Surgical Sciences Postdoctoral Fellows Receive Duke CFAR Pilot Grants

The Duke Center for AIDS Research (CFAR) recently announced the awardees of its Development Core funding. The 2026 Microgrant and Pilot Grant awardees include four postdoctoral fellows in the Division of Surgical Sciences.

Haleigh Conley, PhD
Laboratory of Justin Pollara, PhD
Mitochondria as a vehicle for HIV entry into CD4-negative reservoirs (Microgrant)

Priyaka Jayal, PhD
Laboratory of Guido Ferrari, MD
Construction and characterization of prefusion closed HIV-1 Subtype C trimers to elucidate antibody resistance mechanisms (Microgrant)

Arpita Mrigwani, PhD
Laboratory of Priyamvada Acharya, PhD
Structural and functional insights into antiviral lectins as therapeutic candidates for HYIV-1 (Microgrant)

Mieke van der Mescht, PhD
Laboratory of Guido Ferrari, MD
A protease inhibitor-based fluorescent probe for real-time visualization of HIV latency reversal (Microgrant)

These awards support innovative HIV-related research and help investigators generate the preliminary data, partnerships, and momentum needed to advance new ideas and future funding opportunities.

Congratulations to the awardees!