Notice of Intent to Publish a Funding Opportunity Announcement for NIAAA Collaborative Partnership on HIV/AIDS and Alcohol-Related Outcomes Research (U54)

Notice Number: NOT-AA-15-004

Key Dates
Release Date: January 29, 2015
Estimated Publication Date of Announcement: June 2015
First Estimated Application Due Date: January 2016
Earliest Estimated Award Date: July 2016
Earliest Estimated Start Date: July 2016

Related Announcements
None

Issued by
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA)

Purpose

The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) intends to publish a Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) to support research collaboration across existing NIAAA-supported research HIV/AIDS consortiums and between these consortiums and other partners which can enhance collaboration on in specific high-priority research areas identified below in the general areas of (1) Assessment and Intervention for Alcohol-Related Comorbidities (2) Integration of Behavioral and Functional Assessment of Alcohol-Related Psychological Disorders (3) Structural Integration of Alcohol/Substance Use Services and HIV Care for HIV+ individuals who consume alcohol.

The overall goal of this research activity is to advance high priority HIV/AIDS research in the context of alcohol and alcohol-related comorbidities in a collaborative partnership framework. This proposed research initiative is aligned with the research priorities set forth in the Trans-NIH Plan for HIV-Related Research and consistent proposed NIAAA initiatives for FY2016

This Notice is being provided to allow potential applicants sufficient time to develop meaningful collaborative partnerships between NIAAA-supported alcohol and HIV research groups, solidify their research teams, and develop responsive research projects. The primary focus of this initiative is to strengthen collaboration between already established HIV and Alcohol research centers of excellence and additional partners that may benefit each organization. Collaborative partners can include, for example, the following: other NIH supported Alcohol Research Centers, NIH-supported HIV/AIDS research groups (e.g., networks, cohorts), other federal partners (e.g., CDC, DoD, PEPFAR), non-governmental organizations, faith-based organizations, tribal organizations.

The FOA is expected to be published in the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts in summer 2015 with an expected application due date in fall 2015.

This FOA will utilize the Specialized Center–Cooperative Agreement (U54) funding mechanism. NIAAA intends to support for approximately 5 research collaborative pairs, with a maximum of 5 years of funding.

Details of the planned FOA are provided below.

Research Initiative Details

This Notice encourages investigators with expertise and insights into these areas of HIV/AIDS and alcohol research to consider applying for this FOA. Collaborative investigations combining expertise in these areas will be supported and these investigators should also begin considering applying for this FOA.

Collaborative partnerships supported through this FOA are expected to demonstrate research excellence and leadership to accelerate the pace of science in the area of HIV/AIDS and alcohol research, including co-morbidities known to be associated with HIV and alcohol use (e.g., HCV, TB, tobacco, depression and toxicities due to polypharmacy) as well as further develop an understanding of the physiological, behavioral, and social impact of these comorbidities on care for HIV+ individuals with acute and chronic alcohol use.

Collaborative partnership applications must propose a program of multidisciplinary research around a unifying or well-defined goal or targeted area of research. It can include both the assessment of wide-ranging outcomes and proposed intervention effects as well as foundational research related to behavioral and biological mechanisms impacting progression and/or intervention success (e.g., frailty, inflammation, impaired cognitive function, etc). In addition, it is generally encouraged that emerging new methodologies focused on analysis and representation of large/complex datasets also be explored particularly in relationship to the use of electronic medical records and/or other sources of informative information related to engagement in care. Several new and evolving areas of research may also be explored in the context of these cross consortiums including HIV and Aging, dynamic modeling of medical/intervention decision making, addressing the identification and eradication of viral reservoirs, and prophylaxis/prevention of disease-related consequences related to synergisms of HIV and alcohol.

Collaborative partnership research areas appropriate to this announcement include, but are not limited to:

  • Assessing the impact alcohol on morbidity and mortality related to HCV or TB coinfections and the impact of emerging treatment modalities
  • Integrating neurocognitive assessment and emerging imaging technologies
  • Assessing the role of inflammation in hepatic, cardiovascular, gut injury in clinical contexts and improving medical decision making for effective interventions
  • Developing and testing operational approaches to reducing the impact of non-adherence and loss to care as a result of alcohol and alcohol-related comorbidities.

APPLICATIONS ARE NOT BEING SOLICITED AT THIS TIME.

Inquiries

Please direct all inquiries to:

Kendall J. Bryant, PhD
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA)
Telephone: 301-402-9389
Email: NIAAA-HIV-Initiatives@mail.nih.gov

Joan Romaine, MPH
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA)
Telephone: 301-594-6230
Email: joan.romaine@nih.gov