Research

The CORE Center is committed to providing leadership in infectious disease research to help patients live longer, more comfortably and more independently. The performance of high quality research is central to the CORE Center's mission, and the Research Department has broad experience with HIV research.  Clinical research, behavioral science research and natural history studies are available to our patients, including pregnant women, children and adolescents.

We conduct innovative and scientific studies that are patient-sensitive, using established methods and ethical principles.  Research is designed and conducted to find better treatments for our patients and to improve our understanding of infectious diseases.  This may involve new medications, vaccines, interviews and therapies. All studies are voluntary and available at no cost.

The CORE Center receives funding support from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to conduct its studies.  Our projects include:

• Women's Interagency HIV Study (WIHS)
• Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study (MACS)
• Adolescent Trials Network
• International Maternal, Pediatric, Adolescent and AIDS Clinical Trials (IMPAACT)

The CORE Center is the site for a 5-year, HRSA-funded Special Project of National Significance, "Buprenorphine as an alternative to Methadone in HIV-Positive Opioid-dependent Patients," as well as studies sponsored by the NeuroAIDS Research Consortium (NARC).

Our Investigators

• Oluwatoyin Adeyemi, MD
• Sheila Badri, MD
• David Barker, MD
• Russell Bartt, MD
• Mardge Cohen, MD
• Audrey French, MD
• Lisa Henry-Reid, MD
• Gregory Huhn, MD
• Sabrina Kendrick, MD
• Ronald J. Lubelcheck, MD
• Jaime Martinez, MD
• James McAuley, MD
• Judith Nerad, MD
• Jeff Watts, MD

Our Project Coordinators/Contacts

Area	Contact(s)
Adult Clinical Trials	Mieoak Bahk,      312-572-4543
Adolescent Trials Network	Kelly Bojan,         312-572-4571 Rachel Jackson,  312-572-4554
Pediatric Clincial Trials	Maureen Haak,    312-572-4541
Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study	Carmon Houston, 312-572-4552
Women's Interagency HIV Study	Angela Shansky, 312-948-2536
General Research Information	Karen Kroc,        312-572-4765

Adult Clinical Trials
The adult clinical trials program includes the adult ACTG, CPCRA and several industry-sponsored clinical trials.

Women's Interagency HIV Study (WIHS)
WIHS was established in August 1993 to investigate the impact of HIV infection on women in the United States. The WIHS has sites in six major U.S. cities including Chicago, Brooklyn, the Bronx, San Francisco, Los Angeles and Washington, D.C. Over 3000 women have enrolled in the WIHS nationally, including over 400 women here in Chicago. The extraordinary commitment of WIHS participants, who participate in two research visits every year including complete physical and gynecological exams, laboratory testing and a detailed interview about their health, makes it possible to learn more about the physical, emotional and social health of HIV positive women in the U.S. WIHS participants are also asked to enroll in various sub-studies that examine issues ranging from antiretroviral therapy to menopause, effects of hepatitis C, to the impact of HIV on women’s cardiovascular health.

• Ruth M. Rothstein CORE Center
• Northwestern Memorial Hospital
• Rush University Medical Center
• University of Illinois at Chicago Hospital

Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study (MACS)
MACS is an ongoing NIH funded prospective study of the natural and treated histories of HIV-1 infection in homosexual and bisexual men conducted by sites located in Baltimore, Chicago, Pittsburgh and Los Angeles.  Almost seven thousand men have been enrolled since its inception in 1984.  The CORE Center site started enrollment in January, 2002.  The study enrollment is closed with a cohort of 107 men.  This site augments research efforts in the long term benefits and adverse efforts of therapy on men of color.  Current sub-studies include cardiovascular, hepatitis B and pharmacokinetics research. More information about this project can be found at http://www.statepi.jhsph.edu/macs/macs.html

For further information, contact Carmon Houston at 312-572-4552 or email carmonhn@aol.com.

Adolescent Trials Network
The Division of Adolescent Medicine at Stroger Hospital of Cook County Hospital is an Adolescent Medicine Trials Unit (ATU) in the Adolescent Medicine Trials Network (ATN) established by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. Our ATU is one of the CORE Center's programs conducting research on HIV and other infectious diseases that may improve the lives of 1) youth from becoming infected with HIV and other infections like hepatitis A and B; and /or 2) youth who are already infected to have better treatment methods. Please call the Project Coordinator 312-572-4571 or 312-572-4554 to learn what studies are open to enrollment.