STAR Program Expands Global Reach in HIV Research

By Office of the President | Nov 18, 2025

Downstate’s STAR Program is extending its impact far beyond Brooklyn, partnering with communities in Eastern Europe and Central Asia to help strengthen public health systems where HIV continues to grow.

Founded in 1991, the STAR Program has grown into one of New York City’s largest HIV care, prevention, and research programs. STAR provides integrated medical, behavioral health, and social support services for people living with or at risk for HIV, hepatitis C, and other chronic conditions while advancing workforce training and global health research.

Kazakhstan faces one of the fastest-growing HIV epidemics worldwide. Between 2010 and 2021, new infections rose by 88 percent, and the number of people living with HIV more than doubled. Despite progress in public awareness, stigma, discrimination, and limited access to addiction services continue to affect engagement in care.

Supported by a 10-year National Institutes of Health Fogarty International Center and National Institute on Drug Abuse award, Downstate’s partnership with Asfendiyarov Kazakh National Medical University in Almaty focuses on connecting people who inject drugs to HIV care within health systems that have few addiction services.

Led by Jack A. DeHovitz, M.D., MPH, Distinguished Service Professor of Medicine and STAR Program Director, the team trains local faculty and clinicians in epidemiology, biostatistics, research design, and the care of substance-use disorders. Training combines classroom work with supervised field projects and research mentorship, linking skills directly to patient care.

Downstate’s Fogarty collaboration spans decades. Through the STAR Program’s New York State International Training and Research Program (NYS-ITRP), Downstate has supported research training and health-system strengthening across the region. This fall, Dr. DeHovitz joined colleagues at the Fogarty annual workshop and conference in Almaty to advance collaboration and share findings with regional partners.

NYS-ITRP has trained over 15 faculty members from the Kazakh National Medical University’s School of Public Health, helping to expand their research capacity and align their curricula with international standards.

This sustained partnership demonstrates how academic collaboration can support health infrastructure, build local expertise, and promote evidence-based approaches that enhance care. Downstate’s model abroad remains consistent in developing local leaders, measuring progress, and keeping training rooted in frontline realities.

To learn more about the STAR Program’s international work, see Dr. DeHovitz’s recent PLOS ONE article on HIV-related stigma in Kazakhstan, written with researchers from Kazakh National Medical University, Temple University, and the University of Michigan.