Minority HIV/AIDS research initiative (MARI): An update on progress and next steps for mentored, underrepresented scientists doing HIV prevention research

Issues: Racial/ethnic minority scientists are underrepresented among federally funded researchers working towards culturally specific and community-involved HIV prevention solutions. A diversified workforce for stronger culturally-based prevention approaches and reducing HIV-related health disparities is a priority. The Minority HIV/AIDS Research Initiative (MARI) was established at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in 2003 to support underrepresented minority scientists doing HIV prevention research in highly affected communities.

Description: MARI is a program of competitively awarded, mentored grants for early career researchers conducting HIV prevention research within highly affected racial/ethnic and sexual minority communities. To date, MARI has funded 27 scientists for 3-4 year time-blocks to conceptualize and fully implement their HIV prevention research studies as the principal investigators. All MARI studies occur in areas of the United States with high prevalence of HIV.

Lessons learned: MARI scientists have: 1) developed research programs in disproportionately affected communities of color, 2) produced first-authored peer-reviewed scientific and programmatic products (including papers and community-level interventions), and 3) obtained larger, subsequent federal funding awards for research and programmatic work related to HIV prevention and/or health disparities work, consistent with National HIV/AIDS Strategy (NHAS) goals.

Recommendations: MARI can serve as a model for funded, mentored programs to increase scientific workforce diversity and reduce disparities toward NHAS goals. The next round of MARI will seek to add to the growing network of funded, mentored, historically underrepresented scientists doing HIV prevention work.