HIV Drug Resistance, Monitoring and Transmission Rami Kantor, MD
SUMMARY
My career passions have always been mentoring in and conducting HIV-related patient-oriented research. I’ve
developed a multidisciplinary research portfolio, combining patient care with clinical, laboratory and
bioinformatics translational research, in national and international settings. This diverse range provided the basis
for this Mid-Career Investigator award, which offered plenty of opportunities for mentoring and research. Prior to
and during this past cycle I have mentored numerous trainees at various stages and settings, including post-
doctoral fellows and junior faculty, which resulted in presentations, publications, grant productivity and career
developments. My research focus has always been HIV in adults and children, specifically focused on drug
resistance, treatment monitoring and transmission. My three current R01s and additional grants, my laboratory,
the Providence-Boston Center for AIDS Research, the very strong institutional commitment, and the outstanding
infrastructures at Brown University and its affiliated hospitals, including federally funded training Programs and
Centers, will all continue to serve as strong sources, resources and foundation for this K24 Renewal, and will
provide exceptional capacity and a multidisciplinary platform for mentees. Building on my research expertise,
current R01 funding, and the last K24 cycle, the Research Specific Aims of this K24 are to (1) Investigate HIV
drug resistance gaps and their impact in diverse settings and populations (supported by R01AI147333);
(2) Disrupt HIV transmission by integrating molecular epidemiology into public health (supported by
R01AI136058); and (3) Examine drug resistance upon incorporation of high-drug-resistance barrier drugs
and regimens into all antiretroviral therapy lines (supported by this K24 and my institutional funds). The
Mentoring Specific Aim of this K24, that will accompany all research Aims, is to mentor new investigators in
multidisciplinary patient-oriented research. I will accomplish these Aims by continuing to recruit passionate,
committed, and potent individuals from the rich local infrastructure, and using my diverse research portfolio to
develop specific and individual mentoring plans for them to match their short and long-term goals. Based on
specific projects on HIV drug resistance, monitoring and transmission, mentees will receive training on topics
such as generation of research ideas, obtaining funding and human subjects approvals, study and protocol
design, staff recruitment and training, patient enrollment, sample collection, laboratory assays and experiments,
and data analysis, presentation, and dissemination. This K24 will continue to provide 50% of my salary and
additional funds to support mentees’ research, as well as protected time for my own development towards
becoming a better researcher and mentor. Augmented by my own, continuous, immediately available NIH-
funded research support and institutional funds, this K24 will support me to increase the pool of well-trained
clinical researchers of the future and to mentor a new generation of junior investigators in HIV related patient-
oriented research towards their independence.