Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA AI 22 025
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding opportunity titled "Enhancing HIV Reservoir Susceptibility to Elimination (R01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)" (Funding Opportunity Number RFA-AI-22-025) is a discretionary grant program designed to advance basic research aimed at one of the central barriers to curing HIV: the persistence of long-lived HIV reservoir cells. Even when antiretroviral therapy suppresses viral replication to undetectable levels, a small population of infected cells can remain in the body for years, allowing the virus to rebound if treatment stops. This FOA focuses on understanding why those reservoir cells survive and how they resist being killed, with the goal of uncovering new ways to make them more vulnerable to elimination.
The scientific emphasis is on defining the cellular and molecular mechanisms inside persistent HIV reservoir cells that promote their survival and their resistance to two major threats: direct virus-induced cell death and immune-mediated killing. In practical terms, the NIH is seeking studies that dissect the pathways and features that allow infected reservoir cells to avoid apoptosis and other programmed death pathways, evade recognition or clearance by immune effector cells, or tolerate intracellular stress and viral gene expression without being eliminated. The intent is to generate fundamental mechanistic knowledge that can reveal actionable weak points in reservoir biology rather than to conduct human intervention studies.
A key deliverable expected from supported projects is the identification of novel therapeutic targets that could sensitize HIV-infected cells to eradication strategies. That means applicants are encouraged to move beyond describing phenomena and toward pinpointing specific molecules, signaling pathways, host factors, or cellular states that could be manipulated to make reservoir cells easier to kill. The FOA is aligned with the broader cure research concept that successful eradication may require not only reactivating latent virus or boosting immune responses, but also lowering the intrinsic defenses of reservoir cells so they can be cleared by viral cytopathic effects, immune mechanisms, or combination approaches.
This opportunity uses the NIH R01 mechanism, indicating support for substantial, hypothesis-driven research projects, and it explicitly states "Clinical Trial Not Allowed," which means applications should not propose studies in which human participants are prospectively assigned to receive an intervention to evaluate health-related outcomes. The work is intended to be basic research, which may include laboratory-based investigations and other non-clinical trial approaches consistent with NIH policy for this designation. The FOA falls under NIH assistance listings (CFDA numbers) 93.242, 93.279, and 93.855, reflecting its placement within NIH and infectious disease/immunology research portfolios.
Eligibility is broad and includes a wide range of domestic U.S. organizations and certain international entities. Eligible applicants include state, county, city or township governments, special district governments, and independent school districts, as well as public and state-controlled institutions of higher education and private institutions of higher education. The FOA also allows participation by federally recognized Native American tribal governments, tribal organizations that are not federally recognized, public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, nonprofit organizations with or without 501(c)(3) status (as long as they are not institutions of higher education when applying under those nonprofit categories), for-profit organizations other than small businesses, and small businesses. In addition, the announcement explicitly highlights other eligible applicant types such as 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 agencies of the federal government, regional organizations, U.S. territories or possessions, and non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities (foreign organizations). This breadth signals an intent to attract diverse research teams and institutional settings, including those serving underrepresented communities and those located outside the continental U.S.
The FOA was created on March 29, 2022, and listed an original application closing date of August 3, 2022. The source data provided does not specify an award ceiling or the expected number of awards, so applicants would typically need to consult the full FOA text and NIH program contacts for budget expectations and portfolio size. Overall, the program is aimed at accelerating progress toward HIV cure strategies by funding foundational research that explains how reservoir cells persist and by translating those mechanistic insights into credible target ideas that could be paired with future eradication approaches.Apply for RFA AI 22 025
- The National Institutes of Health in the education, health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Enhancing HIV Reservoir Susceptibility to Elimination (R01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.242, 93.279, 93.855.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2022-03-29.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2022-08-03. (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.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the name of this NIH funding opportunity?
The funding opportunity is titled "Enhancing HIV Reservoir Susceptibility to Elimination (R01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)."
What is the Funding Opportunity Number (FOA number)?
The FOA number is RFA-AI-22-025.
What type of grant mechanism is being used?
This opportunity uses the NIH R01 mechanism, which is generally intended to support substantial, hypothesis-driven research projects.
What is the main problem this FOA is trying to address?
This FOA targets a central barrier to curing HIV: the persistence of long-lived HIV reservoir cells. Even when antiretroviral therapy suppresses HIV to undetectable levels, a small population of infected cells can remain for years and allow the virus to rebound if treatment stops.
What is the scientific focus of the research being requested?
