TABLE OF CONTENTS
HANC ANNOUNCEMENTS
NETWORK ANNOUNCEMENTS
HANC PROGRAM UPDATES
CONFERENCES AND MEETINGS
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Neurodivergent Latinx Individuals: Combating Stigma to End the HIV Epidemic
Date: Thursday May 1, 2025 2:45 PM - 4:00 PM
Presenters: Edgar Meraz, Russell Campbell, Alfredo Flores
Participants will gain valuable insights into the nuanced aspects of inclusivity when serving neurodivergent Latinx populations in HIV prevention spaces, and explore best practices for creating accessible, effective care. The session will also address the systemic stigma that disproportionately affects neurodivergent individuals, particularly within HIV prevention programs, and how these barriers prevent equitable access to care.
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The topic of the opening plenary is, “Person-Centered Care: Perspectives from Lived Experience,” and the title of Brian’s speech is, “You Only Have to Tell the Truth: Recommitting to Person-Centered Care.” The keynote promises to inspire and to remind us how telling the truth is central to science, advocacy, and clinical care. The speech will be followed by a panel led by Dr. Jade Pagkas-Bather.
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The TGD Scorecard: Addressing Trans Erasure in HIV Clinical Trials
Date: May 31, 2025, 02:15 PM - 02:30 PM
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Southern Comfort
Murph Fuentes, HANC Project Coordinator
April 10 - 12, 2025, Atlanta, GA
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Held in Atlanta, Georgia, the 2025 Biomedical HIV Prevention Summit offered a safe space to release, reconnect, and resist. Team HANC showed up and showed out. HANC Director Russell Campbell was joined by Deputy Director Brian Minalga, Legacy Project Manager Cat Banobi, and HANC Project Coordinator Murph Fuentes. HANC didn’t just attend; we came into community and were afforded the opportunity to share and collaborate.
A lot can change in a year. We’ve all felt the tremors, some harder-hitting than others. But it behooves us to celebrate the good. In times like these, joy is an act of resistance. Personally, the Biomedical HIV Prevention Summit illustrates much growth. Cat Banobi and I started at HANC a little over a year ago. One of our first assignments was to attend the 2024 Biomedical HIV Prevention Summit together. Like baby birds we weaved through the crowds, overwhelmed and in awe of all the amazing work and people. Now, a year later, we both returned as presenters.
And we were embraced. By an incredible community of scientists, researchers, advocates, and everything in between. We caught up with longtime HANC collaborator Jim Pickett as he presented his work on the PrEP 4 Teens campaign based in Chicago. Moises Agosto of NMAC gave big hugs and urged us to submit, submit, submit to the upcoming USCHA conference in Washington, DC. HANC Deputy Director Brian Minalga walked the summit in their finest purple fur, and neither they nor HANC Director Russell Campbell could walk the halls without being recognized, appreciated, and held.
This is the warm comfort of knowing we are doing the right work with the right people. While I was preoccupied with the discomfort of presenting work to a large audience, I forgot the sheer joy of good work. Along with Russell Campbell, and Drs. Lance Okeke and Kenric Ware, I presented Visualizing Disparities with the Interactive U.S. Research Desert Map ( view the map).
A year from conception to completion, this tool was embraced with open arms. It’s a career milestone for me – I designed for the greater good, and now this resource can be widely shared and utilized to address gaps and disparities. We can take comfort that we do good work.
And we take comfort that the community supports us, and this work. Cat Banobi, with Jimmy Gibbs and Clifford Castleberry, representing HANC’s Minority Serving Institution Working Group, presented their abstract Translating Efficacy into Effectiveness: a PrEP Policy for HBCUs. Soliciting feedback from the attendees, an engaging discussion resulted, highlighting that people are invested in this work and will continue to be. Under Cat’s leadership the group’s steadfast work will bring real world guidance for increasing PrEP access at Historically Black Colleges and Universities.
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Team HANC (left to right): Project Coordinator Murph Fuentes, Deputy Director Brian Minalga, Director Russell Campbell, and Legacy Project Manager Cat Banobi.
