Toward ElucidAting MechanismS of HIV Pathogenesis within the Mission of the NIDDK (Pathogenesis TEAMS) (R01 Clinical Trial Optional) | RFA DK 22 039

Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA DK 22 039

Toward ElucidAting MechanismS of HIV Pathogenesis within the Mission of the NIDDK (Pathogenesis TEAMS) is an NIH grant opportunity from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) that uses the R01 research project grant mechanism and allows clinical trials, though a clinical trial is not required. The overall goal is to fund multidisciplinary, team-based projects that bring together complementary skill sets in HIV research and in the biology and disease processes most relevant to NIDDKs mission areas. In practice, this means proposals should not just describe HIV outcomes in general, but should dig into the fundamental mechanisms by which HIV contributes to comorbidities, co-infections, and complications that affect organs, tissues, and biological systems within NIDDKs scope, including areas tied to metabolism, digestive diseases, nutrition-related biology, diabetes, and kidney and urologic disease.

A central theme of the FOA is mechanism. The announcement emphasizes comprehensive interrogation of underlying biology, encouraging projects that can explain how and why HIV (and potentially its treatment, immune effects, inflammation, viral persistence, or interactions with other pathogens) drives downstream pathology in NIDDK-relevant systems. The expectation is that teams will be set up to tackle complex questions that a single lab or a single-discipline group would struggle to answer, for example by combining expertise such as virology, immunology, metabolism, organ-specific physiology, pathobiology, clinical research, computational biology, or systems biology. The intended impact is to generate insights that move the field toward strategies to prevent, reduce, or alleviate HIV-associated complications in these organ systems, rather than stopping at descriptive associations.

The opportunity is categorized under discretionary funding and is listed under the health-related activity area (with food and nutrition and health noted), with CFDA number 93.847. The funding opportunity number is RFA-DK-22-039, and it was created on 2022-10-21 with an original closing date of 2023-11-15. The source information does not specify an award ceiling or expected number of awards, so applicants would need to consult the full FOA text for budget limits, project period expectations, and review considerations.

Eligibility is broad and includes many types of domestic institutions and organizations that commonly apply for NIH funding. Eligible applicants include state, county, city or township governments; special district governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; federally recognized Native American tribal governments; public housing authorities or Indian housing authorities; Native American tribal organizations that are not federally recognized governments; nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status (other than institutions of higher education); for-profit organizations other than small businesses; and small businesses. The FOA also explicitly highlights additional eligible groups and settings, including Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISISs), Hispanic-serving Institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), faith-based or community-based organizations, eligible federal government agencies, regional organizations, U.S. territories or possessions, and non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities (foreign organizations). This wide eligibility suggests NIDDK is open to strong mechanistic HIV-related projects from a range of research environments, including institutions serving underrepresented populations and organizations positioned to study diverse patient communities or relevant global settings.

Taken together, the FOA is essentially asking for well-integrated research teams to go beyond correlation and into causal, mechanistic explanations for HIV-associated disease processes that overlap with NIDDK priorities. Competitive applications would be expected to show a clear, organ- or system-focused rationale tied to NIDDKs mission, a cohesive plan for how the team will work across disciplines, and a mechanistic strategy that can realistically produce actionable biological insights that inform prevention or mitigation of HIV-related complications in those NIDDK-relevant areas.

• The National Institutes of Health in the food and nutrition, health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Toward ElucidAting MechanismS of HIV Pathogenesis within the Mission of the NIDDK (Pathogenesis TEAMS) (R01 Clinical Trial Optional)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.847.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2022-10-21.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2023-11-15. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, Independent school districts, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments), Nonprofits having a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education, For-profit organizations other than small businesses, Small businesses, Others.

Apply for RFA DK 22 039

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