Over one million people are living with the HIV virus in the United States, and an additional 36 million worldwide. With contemporary antiretroviral therapy (ART), people living with HIV/AIDS are surviving decades on treatment, but this success is offset by a rising burden of heart, lung, blood, and sleep (HLBS) comorbidities in the HIV population. Vanderbilt University’s location in the Southeastern United States places it in the region with the highest rates of incident HIV infections and cardiopulmonary disease.
Given the multiple potential biologic and environmental contributors to the excess risk of HLBS comorbidities in persons with HIV, the Vanderbilt SCholars in HIV and Heart, Lung, Blood, And Sleep ReSearch (V-SCHoLARS) K12 program was developed to train new investigators with expertise in both the HIV and HLBS fields. The V-SCHoLARS program, funded by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (grant K12HL143956) provides two-years of protected research time and resources for junior faculty to train under a unique model with dual mentors in the HIV and HLBS fields, the V-SCHoLARS program will support mentored training in basic science, clinical and translational research, epidemiology/population health, and community-based research.
Eligible applicants include: MD or PhD Instructor or Assistant Professor level faculty from Meharry Medical College or Vanderbilt University Medical Center . Physicians in training may apply, but will need a letter from their faculty department chair.
