Notice of Special Interest (NOSI): Strengthening the HIV Prevention Continuum

Notice Number: NOT-MH-20-019

Key Dates
Release Date: March 27, 2020
First Available Due Date: May 07, 2020
Expiration Date: May 08, 2023

Related Announcements

PA-20-144, Innovations in HIV Prevention, Testing, Adherence and Retention to Optimize HIV Prevention and Care Continuum Outcomes (R01 Clinical Trial Optional)

PA-20-145, Innovations in HIV Prevention, Testing, Adherence and Retention to Optimize HIV Prevention and Care Continuum Outcomes (R21 Clinical Trial Optional)

PA-20-141, Formative and Pilot Intervention Research for Prevention and Treatment of HIV/AIDS (R34 Clinical Trial Optional)

PA-19-126, Mentored Research Scientist Development Award (Parent K01 - Independent Clinical Trial Not Allowed)

PA-19-127, Mentored Research Scientist Development Award (Parent K01 - Independent Clinical Trial Required)

PA-19-116, Mentored Clinical Scientist Research Career Development Award (Parent K08 Independent Clinical Trial Required)

PA-19-117, Mentored Clinical Scientist Research Career Development Award (Parent K08 Independent Clinical Trial Not Allowed)

PA-19-118, Mentored Patient-Oriented Research Career Development Award (Parent K23 Independent Clinical Trial Required)

PA-19-119, Mentored Patient-Oriented Research Career Development Award (Parent K23 Independent Clinical Trial Not Allowed)

PA-19-052, NIH Small Research Grant Program (Parent R03 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)

PA-19-129, NIH Pathway to Independence Award (Parent K99/R00 Independent Clinical Trial Required)

PA-19-130, NIH Pathway to Independence Award (Parent K99/R00 - Independent Clinical Trial Not Allowed)

PA-19-121, Midcareer Investigator Award in Patient-Oriented Research (Parent K24 Independent Clinical Trial Required)

PA-19-122, Midcareer Investigator Award in Patient-Oriented Research (Parent K24 Independent Clinical Trial Not Allowed)

PA-19-272, PHS 2019-02 Omnibus Solicitation of the NIH, CDC, and FDA for Small Business Innovation Research Grant Applications (Parent SBIR [R43/R44] Clinical Trial Not Allowed)

PA-19-273, PHS 2019-02 Omnibus Solicitation of the NIH, CDC, and FDA for Small Business Innovation Research Grant Applications (Parent SBIR [R43/R44] Clinical Trial Required)

PA-19-270, PHS 2019-02 Omnibus Solicitation of the NIH for Small Business Technology Transfer Grant Applications (Parent STTR [R41/R42] Clinical Trial Not Allowed

PA-19-271, PHS 2019-02 Omnibus Solicitation of the NIH for Small Business Technology Transfer Grant Applications (Parent STTR [R41/R42] Clinical Trial Required

PAR-19-051, Emerging Global Leader Award (K43 Independent Clinical Trial Required)

PAR-19-098, Emerging Global Leader Award (K43 Independent Clinical Trial Not Allowed)

PAR-17-485, NIMH Research Education Mentoring Program for HIV/AIDS Researchers (R25)

PAR-18-714, Academic Research Enhancement Award for Undergraduate-Focused Institutions (R15 - Clinical Trial Not Allowed)

PAR-19-133, Academic Research Enhancement Award for Undergraduate-Focused Institutions (R15 Clinical Trial Required)

PAR-19-134, Research Enhancement Award Program (REAP) for Health Professional Schools and Graduate Schools (R15 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)

PAR-19-135, Research Enhancement Award Program (REAP) for Health Professional Schools and Graduate Schools (R15 Clinical Trial Required)

PAR-19-283, Fogarty HIV Research Training Program for Low-and Middle-Income Country Institutions (D43 Clinical Trial Optional)

PA-19-192, Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) Individual Fellowship for Students at Institutions Without NIH-Funded Institutional Predoctoral Dual-Degree Training Programs (Parent F30)

PA-19-195, Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) Individual Predoctoral Fellowship (Parent F31)

PA-19-196, Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) Individual Predoctoral Fellowship to Promote Diversity in Health-Related Research (Parent F31 -Diversity)

PA-19-188, Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) Individual Postdoctoral Fellowship (Parent F32)

PA-18-403, Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) Institutional Research Training Grant (Parent T32)

Issued by
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)

Purpose

The National Institute of Mental Health is issuing this Notice to highlight interest in receiving grant applications focused on strengthening the HIV prevention continuum by understanding attendant challenges and advancing novel interventions.

