Opportunity Information: Apply for PAR 14 318
Apply for PAR 14 318
- The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Role of the Microbiome in HIV 1 Vaccine Responses (R21)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.855 Allergy and Infectious Diseases Research 93.856 Microbiology and Infectious Diseases Research.
- This funding opportunity was created on Aug 11, 2014 and posted on Aug 11, 2014.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jan 7, 2017. (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 $275,000.00 in funding.
- Eligible applicants include: Special district governments For profit organizations other than small businesses County governments Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized) Private institutions of higher education Small businesses Independent school districts City or township governments Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification) Public and State controlled institutions of higher education Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education State governments Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments).
- Other Eligible Applicants include the following Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISISs) Eligible Agencies of the Federal Government Faith based or Community based Organizations Hispanic serving Institutions Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) Indian/Native American Tribal Governments (Other than Federally Recognized) Non domestic (non U.S.) Entities (Foreign Organizations) Regional Organizations Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs) U.S. Territory or Possession Non domestic (non U.S.) Entities (Foreign Institutions) are eligible to apply. Non domestic (non U.S.) components of U.S. Organizations are eligible to apply. Foreign components, as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement, are allowed.
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Opportunity Summary:
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding opportunity PAR-14-318, titled "Role of the Microbiome in HIV-1 Vaccine Responses (R21)," supports early-stage, exploratory research aimed at clarifying how the human microbiome influences immune responses related to HIV-1 transmission and HIV-1 vaccination. The scientific focus is specifically on mucosal sites that are central to HIV exposure and early infection, with emphasis on the gastrointestinal and genital mucosa. The core idea is that microbial communities living in and on the body can shape local and systemic immunity in ways that may either help or hinder the development of protective responses after vaccination, and that understanding these interactions could open up practical ways to improve vaccine performance.
A key theme of the announcement is the expectation that microbiome-host interactions can be both beneficial and detrimental for HIV vaccine outcomes. The FOA encourages projects that identify mechanisms by which microbiome composition, function, or dynamics influence immune activation, antigen presentation, mucosal barrier integrity, inflammation, and the quality or durability of vaccine-induced responses. By mapping these relationships in mucosal tissues relevant to HIV transmission, investigators are expected to generate insights that could be translated into new approaches to enhance mucosal immunity (where HIV exposure often occurs) and to strengthen systemic immune responses that vaccines also aim to induce.
This opportunity uses the NIH R21 mechanism, which is designed for exploratory and developmental studies rather than mature, fully validated programs. That means the NIH is explicitly inviting higher-risk, conceptually innovative work that might not yet have extensive preliminary data, as long as the proposed ideas are compelling and could yield major advances. Projects under this mechanism may focus on developing or testing new models, tools, methodologies, or conceptual frameworks, including approaches that help explain variability in vaccine responses across individuals or populations based on microbiome-related factors. The intent is to seed work that could later mature into larger studies or inform future vaccine strategy design.
From an administrative standpoint, this is a discretionary grant in the health funding category, listed under CFDA numbers 93.855 (Allergy and Infectious Diseases Research) and 93.856 (Microbiology and Infectious Diseases Research). The announcement states there is no cost sharing or matching requirement. The award ceiling is listed as $275,000, reflecting the smaller, pilot nature typical of R21 projects. The FOA was posted on August 11, 2014, with an original and current closing date of January 7, 2017, and an archive date of February 7, 2017, indicating that the opportunity is no longer active as a current solicitation, though it remains relevant as a reference point for NIH priorities and past funding directions.
Eligibility is broad and includes many types of U.S. and non-U.S. organizations. Eligible applicants include public and private institutions of higher education, nonprofit organizations with or without 501(c)(3) status, small businesses, for-profit organizations other than small businesses, state and local governments (including county, city/township, and special district governments), independent school districts, public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, and tribal governments or tribal organizations. The FOA also clarifies additional eligible applicant categories, such as Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic-serving institutions, Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian-serving institutions, and Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs), along with faith-based or community-based organizations and eligible federal agencies. Importantly, foreign participation is allowed: non-U.S. entities and foreign institutions may apply, non-U.S. components of U.S. organizations are eligible, and foreign components as defined by NIH policy are permitted.
In practical terms, the announcement is looking for research that helps answer why HIV vaccine responses differ at mucosal sites, how microbial ecosystems in the gut and genital tract might set the immune "baseline" that vaccines build on, and how that baseline could be modified to improve protection. The longer-term payoff envisioned by NIH is that microbiome-informed vaccine design or adjunctive strategies could make HIV vaccines more reliably immunogenic at the portals of entry where protection is most needed, potentially leading to next-generation vaccination approaches that account for host-microbe biology rather than treating it as background noise.
The administering agency is NIH. The full announcement was available through the NIH grants guide page referenced in the source (http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PAR-14-318.html). For technical issues accessing the announcement, the contact provided is the NIH Office of Extramural Research (OER) webmaster at FBOWebmaster@OD.NIH.GOV.
FAQs: NIH PAR-14-318 - Role of the Microbiome in HIV-1 Vaccine Responses (R21)
What is this funding opportunity?
