The University of Alabama at Birmingham Center for AIDS Research (CFAR), situated in the Medical Center complex of the University, is one of the seven original Centers, established in 1988 by the National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), to stimulate research and scientific advancement concerning AIDS and HIV.

The CFAR program was expanded in 1998 and currently includes 20 Centers funded through a consortium of 6 National Institutes of Health (NIH). From its inception in 1988 the Birmingham CFAR has played a pivotal role in stimulating and supporting research in both the basic and clinical sciences.

The growth of the CFAR is reflected in the increase in total research funding from $2.9 million dollars in 1988 to over $90 million currently.