Efforts to stem the HIV epidemic have benefitted from an expanding set of evidence-based HIV prevention interventions. Behavioral HIV risk reduction approaches have been complemented by biomedical strategies such as antiretroviral-based prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT), post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP), pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), and treatment as prevention (TasP). Novel long-acting HIV prevention modalities are advancing through research and development for potential regulatory consideration, including vaginal rings, long-acting injectable PrEP, subdermal implants, broadly neutralizing antibodies, and vaccine regimens. In addition, multipurpose prevention technologies that aim to prevent pregnancy or sexually transmitted infections, as well as HIV, are also under development.

Individuals who may benefit from proven HIV prevention modalities must maintain engagement with the HIV prevention continuum for optimum prevention benefit. The HIV prevention continuum can be represented as a cycle which begins with HIV testing. Individuals who test HIV negative should receive risk screening and needs assessment to identify preferred HIV prevention options, followed by linkage to relevant prevention services. Subsequent retention in prevention services will combine with uptake, adherence, and persistence to prevention strategies for best effect. The cycle repeats and renews through regular HIV testing.

Substantial challenges are evident across the lifecycle of the HIV prevention continuum. Many people do not receive regular HIV testing according to recommended schedules. Access to prevention counseling and assessment may be limited. As PrEP implementation has advanced, the successful identification, engagement, and retention of individuals who may benefit from PrEP has proven challenging. Sharp racial/ethnic, age, and gender-based disparities are evident in PrEP uptake and use. Proven interventions to support PrEP adherence and persistence remain scant -- and while future long-acting formulations may assist with adherence -- the challenges of engagement and retention in prevention services will remain.

To meet these challenges, NIMH calls for research that will improve the scientific understanding of gaps and challenges in the HIV prevention continuum, as well as studies to develop and test interventions designed to strengthen the HIV prevention continuum and prevention outcomes.

Areas of Research Interest

Areas of programmatic interest include, but are not limited to:

  • Studies to identify gaps and targets in the HIV prevention continuum and associated determinants to inform intervention development
  • Studies to improve regular HIV testing according to recommended schedules
  • Studies of decision support tools that help individuals, couples, and clinicians make informed choices about HIV prevention options
  • Studies of strategies to promote PrEP care engagement and uptake among individuals at substantial HIV risk
  • Studies to improve retention in biomedical HIV prevention services
  • Studies to develop and test interventions to improve PrEP adherence and persistence, as well as methods to support PrEP use during risk intervals
  • Studies to reduce racial/ethnic, age, and gender-related disparities in PrEP uptake and use
  • Studies to better understand and overcome the challenges faced by mobile populations, such as migrants, displaced people, and individuals who are homeless or marginally housed, in accessing and benefitting from HIV care and preventive services
  • Studies that develop and test methods to enable medical providers to identify and counsel those who may benefit from PrEP, and to increase PrEP prescriptions where appropriate
  • Studies that advance innovative approaches for PrEP delivery
  • Studies to develop and test behavioral, provider, and healthcare systems interventions to facilitate uptake and use of long-acting HIV prevention regimens or multipurpose prevention technologies (MPTs)
  • Studies to integrate behavioral and social science research into development and testing of next generation HIV prevention products, including long-acting prevention products and multipurpose prevention technologies (MPTs), to facilitate effective future implementation.
  • Studies to advance the practice of HIV treatment as prevention and its impact

Application and Submission Information

This notice applies to due dates on or after May 7, 2020 and subsequent receipt dates through May 8, 2023.

Submit applications for this initiative using one of the following funding opportunity announcements (FOAs) or any reissues of these announcement through the expiration date of this notice.

