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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

Recent News

Welcome new CFAR faculty members!

Raiees Andrabi, PhD Renata Arrington-Sanders, MD Jesper Pallesen, PhD Blanton S. Tolbert, PhD   Please join us in welcoming four new faculty members to the Penn CFAR!   Raiees Andrabi, PhD Associate Professor Division of Infectious Diseases Dr. Andrabi’s work focuses on development of vaccine immunogens against complex pathogens such as HIV, Influenza virus, Arenaviruses … Continue reading Welcome new CFAR faculty members!

Red Ribbon Awards Ceremony 2023

The Penn CFAR Community Advisory Board has announced the 2023 Red Ribbon Award Winners! This is the highest recognition for community members, providers, and researchers who have made significant contributions to the fight against HIV/AIDS and to the health of citizens in our community. Roy Hayes – Community Award Elizabeth Lowenthal, MD, MSCE – Researcher … Continue reading Red Ribbon Awards Ceremony 2023

Billy Tsima, MD, MSCE named Interim Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, Univ of Botswana

Dr. Tsima MD MSCE, CFAR International Core Investigator and first graduate of Penn’s NIH/Fogarty funded “HIV Clinical Epidemiology Training for Botswana” has been named Interim Dean of the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Botswana. Dr. Tsima is a Family Medicine physician and HIV clinical epidemiologist. His research has addressed issues of mental illness, … Continue reading Billy Tsima, MD, MSCE named Interim Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, Univ of Botswana

Penn CFAR Developmental Pilot Program RFA

The Penn Center for AIDS Research (Penn CFAR) invites Pilot Grant applications. All areas of HIV/AIDS are acceptable including clinical, basic, behavioral and implementation science research. This year, we especially encourage projects focused on: Pilot projects are intended to lead to independent HIV/AIDS funding.  All proposals must address high or medium priority areas in the NIH … Continue reading Penn CFAR Developmental Pilot Program RFA

Drew Weissman and Katalin Kariko win the 2023 Nobel Prize

Drs. Katalin Karikó and HIV researcher Drew Weissman of the Perelman School of Medicine have been named winners of the 2023 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. They were recognized for their foundational research that led to mRNA vaccines. Their collaboration began in 1998 as an attempt to develop an HIV vaccine.

The Penn CFAR Hosts Adam Castillejo, The London Patient

The Penn Center for AIDS Research had the pleasure of hosting Adam Castillejo, known as ‘The London Patient’, the second person known to have been medically cured of HIV, in October 2023. Adam participated in the Penn CFAR Seminar Series, followed by an afternoon of meetings with early-stage researchers, on Thursday, October 19th, 2023. The … Continue reading The Penn CFAR Hosts Adam Castillejo, The London Patient

Our Focus

Cores