This is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding opportunity announcement (FOA) PAR-14-318 titled "Role of the Microbiome in HIV-1 Vaccine Responses (R21)." It supports early-stage, exploratory research on how the human microbiome influences immune responses relevant to HIV-1 transmission and HIV-1 vaccination.
What is the main scientific goal of PAR-14-318?
The goal is to clarify how microbial communities in and on the human body shape local and systemic immunity in ways that may improve or undermine vaccine-induced protective responses. The emphasis is on understanding microbiome-host interactions that affect outcomes after HIV-1 vaccination, especially at mucosal sites tied to HIV exposure and early infection.
Which body sites are most emphasized in this FOA?
The FOA specifically emphasizes mucosal sites that are central to HIV exposure and early infection, with a focus on the gastrointestinal mucosa and the genital mucosa.
Why does the FOA focus on mucosal immunity?
The FOA highlights mucosal immunity because HIV exposure often occurs at mucosal portals of entry. Understanding and improving vaccine-related immune responses at these sites could be critical for meaningful protection.
How does the microbiome relate to HIV vaccine responses according to the FOA?
The FOA is built on the idea that the microbiome can shape immune "baseline" conditions and influence vaccine responses. These interactions can be beneficial or detrimental and may affect immune activation, antigen presentation, mucosal barrier integrity, inflammation, and the quality or durability of vaccine-induced responses.
What types of effects or mechanisms is NIH looking for applicants to study?
The FOA encourages projects that identify mechanisms through which microbiome composition, function, or dynamics influence immune activation, antigen presentation, mucosal barrier integrity, inflammation, and the quality or durability of vaccine-induced responses, particularly in mucosal tissues relevant to HIV transmission.
What does "both beneficial and detrimental" microbiome-host interaction mean in this context?
It means the FOA anticipates that certain microbiome features could support stronger, more protective vaccine responses, while other features could interfere with or weaken those responses. Applicants are encouraged to investigate either direction of effect.
What funding mechanism does this opportunity use?
This FOA uses the NIH R21 mechanism, which is intended for exploratory and developmental research projects.
What does the R21 mechanism imply about project maturity and preliminary data?
The R21 mechanism is designed for early, exploratory work rather than mature, fully validated programs. The FOA explicitly invites higher-risk, conceptually innovative research that may not yet have extensive preliminary data, as long as the ideas are compelling and could lead to major advances.
What kinds of projects fit well under this R21 FOA?
Projects may include developing or testing new models, tools, methodologies, or conceptual frameworks that help explain how the microbiome shapes vaccine responses. The FOA also notes interest in approaches that help explain variability in vaccine responses across individuals or populations based on microbiome-related factors.
Is this opportunity intended to support large, long-term programs?
No. The R21 mechanism and the stated award ceiling reflect a smaller, pilot-style scope. The FOA is intended to seed innovative research that could later mature into larger studies or inform future vaccine strategy design.
What is the maximum award amount?
The award ceiling listed in the FOA is $275,000.
Is cost sharing or matching required?
No. The FOA states there is no cost sharing or matching requirement.
What is the funding category and assistance type?
The opportunity is described as a discretionary grant in the health funding category.
Which CFDA numbers are associated with this FOA?
The FOA lists CFDA 93.855 (Allergy and Infectious Diseases Research) and 93.856 (Microbiology and Infectious Diseases Research).
Who is the administering agency?
The administering agency is the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
When was the FOA posted and what are the key dates?
The FOA was posted on August 11, 2014. The original and current closing date is listed as January 7, 2017, and the archive date is February 7, 2017.
Is PAR-14-318 still an active funding opportunity?
No. The listed closing date (January 7, 2017) and archive date (February 7, 2017) indicate the opportunity is no longer active as a current solicitation, though it may still be useful as a reference for NIH priorities and past funding directions.
What organizations are eligible to apply?
Eligibility is broad. Eligible applicants include public and private institutions of higher education, nonprofit organizations (with or without 501(c)(3) status), small businesses, for-profit organizations other than small businesses, and various government entities (state and local governments, county and city/township governments, special district governments), independent school districts, public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, and tribal governments or tribal organizations.
Are specific institution types (like HBCUs or HSIs) mentioned as eligible?
Yes. The FOA explicitly includes eligibility for Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic-serving institutions, Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian-serving institutions, and Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs). It also mentions faith-based or community-based organizations and eligible federal agencies.
Are non-U.S. (foreign) organizations allowed to apply?
Yes. The FOA states that non-U.S. entities and foreign institutions may apply, non-U.S. components of U.S. organizations are eligible, and foreign components (as defined by NIH policy) are permitted.
What longer-term impact does NIH envision from this research?
The FOA describes a longer-term payoff in which microbiome-informed vaccine design or adjunctive strategies could improve vaccine performance, strengthen mucosal and systemic immune responses, and support next-generation HIV vaccination approaches that account for host-microbe biology.
Where can the full FOA text be found?
The full announcement was available through the NIH Grants Guide page at: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PAR-14-318.html
Who should be contacted for technical issues accessing the announcement?
For technical issues accessing the announcement, the FOA lists the NIH Office of Extramural Research (OER) webmaster: FBOWebmaster@OD.NIH.GOV
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