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Announcing the 2026 CFAR Scientific Symposium!

HIV Frontiers:  Healthy Living and Progress to Cure

Wednesday, September 30th, 2026

8:00 am – 6:00 pm

Arthur Rubenstein Auditorium, Smilow Center for Translational Research

Registration is now open!

Latest News

Gov. Shapiro signs bill ending HIV-specific criminal penalties in PA

After years of activism by advocates, healthcare providers, and public health experts, Governor Josh Shapiro signed Senate Bill (S.B.) 45 into law on July 20th, 2026. S.B. 45 removes HIV from the criminal code in Pennsylvania. For years, Pennsylvania law imposed disproportionately harsher criminal penalties on those with HIV, particularly for prostitution-related offenses. “Living with … Continue reading Gov. Shapiro signs bill ending HIV-specific criminal penalties in PA

Launch of the EHE Implementation Science Dashboard

The Johns Hopkins Implementation Science Hub is excited to announce the launch of the EHE Implementation Science Dashboard. To celebrate the launch, they’ll be hosting a 1-hour webinar introducing the dashboard, highlighting its key features, and demonstrating how it can be used through real-world case scenarios. Webinar Details Date: September 2nd, 2026 Time: 12:00-1:00 PM EST Registration: https://jh.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_S5yG5BZ2R8SKBoYZAV0pEw … Continue reading Launch of the EHE Implementation Science Dashboard

Robert Gross interviewed by NBC10 regarding HIV risk at Philadelphia dental practice

CFAR Co-Director Robert Gross, MD, MSCE, was interviewed in a recent story on NBC10 about the dental practice in Philadelphia temporarily shut down by the Philadelphia Department of Public Health. Dr. Kirti Chopra’s license was temporarily suspended in May after a surprise inspection by PDPH revealed insufficient infection control practices that the order said “could … Continue reading Robert Gross interviewed by NBC10 regarding HIV risk at Philadelphia dental practice

The Penn CFAR Scientific Symposium | September 30th, 2026

Registration is now open for the 2026 Penn CFAR Scientific Symposium Wednesday, September 30th, 2026 8:15 am – 6:00 pm Arthur Rubenstein Auditorium, Smilow Center for Translational Research HIV Frontiers:  Healthy Living and Progress to Cure Keynote Speakers Mauricio Martins, PhD Associate Professor The Herbert Wertheim UF Scripps Institute for Biomedical Innovation & Technology “AAV-Delivered … Continue reading The Penn CFAR Scientific Symposium | September 30th, 2026

Announcing the Penn CFAR 2026-2027 Seminar Series

Join us for the 2025-2026 CFAR Seminar Series, beginning this fall. Stay tuned for more details! Fall 2026 Wednesday, October 21st, 2026 | 12:00 pm ET “The Relentless Pursuit of Broad Neutralization Against HIV and Coronaviruses by Targeted Vaccines” Raiees Andrabi, PhD Associate Professor of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases Perelman School of Medicine, University … Continue reading Announcing the Penn CFAR 2026-2027 Seminar Series

Our Focus

Cores

Penn Center for AIDS Research

The Penn Center for AIDS Research (Penn CFAR) is one of 19 NIH-funded CFARs and includes HIV and AIDS investigators at the University of Pennsylvania, the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP), and the Wistar Institute.

Our mission is to support and advance research in all areas of HIV/AIDS on the Penn/CHOP/Wistar campus and in the Philadelphia region by:

  • catalyzing innovative collaborative AIDS research through working groups, outreach, partnerships on campus, regionally, and internationally
  • providing education through seminars, courses, and workshops
  • developing new HIV/AIDS investigators and research programs through pilot funding, mentorship, and partnership programs
  • providing cutting-edge research support through innovative shared resource cores that offer unique services, materials, technical education and assistance, and collaborative support
  • providing strategic planning on campus with campus, regional, and national HIV/AIDS research leadership

Penn CFAR Cores include the Clinical Core, Virus & Reservoirs Technology Core, Molecular & Translational Immunotechnology Core, Biostatistics & Data Science Core, Community Research & Engagement Core, Implementation Science Core, and International Core.

Upcoming Events

HIV Grand Rounds

Every Thursday

12:00 – 1:00 PM EST

HIV / Pathogenesis CURE Journal Club

Every Other Thursday

1:30- 3:00 pm, Room 501, Johnson Pavilion

CFAR Seminar Series

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