Multidisciplinary Studies of HIV/AIDS and Aging (R21 Clinical Trial Optional) | PAR 21 069

Opportunity Information: Apply for PAR 21 069

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding opportunity titled "Multidisciplinary Studies of HIV/AIDS and Aging (R21 Clinical Trial Optional)" (PAR-21-069) supports exploratory, early-stage research that sits at the crossroads of HIV science and the science of aging. It uses the NIH R21 mechanism, which is designed for high-impact ideas that may be earlier in development and can be pursued with little or no preliminary data. The intent is to help investigators test new concepts, generate initial evidence, and open up fresh research directions related to how people with HIV experience aging, and how modern aging research can improve HIV prevention, care, and long-term health outcomes.

The FOA is organized around two main objectives. First, it seeks to improve understanding of aging itself by studying it through the lens of HIV infection and HIV treatment. That includes biological aging processes (for example, immune function, inflammation, cellular and molecular pathways), clinical aging outcomes (such as frailty, cognitive change, cardiovascular or metabolic risk), and socio-behavioral dimensions of aging (including mental health, stigma, social support, functional status, and health behaviors). The second objective flips the perspective: it encourages applicants to take what is known from aging science and apply it to improve HIV-related strategies. This can include better approaches for HIV testing, prevention, and treatment, as well as improved management of HIV-related comorbidities, co-infections, and other complications that can become more common or more complex with age. Importantly, the FOA highlights relevance across different populations and cultural settings, signaling interest in work that accounts for diversity in geography, culture, healthcare access, and lived experience.

Because the activity code is R21, the opportunity is especially aligned with multidisciplinary projects that are innovative, potentially higher risk, and aimed at establishing proof-of-concept rather than completing a fully mature research program. The "Clinical Trial Optional" designation means applicants may propose studies that include clinical trials, but they are not required to do so. In practice, this can accommodate a broad range of designs, from mechanistic and observational studies to pilot interventions, depending on what best fits the question and the maturity of the proposed approach.

The opportunity is categorized as a discretionary grant and is tied to multiple CFDA numbers (93.121, 93.393, 93.396, 93.846, 93.847, 93.853, 93.866), reflecting the cross-institute, cross-topic nature of HIV and aging research at NIH. The listed award ceiling is $200,000, which typically refers to a cap on direct costs per year for many R21 opportunities (applicants should still confirm the specific budget rules in the full FOA text and any NIH policy updates). The original closing date provided is 2024-01-07, and the FOA record shows a creation date of 2020-11-23.

Eligibility is broad and includes many types of U.S. domestic organizations: state, county, and local 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; other Native American tribal organizations; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; nonprofits with and without 501(c)(3) status; for-profit organizations (other than small businesses); and small businesses. The FOA also explicitly calls out a wide set of "other eligible applicants," emphasizing inclusion of institutions and organizations that serve populations historically underrepresented in research or disproportionately affected by HIV. These include 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, regional organizations, U.S. territories or possessions, tribal governments that are not federally recognized, and non-U.S. entities (foreign organizations). This breadth suggests NIH is encouraging proposals that are both scientifically rigorous and grounded in real-world contexts, including community-engaged or internationally relevant research where appropriate.

In practical terms, a competitive application under this FOA would clearly connect HIV and aging in a way that advances at least one of the two overarching goals: either using HIV to sharpen the scientific understanding of aging, or using aging science to improve HIV prevention, treatment, and long-term management of comorbidities and complications. Strong proposals will typically justify why the question is timely, why an R21 exploratory approach is appropriate, how the multidisciplinary team and methods fit the problem, and how findings could lead to larger, more definitive studies or scalable interventions in the future.

• The National Institutes of Health in the education, food and nutrition, health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Multidisciplinary Studies of HIV/AIDS and Aging (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): 93.121, 93.393, 93.396, 93.846, 93.847, 93.853, 93.866.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2020-11-23.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2024-01-07. (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 $200,000.00 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 PAR 21 069

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