Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA DA 17 013
This NIH grant opportunity, titled "Mechanisms of Immune Activation and Inflammation: HIV Infection, ART, and Drugs of Abuse (R01)" (Funding Opportunity Number RFA-DA-17-013), supports research projects that dig into why and how HIV infection drives persistent immune activation and chronic inflammation, especially in people who are also exposed to antiretroviral therapy (ART) and drugs of abuse. The central idea is that even when ART suppresses viral replication, many individuals continue to experience long-term inflammatory and immune changes that can contribute to serious comorbidities. The opportunity specifically encourages studies that clarify the molecular and cellular mechanisms behind these processes when HIV, ART agents, and abused substances interact in the body.
A key emphasis is understanding the biological pathways that link HIV infection to ongoing immune system stimulation and inflammatory signaling under real-world conditions where ART is being used, and where substance use may alter immune function, tissue responses, viral persistence, or medication performance. Projects responding to this FOA would typically aim to explain mechanistic cause-and-effect relationships, such as how specific ART drugs might influence inflammatory pathways, how opioids, stimulants, alcohol, or other abused substances may intensify immune activation or change immune cell behavior, and how these combined exposures affect disease progression, treatment response, and tissue-level damage. The FOA is focused on underlying mechanisms rather than only describing associations, with the expectation that mechanistic insight can reveal actionable targets for intervention.
The longer-term goal of the program is strongly translational: generating knowledge that can be used to develop or refine therapies that reduce chronic inflammation-related complications in people living with HIV, particularly those who use drugs. This includes the prospect of identifying targets to blunt inflammation and immune activation that contribute to comorbid conditions, and also identifying strategies that could restore, preserve, or improve ART effectiveness in HIV-infected populations affected by substance use. In other words, the desired outputs are not just publications, but clearer therapeutic directions that could ultimately lessen inflammation-driven health burdens and strengthen HIV treatment outcomes in vulnerable groups.
The funding mechanism is the NIH R01 research project grant, meaning it is intended for substantial, hypothesis-driven projects led by an investigator or team, generally with a multi-year scope and a defined set of aims. The opportunity falls under the broad activity area of health (CFDA 93.279) and is administered by the National Institutes of Health. The original opportunity was posted on 2016-07-28 with an original closing date of 2016-11-18.
Eligibility is broad and includes many types of organizations that can conduct biomedical and behavioral research. 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 other than federally recognized tribal governments; public housing authorities and Indian housing authorities; nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status (excluding higher education institutions in those categories); for-profit organizations other than small businesses; small businesses; and other entities. The FOA also explicitly highlights additional eligible applicant categories such as Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions; Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs); 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 even non-U.S. entities (foreign organizations), reflecting an intent to draw on a wide range of research settings and expertise.
In practical terms, this opportunity is aimed at researchers who can connect immunology, virology, pharmacology, and substance use research to answer a difficult and clinically important question: why chronic immune activation and inflammation persist in HIV, how ART and abused substances shape those processes, and what specific molecular mechanisms could be targeted to reduce inflammatory comorbidities and improve treatment performance for HIV-infected people who use drugs.Apply for RFA DA 17 013
- The National Institutes of Health in the education, health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Mechanisms of Immune Activation and Inflammation: HIV Infection, ART, and Drugs of Abuse (R01)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.279.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2016-07-28.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2016-11-18. (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 title of this NIH funding opportunity?
The opportunity is titled "Mechanisms of Immune Activation and Inflammation: HIV Infection, ART, and Drugs of Abuse (R01)."
What is the Funding Opportunity Number (FOA number)?
The Funding Opportunity Number is RFA-DA-17-013.
What type of grant mechanism is being used?
This opportunity uses the NIH R01 research project grant mechanism, which is typically used for substantial, hypothesis-driven research projects with a defined set of aims and a multi-year scope.
Which agency administers this grant opportunity?
The program is administered by the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
What is the overall purpose of this funding opportunity?
The purpose is to support research that explains why and how HIV infection drives persistent immune activation and chronic inflammation, especially in people who are also exposed to antiretroviral therapy (ART) and drugs of abuse, including situations where ART suppresses viral replication but long-term immune and inflammatory changes continue.
What main scientific problem is this FOA trying to address?
The FOA targets the problem that many people living with HIV continue to experience ongoing immune activation and chronic inflammation even when ART suppresses viral replication, and these persistent biological changes can contribute to serious comorbidities.
What kinds of research questions does this FOA encourage?
It encourages studies that clarify molecular and cellular mechanisms behind persistent immune activation and inflammation when HIV infection, ART agents, and abused substances interact in the body, with an emphasis on mechanistic cause-and-effect explanations rather than descriptive associations.
Does the FOA focus more on mechanisms or on correlations/associations?
