Advancing HIV/AIDS Research within the Mission of the NIDCD (R21 Clinical Trial Optional) | PAR 20 123

Opportunity Information: Apply for PAR 20 123

The grant opportunity titled "Advancing HIV/AIDS Research within the Mission of the NIDCD (R21 Clinical Trial Optional)" (Funding Opportunity Number PAR-20-123) is a discretionary NIH grant designed to spark new, exploratory HIV/AIDS research that fits squarely within the mission of the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communications Disorders (NIDCD). In practical terms, it is looking for early-stage, high-impact ideas that could open up new directions in how HIV/AIDS affects communication and sensory systems, or how those systems can be leveraged to improve HIV-related prevention, diagnosis, treatment, or quality of life. The activity category is Health and it is listed under CFDA 93.173. The mechanism is an R21, which typically supports novel, developmental work where investigators may be testing a new concept, building preliminary evidence, piloting an approach, or generating data needed to compete for a larger grant later. The "Clinical Trial Optional" label means applicants may propose studies that include clinical trials, but they are not required to do so; non-trial human research and non-human studies that align with the goals are also relevant.

The scientific focus is specifically HIV/AIDS research tied to NIDCD priority areas: hearing, balance, taste, smell, voice, speech, and language. Proposals should also align with the high-priority HIV/AIDS research areas identified by the NIH Office of AIDS Research (OAR), which sets NIH-wide strategic priorities for HIV research. That expectation matters because it frames the work as more than just "HIV-related" in a broad sense; applications should connect their aims to recognized HIV/AIDS research priorities while staying grounded in NIDCD-relevant systems and outcomes. This could include, for example, research on HIV-associated auditory or vestibular dysfunction; taste and smell changes related to HIV infection, co-infections, or antiretroviral therapy; voice, speech, and swallowing or language impacts in people living with HIV; communication barriers that affect access to HIV prevention and care; or mechanistic work on how HIV, inflammation, opportunistic infections, or treatments influence sensory and communication pathways. The FOA is essentially encouraging investigators to bring HIV/AIDS questions into NIDCD terrain and to do it in a way that is responsive to the broader NIH HIV/AIDS agenda.

Eligibility is broad and includes many typical NIH applicant types across government, academia, nonprofit, and industry. Eligible applicants include state, county, city or township, and 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; tribal organizations that are not federally recognized; public housing authorities and Indian housing authorities; nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status (as long as they are not institutions of higher education in those categories); for-profit organizations other than small businesses; and small businesses. The FOA explicitly highlights additional eligible applicant categories as well, including Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISI), Hispanic-serving Institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), faith-based or community-based organizations, eligible federal agencies, U.S. territories or possessions, and non-U.S. entities such as foreign organizations and regional organizations. This breadth is important because it signals NIH interest in reaching a wide range of research settings and community contexts, including institutions that serve populations disproportionately affected by HIV and organizations positioned to conduct culturally grounded or community-engaged research.

From an applicant standpoint, the core "ask" is to propose a well-justified, innovative project that advances HIV/AIDS research through the lens of NIDCD-relevant conditions, functions, or interventions. Because it uses the R21 mechanism, a competitive application usually emphasizes strong rationale, innovation, feasibility, and a clear path toward generating decisive preliminary findings rather than promising a fully mature, multi-year research program. If a clinical trial is proposed, it should be appropriately scoped for an exploratory award and tightly linked to outcomes in hearing, balance, taste, smell, voice, speech, or language, while also making a convincing case for its relevance to OAR HIV/AIDS priorities.

The notice lists an original closing date of 2023-01-07 and a creation date of 2020-03-05. No award ceiling or expected number of awards is provided in the source text, which typically means applicants should refer to the full FOA and NIH grants policy for budget guidance and standard R21 limits, as well as to confirm current submission dates and any updates or reissues of the announcement. Overall, this opportunity is aimed at catalyzing new HIV/AIDS research directions that may be underexplored, particularly where HIV intersects with sensory systems and human communication, and it is structured to support high-risk, high-reward concepts that can mature into larger studies if the early work is promising.

• The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Advancing HIV/AIDS Research within the Mission of the NIDCD (R21 Clinical Trial Optional)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.173.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2020-03-05.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2023-01-07. (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.

Apply for PAR 20 123

[Watch] Creating a grant proposal using the step-by-step wizard inside the applicant portal: