Are you interested in submitting an abstract, satellite or artistic proposal to the 12th Annual Research Conference but are worried that you already missed the deadline? You’re in luck—the submission deadline has been extended to September 13, 2010, at 12 pm EST. Research at the Front Lines: Targeting the Complexities of HIV, the 12th Annual OHTN Research Conference, will explore research and evidence-based interventions targeting HIV and other factors and conditions that intersect with HIV to increase vulnerability, worsen health outcomes, and complicate care and treatment for people with HIV. For more details and to submit your abstract or proposal before Monday, please visit the Conference website.

We are pleased to confirm our first two keynote speakers, Dr. Amy Justice and Yves Calmette. Dr. Justice is a leading researcher and professor from the Yale School of Medicine. Her research focuses on outcomes in chronic HIV infection. Principal Investigator on the Veterans Aging Cohort Study, Dr. Justice will present on her groundbreaking work on HIV infection as a model for improving outcomes in chronic disease. Yves Calmette is based at ACON (www.acon.org.au) in Sydney, Australia. Yves is excited to share with Ontario audiences ACON’s successful and innovative HIV prevention and testing campaigns. ACON’s interventions leverage the digital world and social media to target diverse LGBT communities, including Generation Y, gay men and other MSM, and men who identify as “sex pigs.”

The HIV & AIDS Legal Clinic (Ontario) (HALCO) is very pleased to announce their New Public Legal Education Program. Beginning on September 17, 2010, at 2 PM, HALCO staff will lead workshops in their new Boardroom to introduce AIDS service organizations and community members to legal topics relevant to people living with and affected by HIV in Ontario. Space is limited and registration is required. For more information, to register or to request a specific workshop, please email HALCO or call 1-888-705-8889.

The Scotiabank AIDS Walk for Life is a national awareness and fundraising event that takes place every year in communities all across Canada. Funds raised support direct programs and services for Canadians living with HIV/AIDS in their communities. AIDS Service Organizations across Ontario will host local walks in September. All event proceeds remain in the community and provide necessary funds for support services and programs for people living with HIV/AIDS. For more details and to find the date, time and location of the walk in your community, visit the AIDS Walk for Life website.

Hosted by the Canadian Treatment Action Council, the 1st Canadian HIV/HBV/HCV Co-Infection Research Summit will take place on October 30-31, 2010. The Summit will bring together key co-infection researchers and community members from across Canada to initiate a dialogue about priority areas for HIV, Hepatitis B (HBV), and Hepatitis C (HCV) co-infection research.  Emerging research presented at this Summit will inform current and future policy and practice regarding the treatment, care and support of people living with HIV and hepatitis. The deadline to register is September 22, 2010. For more information on the Summit and how to register, please visit the Conference website.

Mark your calendar: Spotlight, Fife House’s annual fundraiser, goes Unplugged at Toronto’s historic Berkeley Church on September 30, 2010. This year, Spotlight enters the stage with a new theme, new look, new faces and a new location. We even have a brand new website: www.spotlightfife.com. This year is all about Unplugged and Up Close and Personal with exceptional musical entertainment, cocktail reception and silent auction. Your continued support is important to Fife House, so mark your calendar and tell your friends and colleagues about this not-to-be-missed event!

The AIDS Committee of Durham Region would like to invite you to attend their exciting and important Senior Queer Citizens’ conference. This one day conference will be held on October 29, 2010, in Ajax. Anyone from across the province who has an interest in aging issues for LGBTQ should attend. See the agenda for more details. Space is limited. To register, visit http://seniorconference.yolasite.com or www.aidsdurham.com.

Are you interested in hearing and sharing the latest research and evidence-based practices on drug policy, and harm reduction approaches to drug use? You are invited to attend two fall conferences: 1) Daring to be Sensible, Canada’s only youth-led drug policy reform conference will be hosted by the Canadian Students for Sensible Drug Policy on November 5 - 7, 2010. For more details, visit the Conference website. 2) Harm Reduction Beyond Borders, North America’s major harm reduction conference is sponsored by the Harm Reduction Coalition on November 18-21, 2010, in Texas. See the conference website for more info.

The Canadian AIDS Society (CAS) is seeking representatives from its 5 geographical regions (Atlantic, Quebec, Ontario, Prairies and Pacific) to participate on a national advisory committee that will help to inform CAS' response to HIV/AIDS as it affects black people of African and Caribbean descent living in Canada. The make-up of this committee will favour diversity both in gender and cultural heritage. For more details, please see the Committee Terms of Reference. For more information, please contact Bachir Sarr at 1.800.499.1985, ext. 136. The deadline for expressions of interest is September 17, 2010.

In Canada, thousands of LGBT individuals regularly look for health-related information online. However, little research has focused on how sexual minorities use the Internet to find health advice and support. The SVR (Sexual and Gender Diversity: Vulnerability Resistance) team at the University of Quebec invites LGBT individuals to participate in a national research study aimed at getting a better understanding of your health-related needs. Access the survey now.

In recent years, the application of criminal law powers to circumstances of HIV exposure in sexual relations has emerged as a key HIV-related policy issue. To help fill a research gap in Ontario, the OHTN funded an in-depth study, “HIV Non Disclosure and the Criminal Law: Establishing Policy Options for Ontario”. The results of this comprehensive study are published in a report that proposes evidence-based policy options to address the problems posed by the criminalization of HIV non-disclosure in Ontario. The report can be accessed on the OHTN website.

Most people don’t realize that about one in five Canadian adults is infected with genital herpes. Research suggests that herpes may be fuelling the spread of HIV and worsening HIV disease among people infected with HIV. In April 2010, OHTN-funded physician-researchers Dr. Darrell Tan and Dr. Rupert Kaul, alongside Dr. Anu Rebbapragada, led a public discussion on the effects of herpes among people and communities affected by HIV. Interested in finding out what these infectious disease experts had to say? See the full CHIR Café Scientifique on the OHTN website.

Are you interested in finding out more about transgender men’s sexual health and HIV prevention needs? If so, check out the OHTN’s most recent Rapid Response Fact Sheet, Transgender Men’s Sexual Health and HIV Risk. If you are a staff member at an Ontario AIDS service organization and need access to research findings that will help inform your programs, services or advocacy efforts, send an email request to the OHTN’s Rapid Response Service. See the Rapid Response guidelines for more information.