January 2016 DAIDS Council-Approved Concepts

Concepts represent early planning stages for program announcements, requests for applications, or solicitations for Council's input. If NIAID publishes an initiative from one of these concepts, we link to it below. To find initiatives, go to the Opportunities and Announcements portal.

NB: Council approval does not guarantee that a concept will become an initiative.

Table of Contents

FY 2017 Concepts

SBIR Contract Solicitation Topics

Optimization of Monoclonal Antibodies for Eliminating the HIV Reservoir

For the published program announcement​ with special receipt, referral, and/or review considerations, see the February 25, 2016 Guide announcement, Optimization of Monoclonal Antibodies for Eliminating the HIV Reservoir (R01).

Mechanisms of Mycobacterial-Induced Immunity in HIV-Infected and Uninfected Individuals to Inform Tuberculosis Vaccine Design

For the published program announcement​ with special receipt, referral, and/or review considerations, see the May 11, 2016 Guide announcement, Mechanisms of Mycobacterial-Induced Immunity in HIV-Infected and Uninfected Individuals to Inform Innovative Tuberculosis Vaccine Design (R01).

Silencing of HIV-1 Proviruses

For the published request for applications, see the May 26, 2016 Guide announcement, Silencing of HIV-1 Proviruses (R61/R33).

Innovation for HIV Vaccine Discovery

For the published program announcement​ with special receipt, referral, and/or review considerations, see the April 7, 2016 Guide announcement, Innovation for HIV Vaccine Discovery (R01).

Increased Knowledge and Innovative Strategies to Reduce HIV Incidence—iKnow Projects

For the published program announcement​ with special receipt, referral, and/or review considerations, see the March 3, 2016 Guide announcement, Increased Knowledge and Innovative Strategies to Reduce HIV Incidence-iKnow Projects (R01).

Improvement of HIV Envelope Protein Expression and Purification

For the published program announcement​s, see the April 12, 2016 Guide announcements, Strategies for the Improvement of HIV Envelope Protein Expression and Yield (R41/R42) and Strategies for the Improvement of HIV Envelope Protein Expression and Yield (R43/R44).

Research in Latent Tuberculosis Infection in the Setting of HIV Co-Infection

Program Announcement—proposed FY 2017 initiative

Contact: Sudha Srinivasan

Objective: The objective of this initiative is to increase our understanding of the microbiologic adaptive mechanisms, host immunologic factors, and their interactions involved in developing, maintaining, and activating latent tuberculosis infections (LTBI) with a focus on HIV co-infection.

Description: The types of studies that are of interest are as follows: studies that may lead to new assays and strategies to detect and quantitate latent Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb); predict or identify early reactivation; characterize drug tolerance of latently-infecting mycobacteria; or develop therapeutics (including host-based therapy) to rapidly and effectively eradicate the infecting organisms. Areas of focus for this program include fundamental and translational preclinical studies of LTBI addressing developing, maintaining, activating, and improving characterization of latent Mtb in the setting of HIV co-infection as well as advancing in vitro and animal models for the study of LTBI. This may include identifying host factors (e.g., genetic and immunologic predispositions) responsible for developing persistence states and subsequent reactivation. Also of interest: Elucidating microbiologic factors that allow adaptation for survival in macrophages and granulomas or other compartments by overcoming immune mechanisms and developing low metabolism states with concomitant changes in metabolic pathways and energy generation (e.g., anaerobic respiration and ion scavenging) including potential targets/interventions to reverse these adaptions. Microbiologic mechanisms and immunologic changes related to reactivation are an additional priority. Animal models, the use of ex-vivo samples (from well-defined cohorts, bronchoscopic and surgical procedures), and identifying diagnostic/drug targets and/or immune-based approaches that can lead to developing clinically significant applications will be encouraged.

Methods for Prevention Packages Program IV

For the published program announcement with special receipt, referral and/or review considerations, see the March 9, 2016 Guide announcement, Methods for Prevention Packages Program IV (MP3 IV) (R01).

The Use of mRNA for an HIV Vaccine

For the published program announcements, see the April 19, 2016 Guide announcements, The Use of mRNA for an HIV Envelope Vaccine (R41/R42), and The Use of mRNA for an HIV Envelope Vaccine (R43/R44).

Sustained Release of Antivirals for Treatment or Prevention (SRATP)

For the published program announcement with special receipt, referral and/or review considerations, see the May 17, 2016 Guide announcement, Sustained Release of Antivirals for Treatment or Prevention of HIV (SRATP) (R01).

Effective Targeted Delivery of RNA-Based Vaccines and Therapeutics

For the published request for proposals, see the August 1, 2016 Solicitation of NIH and CDC for SBIR Contract Proposals.

Simplified Sequencing for TB Drug Resistance Testing

For the published request for proposals, see the August 1, 2016 Solicitation of NIH and CDC for SBIR Contract Proposals.

Qualitative HIV RNA Home Test

For the published request for proposals, see the August 1, 2016 Solicitation of NIH and CDC for SBIR Contract Proposals.

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Content last reviewed on October 28, 2016