The emphasis is on basic, mechanistic research to define the cellular and molecular mechanisms within persistent HIV reservoir cells that promote their survival and help them resist elimination.
Why are HIV reservoir cells so important in HIV cure research?
Reservoir cells can persist despite effective antiretroviral therapy and can reignite infection if therapy is discontinued. Understanding how these cells survive is a key step toward strategies that could eliminate them and prevent viral rebound.
What kinds of survival and resistance mechanisms are of interest?
The FOA highlights mechanisms that enable reservoir cells to resist (1) direct virus-induced cell death and (2) immune-mediated killing. This includes features that help infected cells avoid apoptosis or other programmed death pathways, evade immune recognition or clearance by immune effector cells, or tolerate intracellular stress and viral gene expression without being eliminated.
Is the FOA focused on describing observations, or on identifying specific actionable targets?
The FOA encourages applicants to move beyond describing phenomena and toward pinpointing specific molecules, signaling pathways, host factors, or cellular states that could be manipulated to make reservoir cells easier to kill.
What is a key expected deliverable from funded projects?
A key deliverable is the identification of novel therapeutic targets that could sensitize HIV-infected reservoir cells to eradication strategies.
How does this FOA fit into broader HIV cure strategies?
The FOA aligns with the concept that eradication may require not only reactivating latent virus or boosting immune responses, but also lowering the intrinsic defenses of reservoir cells so they can be cleared by viral cytopathic effects, immune mechanisms, or combination approaches.
Are clinical trials allowed under this opportunity?
No. The FOA explicitly states "Clinical Trial Not Allowed," meaning applications should not propose studies in which human participants are prospectively assigned to receive an intervention to evaluate health-related outcomes.
Does "Clinical Trial Not Allowed" mean human-related research is entirely excluded?
The provided information specifies that human intervention studies (as defined by prospective assignment to interventions to evaluate health-related outcomes) should not be proposed. The work is intended to be basic research and may include laboratory-based investigations and other non-clinical trial approaches consistent with NIH policy for this designation.
What are the NIH assistance listing (CFDA) numbers associated with this FOA?
The assistance listings (CFDA numbers) provided are 93.242, 93.279, and 93.855.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is broad. The FOA includes many U.S. domestic organization types and also allows certain international entities (foreign organizations) to apply.
Are U.S. state and local government entities eligible?
Yes. Eligible applicants include state, county, city, or township governments, as well as special district governments and independent school districts.
Are colleges and universities eligible?
Yes. Public and state-controlled institutions of higher education and private institutions of higher education are eligible.
Are tribal governments and tribal organizations eligible?
Yes. Federally recognized Native American tribal governments are eligible, and the FOA also includes tribal organizations that are not federally recognized.
Are nonprofits eligible to apply?
Yes. Nonprofit organizations with or without 501(c)(3) status are eligible, as long as they are not institutions of higher education when applying under those nonprofit categories.
Are for-profit organizations eligible?
Yes. For-profit organizations other than small businesses are eligible, and small businesses are also eligible.
Are U.S. territories or possessions eligible?
Yes. The FOA explicitly includes U.S. territories or possessions among eligible applicant types.
Are foreign (non-U.S.) organizations eligible?
Yes. The eligibility list explicitly includes non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities (foreign organizations).
Does the FOA encourage applications from institutions serving underrepresented communities?
The FOA explicitly highlights eligibility for multiple institution types that serve underrepresented communities, including Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, AANAPISIs, Hispanic-serving Institutions, HBCUs, TCCUs, and others, signaling an intent to attract diverse teams and settings.
Are faith-based or community-based organizations eligible?
Yes. Faith-based or community-based organizations are explicitly listed among eligible applicant types.
Are federal agencies eligible to apply?
Yes. The FOA includes eligible agencies of the federal government.
What is the goal of the FOA in practical terms?
The practical goal is to generate fundamental mechanistic knowledge about how HIV reservoir cells persist and resist elimination, and to translate those insights into credible, actionable target ideas that could support future eradication approaches.
When was this FOA created?
The FOA was created on March 29, 2022.
What was the original application closing date listed in the provided information?
The original application closing date listed is August 3, 2022.
Is the award budget ceiling or the expected number of awards provided here?
No. The provided information does not specify an award ceiling or the expected number of awards.
What should applicants do if they need budget expectations or information about the expected number of awards?
Based on the provided information, applicants would typically need to consult the full FOA text and NIH program contacts for budget expectations and the anticipated portfolio size.
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