Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program and the Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Program
Overview
DAHBR's Small Business Innovation Research Program (SBIR) supports research by small businesses to develop innovative technologies with high potential to succeed commercially or to provide significant societal benefit. The Division's Small Business Technology Transfer Program (STTR) pursues the same objectives with academic research involvement. The SBIR and STTR programs in this Division support research aimed at changing risky behaviors, promoting strategies to reduce AIDS transmission, elucidating the pathophysiology of HIV-related neuorpsychiatric dysfunction, and investigating processes that influence adherence to treatment in individuals with HIV and mental disorders.
Areas of Emphasis
- Clarify the impact of new biomedical technologies (e.g., microbicides, vaccines, rapid tests, genetic advances) on HIV risk behaviors.
- Foster dissemination, translation, and operational research on ways to implement and enhance long-term maintenance behavior change.
- Promote the global adoption of primary preventive interventions.
- Identify molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying HIV-associated dementia.
- Identify host and HIV viral genetics that render susceptibility or protection to neuronal dysfunction.
- Identify/characterize HIV-associated cognitive or motor dysfunction and assess it in the context of mental illness and HIV-associated comorbidities.
- Identifying the potent, modifiable mechanisms and processes linking mental and medical illnesses (comorbidity) and developing early stage interventions.
- Translating findings from basic behavioral research into processes to improve adherence to treatment, discourage harmful behaviors associated with mental disorders and physical disorders, and promote therapeutic alliances and help-seeking behaviors.
- Identifying effective strategies for reducing mental illness stigma and discrimination, and examining the mechanisms through which they work.
- Studying cognitive processes, decision-making, and other basic behavioral and social processes to clarify factors that influence the choice of treatment or mental health services, acceptance or denial of illness, and coping response to stigma.
- Developing behavioral strategies for assessing mental health functioning and disability.
- Using findings from basic behavioral and social sciences research to elucidate factors involved in mental health disparities.
Contact
Margaret Grabb, Ph.D.
Acting Program Chief
6001 Executive Boulevard, Room 7201, MSC 9645
301-443-3563, mgrabb@mail.nih.qov
