Project Summary/Abstract The newly merged Immunology, Retrovirology and Cure (IRC) Core will provide technological expertise, practical support, consulting, and mentorship in HIV laboratory sciences. Based on our and NIH’s evaluation of recent progress and remaining research gaps, we aim to especially support three priority areas: 1) HIV latency and cure, 2) HIV vaccine design for prevention and cure, and 3) the processes underlying chronic inflammation and comorbidities in people living with HIV (PLH). We also plan to target our support to 1) early-stage investigators, e.g., by convening a Junior Investigator Group (JIG) monthly; 2) underrepresented minority (URM) investigators, leveraging activities towards increasing URM participation at our institutions and in collaboration with our Office for Community Engagement (OCE); and 3) basic scientists new to HIV/AIDS, ensuring that information about HIV-related NIH concepts, RFAs, and key conferences and workshops are disseminated to basic scientists in Seattle who have primarily conducted research in other fields. We will also provide specific suggestions for potential collaborations with our IRC Core faculty, members, and users. The extreme diversity of HIV necessitates continual reevaluation of how innate and adaptive immune responses change the composition of HIV quasi-species, and, conversely, of how the biology of HIV and therapeutic interventions (for example the induced reactivation of latent proviruses) influence antiviral immunity. To emphasize this intricate link between virus biology and antiviral immunity, we are proposing to unite virus-focused and immunity-focused laboratory sciences into a single core, co-led by a virologist (Dr. Keith Jerome) and an immunologist (Dr. Florian Hladik). A combined core, supported by a single, highly experienced, and dedicated core administrator (Tom Andrus), will provide a streamlined user experience, enabling us to optimally consult investigators on selecting and implementing the most appropriate techniques for their research questions. Merging of scientific expertise and resources into one Core is also responsive to CFAR member surveys by simplifying access to the large array of expertise, instruments, and assays we offer. Our Specific Aims are to : 1) Offer scientific guidance and consultation to investigators, with special focus on those at an early career stage (ESI), from underrepresented or disadvantaged groups, or new to HIV science; 2) Provide access to and consult on laboratory assays and instruments; 3) Enable studies in animal and ex vivo tissue models of HIV infection and treatment; 4) Encourage the use of specimen and data repositories, in a joint effort with the Clinical and Comorbidity Research (CCR) Core. We will assess our impact with these aims by rigorously collecting metrics of our success, which will include demographic data to verify that we are increasing user diversity over time. Most importantly, over the 5-year period of this...