Advancing HIV/AIDS Research within the Mission of the NIDCD (R01 Clinical Trial Optional)

The National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) under the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, is reissuing a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) to support HIV/AIDS-related research within its scientific mission areas. This grant, titled “Advancing HIV/AIDS Research within the Mission of the NIDCD,” is issued under the R01 Research Project Grant mechanism. It aims to fund high-priority HIV/AIDS research that addresses disorders of hearing, balance, taste, smell, voice, speech, and language, as outlined by the NIH Office of AIDS Research (OAR). This initiative highlights the significant intersection of communication disorders and HIV, recognizing their combined impact on physical, emotional, and social well-being, as well as educational and vocational outcomes. The scope of supported research spans hypothesis-driven epidemiological, basic, translational, and clinical studies. The NIDCD encourages multidisciplinary collaborations between HIV/AIDS researchers and communication disorder specialists, including the use of existing HIV cohorts or clinical trials. Research examples include studies examining the effects of HIV or related co-infections on hearing and communication, identifying adverse medication effects on communication faculties, understanding pathophysiological mechanisms of comorbid communication disorders in people living with HIV (PLWH), and developing prevention or treatment strategies to mitigate these effects. Only low-risk clinical trials are permitted under this NOFO. A clinical trial must not require FDA oversight, should pose minimal risk (comparable to routine care), and must be intended to collect preliminary data without aiming to change standard care or health policy. Trials that involve high risks, require FDA clearance, or aim to demonstrate efficacy are considered out of scope and should instead apply under companion opportunity PAR-25-318. Proposals that do not conform to the low-risk criteria will be deemed non-responsive and rejected without review. Eligible applicants span a wide range of domestic and foreign organizations, including higher education institutions (both public and private), nonprofit organizations, for-profit entities (including small businesses), local and state governments, tribal governments and organizations, and other public entities such as independent school districts and housing authorities. Non-U.S. organizations and foreign components of U.S.-based entities are also eligible. Applicant organizations must ensure active registration in multiple federal systems including SAM, Grants.gov, and eRA Commons, and all investigators must have valid eRA Commons accounts. Applications may request up to $499,999 in direct costs annually, with a maximum project period of five years. The number of awards depends on NIH appropriations and submission volume. There is no cost-sharing requirement. Submission must follow NIH’s standard electronic processes using ASSIST, Grants.gov Workspace, or institution-supported systems. All applications must comply with NIH policy and formatting standards, including a Data Management and Sharing Plan. Failure to comply may result in non-review. This opportunity opened on April 7, 2025, and uses standard NIH AIDS submission dates, which recur annually. Based on the most recent cycle ending November 5, 2026, the next due date is expected to fall in November 2027. Applications are reviewed on a rolling cycle, with reviews and potential award notifications occurring three to four months post-submission. All applications are due by 5:00 PM local time of the applicant organization. For scientific inquiries, contact Dr. Trinh T. Ly ([email protected]); for administrative questions, contact Samantha Tempchin ([email protected]).

Ensure proposed research is well-aligned with the NIH Office of AIDS Research priorities and NIDCD mission. Only low-risk clinical trials are eligible. Noncompliant applications will not be reviewed.