I received my Ph.D. from the National Chemical Laboratory, India. During my thesis research, I discovered an inhibitor of the HIV-1 protease and conducted kinetic analysis to understand the structure-function relationship between the inhibitor and HIV-1 protease and the mechanism of inhibition. Then, I joined Dr. Stuart Le Grice laboratory (NCI-HIV Drug Resistance Program-HIVDRP) as a postdoctoral fellow. At the Le Grice lab I used state-of-the-art nucleoside analog interference mapping to understand the mechanisms of HIV-1 reverse transcription. My postdoctoral studies helped me secure an NIH K99/R00 career development award. During the K99 phase, I gained molecular virology training in the laboratory of Dr. Vineet KewalRamani at the NCI–HIVDRP. Then, I joined the Meharry Medical College Center for AIDS Health Disparities Research (CAHDR) in Nashville, TN as an assistant professor. Meharry CAHDR is an integral part of the Tennessee Center for AIDS Research (TN-CFAR) that fosters collaborative HIV research between Vanderbilt and Meharry. I also hold a secondary appointment at the Division of Infectious Diseases at Vanderbilt and serve as a member of the Microbial Pathogenesis and Immunology workgroup. My laboratory actively participates in inter-institutional activities including data club, seminar series, workshops and retreats between Vanderbilt and Meharry. These interactions and other scholarly activities have provided my laboratory with unlimited access to the expertise and resources at Vanderbilt. Additionally, through a Collaboration Development Award, I have been collaborating with the Univ. of Pittsburgh HIV Center for Protein Interaction (PCHPI) program headed by Angela Gronenborn. This award has resulted in an ongoing collaboration with the Chris Aiken’s laboratory at Vanderbilt that is located across the street from my laboratory and Alan Engelman of Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. I also actively interact with other PCHPI members with expertise in virology, biochemistry, and structural biology through monthly works in progress presentations and annual meetings. I have been an active member of the executive committee of the TN-CFAR since the beginning of this interinstitutional grant. In the first three years, I also served as the co-director of the Personalized Care Scientific Working Group that was charged to leverage the resources of TN-CFAR to enhance collaborations across Meharry, Vanderbilt and TN Department of Health in HIV research. Therefore, I am well suited to serve as the TN-CFAR coordinative investigator in the current application. My role is to implement CFAR strategic plans related to laboratory and translational science at Meharry, and related to Meharry-Vanderbilt collaborations, across researchers and programs at Meharry. I will work very closely with Dr. James Hildreth, President and CEO of Meharry Medical College to achieve the goals of this application.