The CNS HIV Antiretroviral Therapy Effects Research (CHARTER) study was funded in September 2002 in response to NIMH RFA 00-AI-0005 to explore the changing presentation of HIV neurological complications in the context of emerging antiviral treatments such as highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART).
CHARTER’s study aims are to determine how central and peripheral nervous system complications of HIV are affected by different histories and regimens of antiretroviral therapy (ART). Participants receive comprehensive neuromedical, neurocognitive, and laboratory examinations, with a subset undergoing host/viral genetic characterization and neuroimaging. In order to have a broad representation of participant characteristics, CHARTER was conducted at six national performance sites. Site activities were coordinated by the University of California San Diego (UCSD), the principal grantee institution, which included several technical, scientific, and administrative cores to guide the work.
The funding for CHARTER activities ended on September 15, 2015. While research funding is being sought for continuing some of the clinical study aspects on the CHARTER participants, the CHARTER resource (database, and data and specimen request management) was transferred to the NNTC Data Coordinating Center (DCC), with the specimens themselves remaining in frozen storage at UCSD. A transition plan was initiated to insure a seamless move. The CHARTER resource management will be integrated into the NNTC and coordinated by the DCC. Database maintenance/curation, processing of investigator resource requests, and other coordinating responsibilities will be transferred from the UCSD to the NNTC-DCC at University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC) and The Emmes Company. All CHARTER documentation will be transferred to the NNTC-DCC. UNMC and Emmes, comprising the NNTC-DCC, will cooperatively act to continue serving clients wishing to make use of the CHARTER resource.
Applications to request CHARTER specimens and/or data will be routed through this website. Visit the NNTC Query Tool Training Materials page for more information. To submit an application, please use the NNTC Query Tool. Visit the CHARTER public website for details on CHARTER study protocols, cohort descriptions, and personnel. Visit the University of Nebraska CHARTER website for additional study descriptions and query tools.
The NNTC and CHARTER studies share some similarities in clinical domains, specimens, and data. The studies also each offer some unique characteristics that distinguish one from the other.