PROJECT SUMMARY
This K23 application outlines a novel area of clinical research that meets a growing public health need
as people who inject drugs (PWID) represent a disproportionate number of new HIV cases with limited
knowledge about the programming and linkage to care needed to support pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP)
usage among this population. The research aims are designed to ensure Dr. Matthew Murphy's (PI) future
research independence in HIV prevention and PrEP use for those with substance use disorders (SUD) at the
greatest risk of HIV infection by providing preliminary data for a future R01 application. The specific aims of the
K23 proposal are to 1) conduct qualitative interviews with 20 CJ-involved male PWID to evaluate barriers and
facilitators to PrEP initiation, adherence, and linkage to care after release from incarceration; 2) develop a
“PrEPare-for-Release” intervention and conduct an open label pilot intervention with 15 male PWID who are
being released from incarceration and 3) conduct an RCT of the “PrEPare-for-Release” intervention among
100 male PWID who are being released from incarceration. In order to both achieve those aims and attain
research independence, Dr. Murphy will receive training in HIV prevention approaches for those with SUD
within the criminal justice (CJ) system, qualitative research methodology used to identify barriers and
facilitators to HIV prevention care, approaches to behavioral intervention development and evaluation as well
as training in the responsible conduct of research. The mentorship team, made up of leading experts in related
fields of clinical and public health research from both Brown University and nearby Yale University, are
incredibly well suited to ensure both successful attainment of the research aims as well as future research
independence for the PI. Dr. Philip A Chan (primary mentor), as a leader in the field of PrEP clinical research,
will be a key expert on the successful implementation of the PrEP care continuum for this population and
conducting trials evaluating interventions to improve its use. Additional mentorship for this proposal includes
Dr. Josiah Rich (co-mentor), a global leader on intervention development to improve SUD management and
HIV infection risk during the period of transition from incarceration to the community, Dr. Amy Nunn (co-
mentor), a leading expert on qualitative methodology related to PrEP care and health inequalities with
significant prior experience working with CJ-involved populations, Dr. Trace Kershaw (co-mentor), a global
leader on behavioral intervention development to reduce HIV infection risk in populations with SUDs, and Dr.
Christopher Schmid (co-mentor), former chair of biostatistics at Brown's School of Public Health with significant
experience in clinical trial design and an expert in quantitative methodology.
