The 15th National Scientific Meeting of the CFAR Social and Behavioral Sciences Research Network (SBSRN), titled Ending the HIV Epidemic: The Role of Social and Behavioral Sciences, was co-hosted by UNC CFAR & Penn CFAR and sponsored by the National Institutes of Health. The event brought together researchers, advocates, and community leaders to discuss critical issues in HIV research and engagement.
The National CFAR CAB Coalition (N3C) actively participated in the 2025 SBSRN meeting and its pre-meeting mentoring day for early-stage investigators (ESI), held in Bethesda, MD, from February 26-28, 2025. Their participation highlighted a commitment to fostering best practices in community and scientific engagement, ensuring that research efforts were inclusive and responsive to emerging needs.
N3C played a key role in shaping the meeting’s theme, topics, and speaker selections to ensure meaningful discussions on community engagement in HIV research. At the Pre-Meeting SBSRN Mentoring Day, N3C members provided guidance to early-stage investigators, reviewed their studies, and led the Engaging Communities in HIV Research panel discussion. N3C involvement continued at the Scientific Symposium, with participation in a panel on Community Perspectives on HIV Research Priorities.
On the final day, the N3C facilitated a special discussion group on HIV Priorities for Communities, focusing on strategies to enhance community-scientific partnerships and the dissemination of best practices. Throughout the event, N3C emphasized the importance of authentic community engagement, integrating modern and grassroots approaches to adapt research methods to evolving needs. They underscored the necessity of language justice, sustaining partnerships, and innovative engagement strategies to support affected communities effectively. N3C contributions to 2025 SBSRN highlighted the evolving nature of HIV research and the critical role of community voices in shaping public health efforts.