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Murph Fuentes presents the U.S. HIV Research Desert Map.
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PrEP Policy Advocates (left to right) Cat Banobi, Clifford Castleberry, and Jimmy Gibbs.
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The plenaries did not disappoint, encouraging us to find comfort while responding to the urgency of the moment. Amidst the music and the dancing, we recognize the challenge of upcoming days. Deputy Director of Programs at NMAC Harold Phillips remarked “I am angry 50 years later we are still fighting for public health as a right.” But he urges us to “channel that anger into innovation”. We saw a call for innovation when it comes to the world of PrEP. Health Justice Executive Director Dr. Oni Blackstock, Epic Medical Group’s Dr. James Simmons, Sexologist Goody Howard, and HVTN’s Dr. Daniel Driffin brought passion and a cry for urgency for PrEP access and innovation. With sparkle and drama, the youth of NMAC’s NextGen Emerging Leaders Fellowship reminds us they know the urgency of now.
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We can take comfort that we are not alone. Russell Campbell delivered powerful words during the summit Closing Plenary. I saw not just the Director of HANC, but an impassioned HIV and human rights advocate speaking their truth:
Hold on. Do not obey in advance. Change will come.
Seeing this passion, this commitment, lights my fire. We take comfort but we do not rest. We resist. We continue to do the good work.
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Russell Campbell delivered a moving speech for the Closing Plenary.
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Sarah with her fur baby, Luna the Corgi.
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Sarah Alger
Public Health Analyst
Northern Virginia, U.S.
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HANC had the privilege to uplift a dear colleague, Public Health Analyst Sarah Alger. Sarah has navigated the ever-shifting research and public health landscape with grace and a continued passion and commitment to the communities she fights for, despite her position being affected by the current administration. Learn why Sarah continues this work.
Describe your role and affiliation, and HIV work background!
I am a public health analyst and HIV advocate with experience supporting federal, private, and non-profit organizations working towards ending the HIV/AIDS epidemic. At the NIH, I had the pleasure of working closely with community advisory board members, HANC, and HIV advocates. I am also a qualitative researcher focused on exploring the needs of internationally adopted children with HIV in the U.S.
What goals do you have for the coming year?
For the upcoming year, my goals are to stay a resilient global health advocate and to fight for continued HIV/AIDS, global health, and humanitarian research and programs amidst the changing funding landscape.
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Share a career highlight.
I
had the unique opportunity to work as a Strategic Information Fellow with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Uganda 2021-2022. In this role, I supported data science, monitoring and evaluation, and continuous quality improvement activities for PEPFAR and global health security programs. One proud moment during this fellowship was when I successfully created and presented a framework to track COVID-19 vaccination rates at HIV clinics nationwide to CDC and Ministry of Health leadership. I worked closely with CDC staff and partners on the framework design, indicators, implementation, and monitoring and evaluation plan before presenting the framework for approval. The plan outlined that data captured at the HIV clinic level would be integrated with the national COVID-19 vaccination tracking systems to a) improve vaccination tracking capabilities, b) increase awareness
of COVID-19 vaccines in local communities affected by HIV/AIDS, and c) reduce the number of siloed vaccination tracking systems. This experience gave me confidence to tackle wide-scale, complex data monitoring projects with high-level officials, contributing to stronger health infrastructure in-country.
What are your hopes for the future of HIV research?
The HIV community has shown in the past a resiliency to fight through challenging times and to advocate for innovative technologies, treatments, and care resources. Now more than ever, it is imperative that HIV researchers and advocates continue working towards a cure and improving strides in HIV prevention, treatment, and care. We have built up so much momentum in improving health outcomes, not only in the community affected by HIV/AIDS, but also adjacent communities affected by various chronic and infectious diseases. My hope is that the HIV community can continue to explore new collaborations with scientists, researchers, philanthropists, advocates, etc. to solve the HIV cure mystery and ensure that everyone has the right to health.
What are you passions outside of work?
Traveling to unique locations off the beaten path, exploring new cultures, eating and making good food, and staying physically active through running, strength training, and yoga.
What profession other that your own would you like to attempt?
