Pathogenesis of Age-Related HIV Neurodegeneration (R01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) | RFA AG 18 023

Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA AG 18 023

The NIH funding opportunity titled "Pathogenesis of Age-Related HIV Neurodegeneration (R01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)" (Funding Opportunity Number RFA-AG-18-023) supports research aimed at clarifying why and how neurocognitive and central nervous system (CNS) problems continue to occur in people living with HIV as they age, even in the modern era of effective antiretroviral therapy. The central premise is that NeuroHIV has reached a turning point: because antiretrovirals have dramatically improved survival, a growing proportion of people with HIV are older adults, and persistent or evolving CNS impairment has become a major clinical and public health issue. This program is focused on mechanistic, pathogenesis-oriented studies that identify the biological drivers and modulators of age-related HIV-associated neurodegeneration, rather than testing interventions in clinical trials.

The mechanism used is the NIH R01 grant, indicating support for substantial, hypothesis-driven projects that can pursue in-depth investigation of disease mechanisms. The notice explicitly states "Clinical Trial Not Allowed," meaning proposed projects should not include prospective assignment of human participants to interventions in order to evaluate effects on health-related outcomes. Applicants can still typically use human data in observational or non-interventional ways (for example, analyzing existing cohorts, biospecimens, neuroimaging datasets, or conducting mechanistic studies without assigning interventions), as long as the work does not meet the NIH definition of a clinical trial. The opportunity sits within the Health funding activity category and is associated with CFDA number 93.866, reflecting its placement within NIH's research assistance programs relevant to aging and/or neuroscience and HIV-related neurocognitive disorders.

In practical terms, the research emphasis is on understanding mechanisms that cause and shape CNS impairment in treated HIV infection across the aging spectrum. This can include studying persistent viral effects in the CNS, chronic inflammation and immune activation, vascular and metabolic contributors, neurotoxic effects of viral proteins or host responses, comorbidities that compound risk with age, and factors that influence resilience or vulnerability. The intent is to move beyond descriptive findings and toward causal pathways and biological targets that could later inform diagnostics, prevention strategies, or therapeutics, even though clinical trials themselves are not part of this particular announcement.

The opportunity is offered by the National Institutes of Health and is categorized as a discretionary grant program. The listed award ceiling is $500,000, indicating the maximum award amount expected per project under the announcement (as provided in the source data). The original closing date was February 9, 2018, and the opportunity record was created on November 13, 2017, which situates this as a time-limited solicitation from that period rather than an open-ended program.

Eligibility is broad and spans many organization types, reflecting NIH's intent to attract a wide range of scientific teams and institutional contexts. Eligible applicants include state, county, city or township, special district governments, independent school districts, public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, and private institutions of higher education. Tribal entities are eligible both as federally recognized Native American tribal governments and as Native American tribal organizations other than federally recognized governments, and public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities are also included. Nonprofits are eligible whether or not they have 501(c)(3) status (as long as they are not institutions of higher education), and both for-profit organizations (other than small businesses) and small businesses may apply. The announcement also highlights additional eligible applicant categories 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 federal agencies, regional organizations, U.S. territories or possessions, and non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities (foreign organizations). This explicit inclusion signals an interest in supporting diverse institutional participation and, potentially, research that is globally relevant to HIV and aging.

Overall, this RFA is designed to accelerate rigorous, non-clinical-trial research that explains the biological underpinnings of age-related neurodegeneration and neurocognitive impairment in people living with HIV in the antiretroviral era, with the broader goal of positioning the field to develop better strategies for prediction, prevention, and treatment in future studies.

• The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Pathogenesis of Age-Related HIV Neurodegeneration (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): 93.866.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2017-11-13.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2018-02-09. (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 $500,000.00 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.

Apply for RFA AG 18 023

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