focused
When rural communities are left without the resources and support to participate in clinical trials our understanding of HIV is skewed. Blog written by Dima Dandachi, co-director of the Midwest D-CFAR’s Scientific Working Group.
SPOTLIGHT on Aditi Ramakrishnan
Meet Dr. Aditi Ramakrishnan, an inspiring early-stage investigator at WashU devoted to improving HIV prevention and treatment services. Discover her journey, ongoing projects, and experiences at IDWeek in our November 2025 feature.
Iwelunmor, Nabunya, and Nartey, awarded WashU’s OVCR Seed Grant for Interdisciplinary Research
Juliet Iwelunmor, Proscovia Nabunya, and Portia Nartey were recently awarded a seed grant from the WashU Office of the Vice Chancellor of Research to explore the prevalence and predictors of sexual risk behaviors in Ghanaian adolescent girls.
Midwest D-CFAR leader honored for excellence in research mentorship
Dima Dandachi, MD, will receive the 2025 University of Missouri School of Medicine Excellence in Research Mentoring Award, which recognizes faculty members for excellence in clinical, translational and/or basic science research mentorship.
Midwest D-CFAR leads session at USCHA
Kneeshe Parkinson, PhD, coordinator of the Midwest D-CFAR’s Scientific Working Group, attended the 2025 U.S. Conference on HIV/AIDS (USCHA) and facilitated a session.