PA-20-144, Innovations in HIV Prevention, Testing, Adherence and Retention to Optimize HIV Prevention and Care Continuum Outcomes (R01 Clinical Trial Optional)

PA-20-145, Innovations in HIV Prevention, Testing, Adherence and Retention to Optimize HIV Prevention and Care Continuum Outcomes (R21 Clinical Trial Optional)

PA-20-141, Formative and Pilot Intervention Research for Prevention and Treatment of HIV/AIDS (R34 Clinical Trial Optional)

PA-19-126, Mentored Research Scientist Development Award (Parent K01 - Independent Clinical Trial Not Allowed)

PA-19-127, Mentored Research Scientist Development Award (Parent K01 - Independent Clinical Trial Required)

PA-19-116, Mentored Clinical Scientist Research Career Development Award (Parent K08 Independent Clinical Trial Required)

PA-19-117, Mentored Clinical Scientist Research Career Development Award (Parent K08 Independent Clinical Trial Not Allowed)

PA-19-118,Mentored Patient-Oriented Research Career Development Award (Parent K23 Independent Clinical Trial Required)

PA-19-119, Mentored Patient-Oriented Research Career Development Award (Parent K23 Independent Clinical Trial Not Allowed)

PA-19-052, NIH Small Research Grant Program (Parent R03 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)

PA-19-129, NIH Pathway to Independence Award (Parent K99/R00 Independent Clinical Trial Required)

PA-19-130, NIH Pathway to Independence Award (Parent K99/R00 - Independent Clinical Trial Not Allowed)

PA-19-121, Midcareer Investigator Award in Patient-Oriented Research (Parent K24 Independent Clinical Trial Required)

PA-19-122, Midcareer Investigator Award in Patient-Oriented Research (Parent K24 Independent Clinical Trial Not Allowed)

PA-19-272, PHS 2019-02 Omnibus Solicitation of the NIH, CDC, and FDA for Small Business Innovation Research Grant Applications (Parent SBIR [R43/R44] Clinical Trial Not Allowed)

PA-19-273, PHS 2019-02 Omnibus Solicitation of the NIH, CDC, and FDA for Small Business Innovation Research Grant Applications (Parent SBIR [R43/R44] Clinical Trial Required)

PA-19-270,PHS 2019-02 Omnibus Solicitation of the NIH for Small Business Technology Transfer Grant Applications (Parent STTR [R41/R42] Clinical Trial Not Allowed

PA-19-271, PHS 2019-02 Omnibus Solicitation of the NIH for Small Business Technology Transfer Grant Applications (Parent STTR [R41/R42] Clinical Trial Required

PAR-19-051, Emerging Global Leader Award (K43 Independent Clinical Trial Required)

PAR-19-098, Emerging Global Leader Award (K43 Independent Clinical Trial Not Allowed)

PAR-17-485, NIMH Research Education Mentoring Program for HIV/AIDS Researchers (R25)

PAR-18-714, Academic Research Enhancement Award for Undergraduate-Focused Institutions (R15 - Clinical Trial Not Allowed)

PAR-19-133, Academic Research Enhancement Award for Undergraduate-Focused Institutions (R15 Clinical Trial Required)

PAR-19-134, Research Enhancement Award Program (REAP) for Health Professional Schools and Graduate Schools (R15 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)

PAR-19-135, Research Enhancement Award Program (REAP) for Health Professional Schools and Graduate Schools (R15 Clinical Trial Required)

PAR-19-283, Fogarty HIV Research Training Program for Low-and Middle-Income Country Institutions (D43 Clinical Trial Optional)

PA-19-192, Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) Individual Fellowship for Students at Institutions Without NIH-Funded Institutional Predoctoral Dual-Degree Training Programs (Parent F30)

PA-19-195, Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) Individual Predoctoral Fellowship (Parent F31)

PA-19-196, Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) Individual Predoctoral Fellowship to Promote Diversity in Health-Related Research (Parent F31 -Diversity)

PA-19-188, Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) Individual Postdoctoral Fellowship (Parent F32)

PA-18-403, Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) Institutional Research Training Grant (Parent T32)

All instructions in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide and the funding opportunity announcement used for submission must be followed, with the following additions:

  • For funding consideration, applicants must include “NOT-MH-20-019” (without quotation marks) in the Agency Routing Identifier field (box 4B) of the SF424 R&R form. Applications without this information in box 4B will not be considered for this initiative.
Applications nonresponsive to terms of this NOSI will be not be considered for the NOSI initiative.

 

Inquiries

Please direct all inquiries to:

Please direct all inquiries to the Scientific/Research, Peer Review, and Financial/Grants Management contacts in Section VII of the listed funding opportunity announcements.

Scientific/Research Contact(s)

Michael J. Stirratt Ph.D.
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
Telephone: 240-627-3875
Email: stirrattm@nih.gov

Peer Review Contact(s)

Examine your eRA Commons account for review assignment and contact information (information appears two weeks after the submission due date).

Financial/Grants Management Contact(s)

Rita Sisco
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
Telephone: 301-443-2805
Email: siscor@mail.nih.gov