Florence Momplaisir, MD, MSHP

Director

Meghan Lane-Fall, MD, MSHP

Core Co-Director

Katharine Rendle, PhD, MSW, MPH

Core Co-Director

Sara Solomon, MPH, RD

Staff Scientist

The University of Pennsylvania Center for AIDS Research (CFAR) has established the Implementation Science Core (IS Core) to integrate AIDS research with implementation science principles and foster collaboration across disciplines. This unit aims to support Implementation Science researchers (both new to the field and those already established), facilitate outreach, and foster team building. The Penn CFAR IS Core is well-equipped to assist IS/HIV-funded projects, offering expertise, technical assistance, and methodological support for HIV research within the framework of implementation science.

The IS Core is dedicated to advancing research on IS/HIV and improving the lives of people living with HIV. We’re committed to achieving this by expanding the Implementation Science workforce and fostering stronger partnerships between academia and communities, which are crucial for tackling the HIV Epidemic locally and globally. Our activities focus on:

  • Supporting Diverse Researchers: We bring together researchers from various backgrounds and career stages. Whether you’re a postdoctoral fellow, early-career researcher, or an established faculty member, our Implementation Science training and consultative services are designed to help you understand and apply Implementation Science concepts, including designs, frameworks, strategies, measures, and outcomes.
  • Collaborating for Impact: We team up with other Penn Cores, both domestically and internationally, to use implementation science to advance the lives of people living with HIV/AIDS and tackle the HIV Epidemic. We identify and involve researchers who might not specialize in HIV/AIDS to contribute their expertise. Our goal is to create interdisciplinary partnerships and strengthen connections between researchers and the communities they serve.
  • Specialized Knowledge: We draw upon our expertise in areas like behavioral economics, implementation mapping, and health equity to support your research efforts effectively.

We also provide access to valuable resources to help diversify the next generation of investigators. Our goal is to make the complex field of Implementation Science more accessible and manageable for CFAR investigators, ensuring that your research efforts are as effective and impactful as possible. In summary, the Implementation Science Core is here to support and strengthen the IS/HIV research community. By working together and leveraging our collective knowledge, we aim to make a significant impact on ending the HIV Epidemic and improving the lives of those affected by HIV.

Available Services

Consultative and Technical Assistance Services: We provide technical assistance, and consultative services to CFAR investigators with an emphasis on Implementation Science. Our services cover a range of areas including design, frameworks, strategies, measurements, outcomes, community engagement, and change mechanisms. Here are some examples of the services we provide:

  • Framework Selection: We help investigators choose the most suitable implementation research frameworks, theories, and models (FTMs) and guide them on how to effectively utilize them.
  • Study Design: We assist in selecting and executing implementation science study designs that align with the research objectives.
  • Strategy and Outcome Selection: Our team supports investigators in selecting and specifying implementation strategies and outcomes that best suit their research goals.
  • Mixed Methods Expertise: We offer consultative services on the use of mixed methods in collaboration with the Penn Mixed Methods Research Lab (MMRL) to enhance implementation science research.
  • Psychosocial Construct Harmonization: We provide guidance on harmonizing psychosocial constructs, including standardized behavioral measurements and outcomes, in collaboration with the Message Effects Lab.
  • Behavioral Economics Expertise: In collaboration with the Center for Health Incentives and Behavioral Economics (CHIBE), we offer consultative services on integrating insights from behavioral economics to advance HIV/AIDS impact.

Education on Implementation Science Methodology and Mentorship Opportunities: Our focus is on providing accessible training opportunities for both investigators and community partners to work together in service of equitable implementation.

  • Works-in-Progress (WIP) Meetings: PISCE@LDI holds monthly regular WIP meetings focused on workshopping ideas in Implementation Science in a disease agnostic manner. Every quarter, at least one of these WIP meetings will be focused on HIV and Implementation Science
  • Seminars and Research Methodology Talks: Join us for our quarterly seminars where PISCE@LDI and the Penn CFAR IS Core dive deep into Implementation Science methodology and its applications.Please revisit our page for more information.
  • Skills workshops through the Penn Implementation Science Institute: Learn practical skills that are essential for effective implementation through our hands-on workshops such as the Implementation Science Institute IS bootcamp, which is a 4-day virtual workshop happening every year in June. The Implementation Science Institute also offers foundational lectures, keynote talks and small group interactive sessions.
  • Empowering Our Community Partners through Training: We are committed to fostering equitable partnerships between our academic community and local communities. To make this happen, we offer training opportunities through two valuable programs:
  • The Penn CFAR Scholars’ Program, a part of the CFAR Diversity Equity and Inclusion Pathway Initiative program: Each summer, we run a special program called Penn CDEIPI, designed for interested and academically ready Underrepresented in Medicine (URiM) students who aspire to careers in biomedical research or academic medicine, specifically focusing on AIDS research. This intensive program includes mentored research, comprehensive learning in concepts in biological, clinical, behavioral, and community-based AIDS research, and career exploration related to HIV.

Resources

Events

  • The National Women & Girls HIV Awareness Day Webinar was held on Friday, March 15, 2024.  WATCH NOW

Library

Contacts