Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA MH 17 100
Apply for RFA MH 17 100
- The HHS-NIH11 in the education, health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Novel Strategies for Targeting HIV-CNS Reservoirs without Reactivation (R21)" 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, 93.853,.
- This funding opportunity was created on Apr 06, 2016 and posted on Apr 06, 2016.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Sep 09, 2016. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $200,000.00 in funding.
- 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 (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
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Opportunity Summary:
The funding opportunity titled "Novel Strategies for Targeting HIV-CNS Reservoirs without Reactivation (R21)" (Funding Opportunity Number: RFA-MH-17-100) is a discretionary NIH grant announcement under the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), specifically listed under HHS-NIH11. It uses the R21 mechanism, which is typically intended for exploratory or early-stage research projects that test new ideas, generate preliminary data, and open up promising new directions that can later be expanded under larger grant mechanisms.
The scientific focus of this opportunity is HIV-1 persistence in the central nervous system (CNS). Even when HIV is well controlled in the blood with antiretroviral therapy, the virus can remain in reservoirs, including in the CNS, where it may exist in a latent state inside infected cells. The core problem being addressed here is that these CNS reservoirs are difficult to detect, difficult to study, and potentially contribute to ongoing inflammation, neurological complications, or viral rebound if treatment is interrupted. The announcement specifically seeks projects that can identify the types of cells in the CNS that harbor latent HIV-1 infection and then develop strategies to target those cells in ways that suppress or silence the virus.
A key feature of this announcement is its emphasis on approaches that do not rely on proviral reactivation. Many HIV cure strategies have historically explored "shock and kill" concepts, where latent virus is deliberately reactivated so infected cells can be cleared. In contrast, this opportunity emphasizes "viral silencing" or "block and lock" style approaches: research aimed at keeping HIV transcriptionally inactive or otherwise preventing viral production long term, with the goal of inhibiting viral output without forcing the virus to wake up. In practice, that can include strategies that deepen latency, reinforce epigenetic suppression of proviral genomes, interfere with viral transcription or RNA processing, or otherwise prevent productive infection from restarting in CNS-resident infected cells.
The FOA is positioned within health and education-related funding activity categories, with CFDA numbers 93.242, 93.279, and 93.853. The original and current closing date listed is September 9, 2016, and the record indicates it was created and posted on April 6, 2016. The award ceiling is $200,000, reflecting the smaller, exploratory scale typical of an R21. The number of expected awards is not specified in the provided data, which often means it may depend on available funds and the quality of applications received.
Eligibility is broad and includes a wide range of organizations that can serve as applicants. Eligible applicants include state, county, and 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; Native American tribal organizations that are not federally recognized tribal governments; public housing authorities and Indian housing authorities; nonprofit organizations with or without 501(c)(3) status (as long as they are not institutions of higher education, unless separately eligible as such); for-profit organizations other than small businesses; small businesses; and other entities as described in the FOA's additional eligibility language. This broad eligibility is consistent with NIH research funding, which often supports academic, nonprofit, governmental, and certain private-sector research groups when they can demonstrate appropriate scientific capacity and compliance infrastructure.
Overall, this opportunity targets a specific gap in HIV cure and remission research: understanding and addressing latent HIV infection within the CNS, and doing so through strategies aimed at durable suppression or silencing of the virus rather than reactivation-based clearance. It is intended to stimulate innovative, high-impact pilot projects that can define CNS latent reservoirs more precisely and develop credible, testable approaches to lock down HIV in the CNS to prevent viral production and reduce the risk of persistence-driven pathology.
FAQs: Novel Strategies for Targeting HIV-CNS Reservoirs without Reactivation (R21)
What is the title and funding opportunity number for this grant?
The opportunity is titled "Novel Strategies for Targeting HIV-CNS Reservoirs without Reactivation (R21)" and the Funding Opportunity Number is RFA-MH-17-100.
Which federal agency is offering this opportunity?
This is a discretionary NIH funding opportunity under the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). It is specifically listed under HHS-NIH11.
What type of grant mechanism is being used?
The announcement uses the NIH R21 mechanism, which is typically intended for exploratory or early-stage research projects that test new ideas, generate preliminary data, and open up new directions that can later be expanded through larger grant mechanisms.
What is the main scientific focus of this FOA?
The scientific focus is HIV-1 persistence in the central nervous system (CNS), particularly latent HIV-1 reservoirs that can remain even when HIV is well controlled in the blood using antiretroviral therapy.
Why are HIV CNS reservoirs an important problem to address?
These CNS reservoirs are described as difficult to detect and difficult to study. They may contribute to ongoing inflammation, neurological complications, or viral rebound if treatment is interrupted.
What kinds of research projects is the FOA seeking?
The FOA seeks projects that (1) identify the types of cells in the CNS that harbor latent HIV-1 infection and (2) develop strategies to target those cells in ways that suppress or silence the virus.
Does this opportunity support "shock and kill" approaches that reactivate latent HIV?
No. A key feature of this announcement is its emphasis on strategies that do not rely on proviral reactivation. Instead of reactivating latent virus, it emphasizes viral silencing approaches intended to keep HIV transcriptionally inactive or prevent viral production long term.
What is meant by "viral silencing" or "block and lock" in the context of this FOA?
In this FOA, "viral silencing" or "block and lock" refers to approaches aimed at maintaining durable suppression of HIV activity in CNS-resident infected cells, with the goal of inhibiting viral output without forcing the virus to reactivate.
What kinds of non-reactivation strategies are mentioned as examples?
Examples described include strategies that deepen latency, reinforce epigenetic suppression of proviral genomes, interfere with viral transcription or RNA processing, or otherwise prevent productive infection from restarting in CNS-resident infected cells.
What is the award ceiling for this opportunity?
The award ceiling listed is $200,000, consistent with the smaller, exploratory scale typical of an R21.
How many awards are expected?
The number of expected awards is not specified in the provided information. This often means awards may depend on available funds and the quality of applications received.
What are the key dates listed for this opportunity?
The record indicates it was created and posted on April 6, 2016. The original and current closing date listed is September 9, 2016.
Which funding activity categories and CFDA numbers are associated with this FOA?
The FOA is positioned within health and education-related funding activity categories, with CFDA numbers 93.242, 93.279, and 93.853.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is broad and includes: state, county, and 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; Native American tribal organizations that are not federally recognized tribal governments; public housing authorities and Indian housing authorities; nonprofit organizations with or without 501(c)(3) status (as long as they are not institutions of higher education, unless separately eligible as such); for-profit organizations other than small businesses; small businesses; and other entities as described in the FOA's additional eligibility language.
Are both nonprofit and for-profit organizations allowed to apply?
Yes. The provided eligibility list includes nonprofit organizations (with or without 501(c)(3) status) as well as for-profit organizations other than small businesses, and also small businesses.
Are educational institutions eligible?
Yes. Eligible applicants include public and state-controlled institutions of higher education and private institutions of higher education, as well as independent school districts.
Are tribal governments or tribal organizations eligible?
Yes. Eligibility includes federally recognized Native American tribal governments as well as Native American tribal organizations that are not federally recognized tribal governments.
What gap or need is this FOA trying to address?
It targets a specific gap in HIV cure and remission research: understanding and addressing latent HIV infection within the CNS using strategies aimed at durable suppression or silencing, rather than reactivation-based clearance.
What is the overall intent of using an R21 for this topic?
The intent is to stimulate innovative, high-impact pilot projects that can define CNS latent reservoirs more precisely and develop credible, testable approaches to lock down HIV in the CNS to prevent viral production and reduce the risk of persistence-driven pathology.
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