Support AIDS-related research as a high priority area within the VA-served patient population utilizing the unique resources.

1. Fund research with high technical and scientific merit. Continue to fund AIDS-related research through existing funding mechanisms, i.e., investigator-initiated studies, cooperative studies, and research centers.
2. Collaborate with other federal departments and agencies in initiating and conducting AIDS relevant research (including joint funding of projects), thereby making the unique resources of VA available to collaborating investigators.
3. Provide applicants for research support with feedback on the technical and scientific quality of their proposals.

Develop and maintain AIDS Research Centers to stimulate and emphasize importance of HIV/AIDS research in VA's unique population.

Establish AIDS Research Centers based on competitive proposal basis.

Encourage collaboration with other Federal departments and agencies in initiating and conducting AIDS-related research.

1. Facilitate investigator requested funding by NIH, other Federal agencies.
2. Support participation in community trials on individual investigator and medical center basis.

Disseminate research findings.

Publish and present findings of research in peer reviewed journals, and at national and international conferences.

Research activities.

* Resources for HIV/AIDS research are part of the general Medical and Prosthetics Research budgets. FY 1995 figures are reported expenditures; FY 1996 and FY 1997 are based on the resource levels reported in the President's budget.

Veteran patients, general public, researchers.

Veteran patients, scientific community, general public at large.