I have many random dream professions: owner and full-time fitness instructor, medical anthropologist, winery/bakery/bed and breakfast entrepreneur, and field epidemiologist.
Sarah's diligence, tenacity, and drive would suit her well in any role she chose, be it fitness instructor or entrepreneur! But we are so lucky to have her in the public health and HIV advocacy world. HANC can't wait to see what the future holds for Sarah. We just hope that future includes lots of Luna snuggles.
Sarah wanted to express her openness to connecting.
Feel free to connect at: sarahxalger@gmail.com.
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Follow Legacy Project on Social Media
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IMPAACT Study Updates:
IMPAACT 2024 Protocol Version 1.0 was distributed to sites on 25 March 2025. The study is designed to evaluate daily rifapentine combined with isoniazid for tuberculosis prevention in children (less than 13 years old) with and without HIV. First participants are expected to enroll later this year.
IMPAACT 2023 closed to accrual on 21 January 2025. The study is looking at safety, tolerability and pharmacokinetics of dolutegravir in neonates exposed to HIV. Forty-eight mother-infant pairs enrolled at 15 sites across the United States, South Africa, and Thailand.
- IMPAACT 2017 completed follow-up on 22 April 2025. MOCHA was a Phase I/II study to evaluate the safety, tolerability, acceptability, and pharmacokinetics of long-acting injectable cabotegravir and long-acting injectable rilpivirine among adolescents with virologically suppressed HIV-1. Participants enrolled across 18 sites in Botswana, South Africa, Thailand, Uganda, and the United States. Results from this study led to licensure of these products in adolescents.
- P1108 was a Phase I/II study of bedaquiline in children living with and without HIV, with drug-resistant tuberculosis. The study evaluated the PK, safety, and tolerability of bedaquiline. Results from this study informed WHO TB management recommendations.
Congratulations to the study participants, sites, study teams and research communities for completing these important studies!
The IMPAACT Network Annual Meeting will be held virtually, starting the week of 7 September 2025. Registration and agenda details will be shared once available.
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HVTN
was well-represented at the 2025 Biomedical HIV Prevention Summit in Atlanta, GA, where the theme was Innovation & Futurism to End the HIV Epidemic. HVTN External Relations Project Manager Dr. Daniel Driffin participated in a plenary session at the Summit. Centered around the plenary theme, “The Time is NOW for Action and Impact in HIV Prevention,” Dr. Driffin excited the audience with his pep-rally styled presentation. Underscoring the importance of “half-time” in sports, Dr. Driffin highlighted that NOW is the time to consider the progress made through innovative PrEP modalities and to refocus, reflect, and recommit to improving preventive care access and utilization for priority communities under the US Ending the HIV Epidemic (EHE) national plan. Through innovation, introspection, and interaction, Dr. Driffin expressed his belief that the HIV workforce has the courage,
commitment, and compassion to meet the social and political challenges of scaling PrEP services.
HVTN Faith Initiative Project Director Dr. Ulysses Burley presented to a packed room of more than 60 people during the only faith-focused workshop of the conference titled “Faith Communities as Catalysts for Innovation and Equity in HIV Prevention.”The interactive workshop examined the critical role that faith communities play in the fight against HIV by emphasizing innovative, community-driven approaches that integrate biomedical advancements. With HVTN Faith Consultant Rev. Dr. Sande Bailey-Gwinn, Dr. Burley highlighted the HVTN Faith Initiative as a model that combines spiritual, cultural, and scientific perspectives and expertise to raise awareness and improve access to HIV prevention methods, including novel interventions like HIV vaccines and bnAbs.
By way of this workshop, many participants who came to learn ways to make inroads with faith communities in their local contexts, left also having been introduced to HIV bnAb science. The 90-minute session was further evidence of the importance and effectiveness of equipping and empowering faith leaders to educate communities about current and emerging HIV biomedical research they otherwise wouldn’t have access to.
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As noted in last month's newsletter, ACTG had a robust presence at the Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI 2025), in San Francisco earlier this spring. All of our presentations (nine orals and 24 posters) are now available on the CROI website. The oral presentations can be accessed here and the posters can be searched
here. For more details about our presence at the meeting, please refer to last month's newsletter. We encourage you to check them out!.
