Oral Immune System Plasticity in Chronic HIV Infection Under Treatment and Oral Co-Infections (R01) | Apply Online

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the title of this funding opportunity?

The funding opportunity is titled "Oral Immune System Plasticity in Chronic HIV Infection Under Treatment and Oral Co-Infections (R01)" and is identified as RFA-DE-17-006.

What type of grant mechanism does this opportunity use?

This opportunity uses the NIH R01 research grant mechanism and supports investigator-initiated research projects.

Which federal agency is offering this grant?

The grant is offered through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) under the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The source data lists the agency as HHS-NIH11.

What is the CFDA number associated with this opportunity?

The associated CFDA number is 93.121.

What is the main scientific focus of the FOA?

The FOA focuses on how the oral immune system changes, adapts, and sometimes fails to fully recover in people living with chronic HIV who are receiving combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) and who also experience oral opportunistic infections.

Why does this FOA emphasize the oral cavity in treated HIV infection?

The FOA is built around the idea that even when systemic HIV is well controlled with cART, the mouth may remain a site of ongoing immune disruption, persistent inflammation, and pathogen persistence. This ongoing oral immune dysfunction can contribute to continued disease burden and may create an environment that supports HIV and other microbes.

What does "oral immune system plasticity" mean in this announcement?

In this FOA, "immune system plasticity" refers to the dynamic ability of oral immune tissues and cells to shift between activated, inflamed, dysregulated, and potentially restored states. The announcement encourages research that explains what drives these shifts and why restoration may be incomplete despite effective antiviral therapy.

What kinds of research does the FOA encourage?

The FOA encourages mechanistic research aimed at clarifying why some treated individuals continue to show immune activation and residual inflammation in oral tissues, and which biological pathways sustain these responses even when HIV is controlled systemically.

Does the FOA discuss immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome (IRIS)?

Yes. The FOA highlights IRIS as a relevant phenomenon where immune recovery after starting therapy can paradoxically trigger harmful inflammatory responses, including in the oral environment, particularly when opportunistic infections are present.

What is meant by "microbial and by-product translocation" in this context?

Microbial and by-product translocation refers to microbes or microbial components crossing epithelial or mucosal barriers and driving chronic immune stimulation. The FOA connects this concept to oral barrier function, oral microbiology, and local or systemic inflammation.

What are the stated goals of the funding opportunity?

The FOA outlines two primary goals: (1) to build more complete knowledge of the pathogenesis and persistence of oral conditions associated with chronic HIV infection under treatment, especially when oral co-infections are present; and (2) to use mechanistic understanding to guide development of novel oral immune modulatory therapies.

What does the FOA mean by "translational impact" for this research area?

Within this FOA, translational impact means using mechanistic findings to inform development of oral immune modulatory therapies or strategies that rebuild and normalize oral immune function, reverse disease processes, slow or prevent progression, reduce occurrence of oral conditions, and address persistence of residual HIV and other oral pathogens that may remain in tissue reservoirs despite cART.

Is the opportunity limited to HIV research that is system-wide, or can it be oral-focused?

The opportunity is specifically designed to push forward oral-focused HIV research, particularly where immunology, inflammation, mucosal biology, and co-infection dynamics intersect in the oral cavity under treated chronic HIV infection.

Who is eligible to apply based on the provided information?

Eligibility is broad and includes many types of domestic organizations, including 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; other Native American tribal organizations; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; nonprofit organizations with or without 501(c)(3) status (excluding higher education institutions in those nonprofit categories as specified); for-profit organizations other than small businesses; small businesses; and other entities as allowed under the FOA's additional eligibility language.

Are small businesses eligible to apply?

Yes. Small businesses are listed among the eligible applicant types.

Are for-profit organizations eligible to apply?

Yes. For-profit organizations other than small businesses are listed as eligible, and small businesses are also listed as eligible.

Are nonprofit organizations eligible to apply?

Yes. Nonprofit organizations with or without 501(c)(3) status are included (with the provided note that certain nonprofit categories exclude higher education institutions as specified).

Are tribal entities eligible to apply?

Yes. Federally recognized Native American tribal governments and other Native American tribal organizations are listed among eligible applicants.

Are governmental entities eligible to apply?

Yes. The eligibility list includes state, county, city or township governments, and special district governments, among others.

When was this FOA created and posted?

The source data indicates the FOA was created and posted on March 17, 2016.

What is the closing date for the opportunity in the provided source?

The source indicates an original and current closing date of July 25, 2016.

Does the provided information include an award ceiling or expected number of awards?

No. The source data does not list an award ceiling or the expected number of awards. Applicants would need to consult the full announcement text for budget expectations, scope guidance, and any institute-specific funding projections.

What is the overarching rationale behind studying oral co-infections in treated chronic HIV?

The FOA emphasizes that oral opportunistic infections and persistent oral immune disruption can maintain inflammation and pathogen persistence even under effective systemic HIV control, potentially sustaining disease burden and contributing to reservoir-like environments for HIV and other microbes.

What kinds of outcomes is the FOA ultimately trying to enable?

Based on the description provided, the FOA aims to enable outcomes such as better understanding of why oral conditions associated with treated chronic HIV begin and persist, identification of pathways sustaining residual inflammation and immune activation, and development of therapeutic directions that target persistent oral immune dysfunction and pathogen persistence in oral tissues.