The FOA is focused on underlying mechanisms and expects projects to explain mechanistic cause-and-effect relationships, not only report associations.
How does ART fit into the scientific focus of this opportunity?
The FOA emphasizes real-world conditions where ART is being used and aims to understand how specific ART drugs might influence inflammatory pathways and contribute to persistent immune activation and inflammation despite viral suppression.
How does substance use fit into the scientific focus of this opportunity?
The FOA specifically considers how drugs of abuse may alter immune function, tissue responses, viral persistence, or medication performance, and how these exposures may intensify immune activation, change immune cell behavior, or interact with HIV and ART to shape disease outcomes.
What substances are mentioned as examples of drugs of abuse in the FOA description?
Examples mentioned include opioids, stimulants, and alcohol, along with other abused substances.
What kinds of biological outcomes are of interest to this program?
Outcomes of interest include immune system stimulation, inflammatory signaling, changes in immune cell behavior, tissue-level damage, viral persistence, effects on treatment response, and disease progression in the context of HIV, ART, and substance exposure.
What does the FOA mean by "real-world conditions"?
Based on the description provided, "real-world conditions" refers to settings where people are using ART and where substance use may also be present, potentially modifying immune function, inflammation, viral persistence, tissue responses, or medication performance.
What is the longer-term goal of the program?
The longer-term goal is translational: to generate knowledge that can be used to develop or refine therapies that reduce chronic inflammation-related complications in people living with HIV, particularly those who use drugs.
What kinds of deliverables or impacts does the FOA aim for beyond publications?
The FOA emphasizes that the desired outputs are not just publications, but clearer therapeutic directions, including identifying actionable targets to blunt inflammation and immune activation and identifying strategies that could preserve, restore, or improve ART effectiveness in populations affected by substance use.
Is improving ART performance part of the program’s goals?
Yes. The FOA explicitly includes the prospect of identifying strategies that could restore, preserve, or improve ART effectiveness in HIV-infected populations affected by substance use.
What is the CFDA number and activity area associated with this opportunity?
The activity area is health, and the CFDA number listed is 93.279.
When was this funding opportunity originally posted?
The opportunity was originally posted on 2016-07-28.
What was the original closing date for the opportunity?
The original closing date was 2016-11-18.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is broad and includes many organizations capable of conducting biomedical and behavioral research, including various U.S. government entities, educational institutions, tribal entities, nonprofits, for-profits, small businesses, and other entities, including foreign organizations.
Are government organizations eligible applicants?
Yes. Eligible applicants include state governments, county governments, and city or township governments, as well as special district governments.
Are public and private colleges and universities eligible?
Yes. Eligible applicants include public and state-controlled institutions of higher education as well as private institutions of higher education.
Are independent school districts eligible?
Yes. Independent school districts are listed as eligible applicants.
Are tribal governments and tribal organizations eligible?
Yes. Federally recognized Native American tribal governments are eligible, and Native American tribal organizations other than federally recognized tribal governments are also listed as eligible.
Are nonprofits eligible, and does 501(c)(3) status matter?
Nonprofits are eligible both with and without 501(c)(3) status (excluding higher education institutions that would fall under those nonprofit categories as stated in the opportunity description).
Are for-profit organizations eligible?
Yes. For-profit organizations other than small businesses are eligible, and small businesses are also eligible.
Are public housing authorities eligible?
Yes. Public housing authorities and Indian housing authorities are listed as eligible applicants.
Are minority-serving institutions specifically highlighted as eligible?
Yes. The FOA explicitly highlights Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions; Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs); Hispanic-serving Institutions; Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs); and Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs).
Are faith-based or community-based organizations eligible?
Yes. Faith-based or community-based organizations are explicitly highlighted as eligible.
Are U.S. territories or possessions eligible to apply?
Yes. U.S. territories or possessions are listed among eligible applicant categories.
Are foreign (non-U.S.) organizations eligible?
Yes. The FOA notes that non-U.S. entities (foreign organizations) are included among eligible applicants.
What kinds of scientific disciplines or expertise seem most relevant for a competitive application?
Based on the description, the FOA is aimed at researchers who can connect immunology, virology, pharmacology, and substance use research to explain persistent immune activation and inflammation in HIV and to identify specific molecular mechanisms that could be targeted to reduce comorbidities and improve treatment performance.
What population is the research ultimately intended to benefit?
The research is intended to benefit people living with HIV, with particular emphasis on those who use drugs and may face inflammation-driven complications and challenges to optimal treatment outcomes.
What makes a project responsive to this FOA based on the description?
A responsive project would typically aim to explain mechanistic cause-and-effect relationships underlying persistent immune activation and chronic inflammation in HIV under ART, particularly when drugs of abuse are also involved, with an eye toward identifying actionable intervention targets and strategies that improve health outcomes.
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