National CFAR Mucosal Immunology Group (MIG) Request for Proposals (RFP)

The purpose of this funding opportunity is to support innovative research projects from CFAR members toward one or more of the following scientific areas of interest. Proposed research should be consistent with the recent NIH HIV/AIDS research priorities listed here.

Proposals responding to the CFAR MIG RFP should be on one of the following four scientific areas:

  1. Develop improved methodologies to analyze the tissue microenvironment, mucosal fluids, and cellular interactions within the human genital, oral, lung, and colorectal mucosa as they relate to HIV infection and the effects of vaccines, immunoprophylaxis, and immunotherapy.
  2. Further advance human mucosal tissue explant models that can better inform product decisions for multiple HIV preventive and therapeutic modalities.
  3. Evaluate the role of gut, oral, lung, and genital microbiomes (bacteria, fungi, viromes) in modulating the effects of HIV prevention and therapeutic interventions, particularly vaccine-mediated responses, in mucosal tissues and fluid.
  4. Explore the dynamics of mucosal HIV-1 latent reservoir formation in breakthrough cases/controls within HIV vaccine, immunoprophylaxis, and immunotherapeutic studies, with a goal to gain insight into the contribution of pre- and post-infection immune responses on the reservoir size and kinetics.

By Monday, August 21, 2017, faculty interested in applying for a National CFAR MIG award should email Dr. Richard D’Aquila with the following:

  • Proposed project title
  • Two to three sentence description of the project
  • Name of the proposed PI and other key personnel

Each faculty member submitting an LOI for this RFP will receive a prompt reply indicating whether a full application is invited or not. Applicants for the national RFP will be selected with a goal of maximizing competitiveness of Third Coast CFAR applications. Collaborative and cross-disciplinary teams, including those emerging from the Third Coast CFAR Mucosal Biology and HIV Interest Group, are strongly encouraged to submit LOIs by August 21.

Please see the RFP issued by the national CFAR program for more details regarding this opportunity. CFAR MIG awards will be for one year with maximum funding per application of up to $100,000 Total Costs.