Substance use has long been recognized as playing a pivotal role in the global HIV epidemic, both by serving to heighten risk for acquiring infection and to drive transmission through and across networks. In this webinar, Dr. Pamina Gorbach will review the known roles of substance use in our local HIV epidemic in Los Angeles, and point to the areas where mechanisms of enhanced transmission are still not fully understood. To address the large gaps in understanding of how substance use interacts with biological, behavioral and social forces, the National Institute on Drug Abuse awarded Dr. Gorbach and her team $7 million in the Fall of 2013 to establish a research program entitled MASCULINE (MSM and Substances Cohort at UCLA Linking Infections Noting Effects). The purpose of the program is to develop the first cohort of minority men who have sex with men (MMSM), to understand the direct interactions between non-injecting substances of abuse, infectious disease acquisition, and HIV progression. 

The webinar is conducted using Blackboard Collaborate™, accessible on Windows, Mac, and now even Apple iOS devices, Android devices, and Kindle Fire. You will need speakers or a headset to hear the audio portion of the webinar. Questions can be submitted via text during the webinar.

Please note that there is a new login process, so allow a few minutes prior to start time to complete the installation process. 

1. Click HERE to check your computer's compatibility to ensure you have a current version of Java.
2. Click HERE to join the webinar.
3. If prompted, click to Open/Run or Keep a "meeting.jnlp" file. Depending on your browser, you might need to access and open the file where your browser stores downloaded files.
4. There may be additional prompts for you to Run and Accept. Agree to each, as necessary. 

Once in the session, test your audio by clicking "Tools" at the top left of the screen and selecting "Audio," then "Audio Setup Wizard" from the drop-down menu. Follow the prompts.