Opportunity Information: Apply for PAR 17 320
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) grant opportunity "Multidisciplinary Studies of HIV/AIDS and Aging (R21)" (Funding Opportunity Number PAR-17-320) supports exploratory and developmental research that sits at the intersection of HIV and the science of aging. It is designed for early-stage, proof-of-concept, or high-impact pilot projects that can open new directions rather than fully mature, large-scale studies. The central idea is that HIV and aging are now deeply linked in real-world populations because effective antiretroviral therapy has allowed many people with HIV to live into older adulthood, while also raising new questions about how lifelong infection, long-term treatment, and social conditions shape the aging process.
The opportunity is organized around two broad objectives. First, it aims to strengthen understanding of aging itself by using HIV infection and its treatment as a lens to study biological, clinical, and socio-behavioral aspects of aging. That can include work on mechanisms of accelerated or altered aging, inflammation and immune dysfunction over time, neurocognitive changes, frailty, functional decline, or how long-term therapy interacts with age-related physiology. It also invites clinical and behavioral perspectives, such as how aging with HIV affects mental health, adherence, stigma, social isolation, caregiving, health literacy, and access to supportive services, recognizing that aging is not only biology but also lived experience shaped by environment and social context.
Second, it seeks to improve HIV testing, prevention, and treatment approaches, and to advance how clinicians and public health systems manage HIV-related comorbidities, co-infections, and complications across different populations and cultural settings by applying what is already known in aging science. This encourages projects that borrow frameworks and methods from geriatrics and gerontology to refine HIV care, such as adapting screening or prevention strategies for older adults, tailoring interventions to multimorbidity and polypharmacy, improving management of conditions that commonly cluster with HIV in later life (for example cardiovascular disease, metabolic disorders, bone health issues, renal disease, cancers, or neurocognitive impairment), and addressing co-infections and complications with an aging-informed approach. The emphasis on different populations and cultural settings signals interest in research that is attentive to diversity, health inequities, and context-specific barriers, including differences by geography, culture, and resource availability.
Applications are expected to align with the scientific priorities established by the NIH Office of AIDS Research (OAR), specifically referencing NOT-OD-15-137. In practice, that means proposed projects should fit within NIH-wide HIV/AIDS research priorities and demonstrate relevance to the strategic directions OAR outlines, such as improving prevention and treatment outcomes, addressing comorbidities, and reducing disparities. While this notice is not reproduced in the text you provided, the key takeaway for applicants is that proposals should clearly map their aims to OAR priorities and explain how the project advances HIV/AIDS research in a way that is timely and programmatically aligned.
This funding announcement uses the NIH R21 mechanism, which is intended for exploratory and developmental studies. The listed award ceiling is $200,000, reflecting the smaller, pilot-oriented scale typical of R21 awards. The opportunity is categorized as a discretionary grant in the education and health activity areas, and it is associated with multiple CFDA numbers (including 93.121, 93.242, 93.273, 93.279, 93.361, 93.393 through 93.399, 93.846, 93.853, and 93.866), reflecting the cross-institute nature of HIV and aging research and the fact that multiple NIH components may participate depending on the topic.
Eligibility is broad, which supports the multidisciplinary intent. Eligible applicants include various levels of government (state, county, city/township, and special district governments), independent school districts, public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, federally recognized Native American tribal governments, and Native American tribal organizations other than federally recognized tribal governments. The announcement also allows nonprofit organizations both with and without 501(c)(3) status, for-profit organizations (other than small businesses), and small businesses, as well as other types of applicants. In addition, it explicitly highlights a wide set of "other eligible applicants," including Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs), 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, and non-U.S. entities (foreign organizations). This explicit inclusion signals NIH interest in expanding participation and ensuring research is relevant to diverse communities and settings, including international contexts where HIV epidemiology, healthcare infrastructure, and aging-related needs can differ substantially.
Operationally, the administering agency is NIH, and the original closing date listed for this opportunity was September 7, 2020, with a creation date of June 23, 2017. That date information matters mainly for historical reference and for verifying whether the FOA is still active or has been reissued under a newer number. Conceptually, the opportunity is aimed at catalyzing new multidisciplinary collaborations across fields such as infectious disease, immunology, geriatrics, neurology, cardiometabolic science, behavioral health, implementation science, epidemiology, health services research, and community-engaged research. Strong applications under this FOA would typically make a clear case for innovation, explain why an R21 pilot is the right next step, and show how the project can generate data or methods that position the work for larger future studies focused on improving outcomes for people aging with HIV and on using aging science to strengthen HIV prevention and care.Apply for PAR 17 320
- The National Institutes of Health in the education, health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Multidisciplinary Studies of HIV/AIDS and Aging (R21)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.121, 93.242, 93.273, 93.279, 93.361, 93.393, 93.394, 93.395, 93.396, 93.399, 93.846, 93.853, 93.866.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2017-06-23.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2020-09-07. (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.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): Multidisciplinary Studies of HIV/AIDS and Aging (R21) - PAR-17-320
What is the NIH funding opportunity PAR-17-320?
PAR-17-320 is an NIH grant opportunity titled "Multidisciplinary Studies of HIV/AIDS and Aging (R21)." It supports exploratory and developmental research focused on the intersection of HIV/AIDS and the science of aging, especially early-stage or proof-of-concept projects that can open new research directions.
What is the main purpose of this opportunity?
The main purpose is to catalyze multidisciplinary pilot research that connects HIV and aging in ways that are innovative and high-impact. The opportunity emphasizes generating early evidence, methods, or concepts rather than funding fully mature, large-scale studies.
Why does NIH connect HIV and aging in this program?
Because effective antiretroviral therapy has enabled many people with HIV to live into older adulthood, HIV and aging are now closely linked in real-world populations. This creates new scientific and clinical questions about how lifelong infection, long-term treatment, and social conditions shape aging and later-life health.