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Behavioral and Social Sciences
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Greg Davis
HANC
Project Manager
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Behavioral Science Consultative Group (BSCG): The BSCG is actively working on two projects. One project is focused on measures coordination. The BSCG is creating short guidance documents on six areas of interest: acceptability, food insecurity, quality of life, stigma, substance use, and trauma. The project is moving forward and should wrap up by the end of summer/early fall.
An ad-hoc group was formed to work on the second project focusing on implementation science. It should wrap up early to mid-summer.
Financial Disclosure Working Group: The group will review and finalize the Cross-network FDCOI SOP in May. The annual solicitation will occur on September 19, 2025.
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Greg Davis
HANC
Project Manager
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Russell Campbell
HANC Director
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Community Partners (CP): CP is currently focused on two different projects. Ad-hoc groups have been formed for each project. One group is developing a cross-network CAB onboarding package that will provide general information for new CAB members. The group has developed an outline and will finalize the outline on their next call. The second project is focused on updating the Recommendations for Community Engagement document. Both projects are moving forward and should be completed by the end of summer.
As previously noted, CP will not have a F2F meeting this year, but the group will host several webinars on hot topics in lieu of the annual meeting.
CP is also planning several webinars. An upcoming webinar on May 16 is focused on ATI and Cure research and will be presented in Portuguese and hosted by CP member Luciana Kamel.
TB Vaccine Community Engagement Strategy WG: The group met in April to determine what to focus on in the upcoming months. The group decided that it will develop educational materials about TB, TB vaccines, stigma, and other topics. The group also discussed developing a FAQ to address community concerns. Another area of interest is focused on post-trial access strategies to ensure equity.
The group also developed a TB clinical trials map highlighting sites that are conducting Network TB trials. You can view the map here.
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Cross-Network Coordination
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Kathleen Pescasio
HANC Cross-Network
Project Manager
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The Cross-Network Site Coordinators Working Group (SCWG) recently held a discussion with DAIDS OCSO MOB regarding a new layout for site monitoring visit reports and post-site monitoring visit documentation. The SCWG also met with DAIDS representatives to share experiences with the recent EIS policy change.
The Data Management Center Working Group (DMCWG) continues to hold discussions about the DAIDS AE Grading Table and study engagement systems.
The Cross-Network Communications Working Group (CWG) recently discussed plans for upcoming virtual annual meetings. The group continues to share experiences with social media and communications-related activities.
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Tyler Brown
HANC Laboratory
Project Manager
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In April, the CPQA Cross-Network Clinical Pharmacology Forum (CNCPL Forum) met to discuss updates on proficiency testing rounds, future compounds for compendial testing, and SOP updates. The CPQA Program and HANC launched a new laboratory working group in March to foster open dialogue and resource sharing among pharmacology labs. Please reach out to tdbrown3@fredhutch.org if you would like to be part of this group.
Reminder: In March, HANC worked with the four Network Lab Centers and DAIDS Clinical Laboratory Oversight Team (DCLOT) to revise and publish a new version of the Terminology Criteria and Responsibilities for Reporting DAIDS GCLP Laboratory Audits or Initial Assessments. The new document can be accessed on the HANC public website by clicking here
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Reminder: HANC has published a new version of the Cross-Network PBMC Processing SOP (Version 7.0)! The updated SOP is now available on the HANC website for public access in English, Spanish, Portuguese, Vietnamese, and Thai. You can access the new document here. If you have any questions or need further information, feel free to reach out to us at
tdbrown3@fredhutch.org.
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Brian Minalga
HANC
Deputy Director
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Cat Banobi
Legacy
Project Manager
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Gabriella Olague
HANC
Project Coordinator
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May 30 - June 1 Brian will represent HANC at the National Transgender Health Summit in San Francisco, CA, where they had an abstract accepted on the Clinical Trials Scorecard.
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U.S. Conference on HIV/AIDS (USCHA) 2025 (Washington DC)
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