Dear HIV Research Community,
We recognize that the HIV research community is disproportionately affected by recent changes and want to assure you that both ARI and CFAR are working to advocate for support and resources for our investigators who are being affected by these changes. We would like to emphasize that you should be working directly with your Divisions and Departments on these challenges to make plans for unexpected funding gaps.
ARI will be hosting an upcoming Town Hall to share and discuss needs and mitigating actions specific to our field in this evolving landscape. The UCSF Office of Research has requested that persons affected by the foreign subcontracts notice provide some information on a survey and is offering consultations. Finally, and importantly, there is a new bill in California to support the creation of the California Institute for Scientific Research and a rally to support it this Friday. More details on each of these below.
In solidarity,
Diane Havlir, MD, Director, UCSF AIDS Research Institute
Monica Gandhi, MD, MPH, Director, UCSF-Bay Area Center for AIDS Research
ARI Town Hall
The UCSF AIDS Research Institute (ARI) will host a Town Hall in the next 2 weeks (date and time TBD) At this meeting, a panel will discuss the major areas impacting the HIV Research Community, hear from investigators on key issues that you’re facing, and share information about our response. We will send an announcement soon with details.
Foreign Subcontracts
As many of you know, NIH has implemented a new notice (NOT-OD-25-104) putting a pause on foreign subawards while a new award structure is implemented that separates the subaward for better tracking. UCSF is working to support impacted investigators through several entry points. In addition to investigators working directly with their Divisions/Departments, UCSF has requested that impacted individuals fill out a survey both to help gather data and for them to offer a consultation.
CA SB 829
Finally, we’d like to encourage you to support CA State Bill 829 to create a new California Institute for Scientific Research by either signing on to an open letter supporting the bill and/or by joining the Rally for Research in Support of CA SB 829 this Friday, May 16th, 12p at San Francisco’s Civic Center. This bill would bill to create a new California Institute for Scientific Research to fund research in biomedicine, public health, climate, oceanography, and more – ensuring California remains a world leader in science, technology, and innovation.
The Open Letter “California Scientists Support SB 829” can be viewed here and you can add your endorsement here. UCSF investigators can sign on using their UCSF email addresses, as the bill is supported by UCOP, and this letter is endorsed by the UC Provost.
Register and learn more about the rally or use the QR code below.