What grant mechanism does this announcement use?
This announcement uses the NIH R21 mechanism, which is intended for exploratory and developmental research projects.
What is the funding cap for an award under this R21 opportunity?
The listed award ceiling is $200,000, consistent with the pilot-oriented scale typical of R21 awards.
What types of projects are a good fit for this FOA?
Projects that are early-stage, proof-of-concept, or high-impact pilots that could open new directions at the intersection of HIV and aging. The FOA is designed to support studies that generate data or approaches that can lead to larger future studies.
What are the two broad objectives of the program?
The FOA is organized around two broad objectives: (1) strengthening understanding of aging by using HIV infection and its treatment as a lens for biological, clinical, and socio-behavioral aging research; and (2) improving HIV testing, prevention, treatment, and management of HIV-related comorbidities, co-infections, and complications by applying frameworks and methods from aging science.
What kinds of aging-related science topics does the FOA encourage?
The FOA encourages work that uses HIV infection and treatment to study aging-related biology and outcomes. Examples mentioned include mechanisms of accelerated or altered aging, inflammation and immune dysfunction over time, neurocognitive changes, frailty, functional decline, and interactions between long-term therapy and age-related physiology.
Does the FOA include behavioral and social research topics, or only biology?
Yes, it explicitly includes clinical and socio-behavioral perspectives. The FOA recognizes aging as both biological and shaped by lived experience and social context, inviting topics such as mental health, adherence, stigma, social isolation, caregiving, health literacy, and access to supportive services among people aging with HIV.
What kinds of HIV care and prevention improvements does the FOA prioritize?
The FOA seeks projects that improve HIV testing, prevention, and treatment approaches and strengthen how clinicians and public health systems manage HIV-related comorbidities, co-infections, and complications across different populations and cultural settings, using what is already known in aging science.
How does aging science (geriatrics/gerontology) fit into HIV research under this FOA?
The FOA encourages borrowing frameworks and methods from geriatrics and gerontology to refine HIV care, such as adapting screening or prevention strategies for older adults, tailoring interventions to multimorbidity and polypharmacy, and improving approaches to clustered later-life conditions in people with HIV.
What comorbidities or complications are specifically highlighted for older adults with HIV?
Examples mentioned include cardiovascular disease, metabolic disorders, bone health issues, renal disease, cancers, and neurocognitive impairment. The FOA also highlights co-infections and complications that may require aging-informed management.
Does the FOA emphasize diversity and different settings?
Yes. It signals interest in research attentive to diversity, health inequities, and context-specific barriers, including differences by geography, culture, and resource availability. It also highlights relevance across different populations and cultural settings, including international contexts.
Do applications need to align with NIH Office of AIDS Research (OAR) priorities?
Yes. Applications are expected to align with the scientific priorities established by the NIH Office of AIDS Research (OAR), specifically referencing NOT-OD-15-137. Applicants should clearly map project aims to NIH-wide HIV/AIDS research priorities and explain how the project is timely and programmatically aligned.
Which agency administers this funding opportunity?
The administering agency is the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is broad and supports multidisciplinary work. Eligible applicants include state, county, city/township, and special district governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; federally recognized Native American tribal governments; and Native American tribal organizations other than federally recognized tribal governments.
Are nonprofits and for-profits eligible?
Yes. The FOA allows nonprofit organizations with and without 501(c)(3) status, for-profit organizations (other than small businesses), and small businesses.
Are community-based or faith-based organizations eligible to apply?
Yes. The FOA explicitly highlights faith-based and community-based organizations among "other eligible applicants."
Are minority-serving institutions specifically encouraged or eligible?
Yes. The FOA explicitly lists multiple categories such as HBCUs, Hispanic-serving Institutions, Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, and Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs).
Are U.S. territories or non-U.S. (foreign) organizations eligible?
Yes. The FOA explicitly includes U.S. territories or possessions and non-U.S. entities (foreign organizations) among eligible applicants, reflecting interest in broader contexts where HIV, healthcare infrastructure, and aging needs may differ.
Are federal agencies eligible applicants?
Yes. The FOA lists eligible federal agencies among the "other eligible applicants."
Is this opportunity intended to support multidisciplinary collaborations?
Yes. The opportunity is aimed at catalyzing new multidisciplinary collaborations across areas such as infectious disease, immunology, geriatrics, neurology, cardiometabolic science, behavioral health, implementation science, epidemiology, health services research, and community-engaged research.
What kinds of study scale and maturity are expected for an R21 under this FOA?
The FOA is designed for early-stage and developmental work. It emphasizes pilots and exploratory studies that can generate initial data, demonstrate feasibility, or test new methods or concepts, rather than fully mature, large-scale research programs.
What activity areas is this opportunity associated with?
It is categorized as a discretionary grant in the education and health activity areas.
What CFDA numbers are associated with this opportunity?
The opportunity is associated with multiple CFDA numbers, including 93.121, 93.242, 93.273, 93.279, 93.361, 93.393 through 93.399, 93.846, 93.853, and 93.866, reflecting cross-institute participation depending on the topic.
What are the key dates mentioned for PAR-17-320?
The creation date listed is June 23, 2017, and the original closing date listed was September 7, 2020. These dates are useful for historical reference and for checking whether the FOA is still active or has been reissued under a newer funding opportunity number.
How should an applicant position their proposal for competitiveness under this FOA?
Based on the description provided, strong applications would typically make a clear case for innovation, explain why an R21 pilot is the right next step, show multidisciplinary relevance, map aims to OAR priorities, and describe how the work could generate data or methods that position the project for larger future studies improving outcomes for people aging with HIV and strengthening HIV prevention and care using aging science.
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