In Vitro and Animal Model Studies on HBV/HIV Co-Infection (R01) | PA 17 280

Opportunity Information: Apply for PA 17 280

The funding opportunity titled "In Vitro and Animal Model Studies on HBV/HIV Co-Infection (R01)" (Funding Opportunity Number PA 17 280) is a discretionary National Institutes of Health (NIH) research grant announcement focused on hepatitis B virus (HBV) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) co-infection. Its central goal is to push the field forward by improving the experimental tools researchers rely on to study how these two viruses interact in the same host and, importantly, to speed up the pipeline for discovering and developing better therapies for people living with both infections.

A major emphasis of the FOA is the creation and refinement of novel laboratory models, specifically new in vitro systems and small animal models that can more accurately reproduce HBV/HIV co-infection. In practical terms, this means supporting projects that build more realistic cell culture platforms (for example, improved hepatocyte-based systems, organoid-like approaches, co-culture methods, or other engineered systems that capture key features of liver infection and immune interaction) and small animal models that can simultaneously represent relevant aspects of HBV infection, HIV infection, and their overlap. The reason this matters is that co-infection is biologically complex, and existing models often fail to mimic the combined virology and immune effects seen in people. Better models allow researchers to test candidate drugs and combinations more reliably, understand safety and efficacy signals earlier, and reduce uncertainty before moving into clinical development.

The FOA also aims to deepen scientific understanding of the immunopathogenic interactions between HBV and HIV. This includes studying how HIV-driven immune dysfunction influences HBV persistence and liver disease progression, how HBV-related liver inflammation and immune activity may affect HIV outcomes, and how co-infection alters immune responses in ways that are not predictable from studying each virus alone. Projects aligned with this goal might examine mechanisms of immune activation, immune exhaustion, cytokine signaling, liver-resident immune cell behavior, viral replication dynamics under co-infection conditions, and other pathways that contribute to liver injury, viral persistence, and differential responses to therapy. The overall intent is not just to build models as tools, but to use those tools to answer mechanistic questions that directly inform therapeutic strategy and drug development decisions.

This is an NIH R01 grant mechanism, meaning it supports investigator-initiated research projects that are typically hypothesis-driven and substantial in scope. The Funding Instrument Type is listed as a grant, and the Funding Activity Category is Education and Health. Multiple CFDA numbers are associated with the announcement (93.273, 93.393, 93.394, 93.395, 93.396, 93.399, 93.855, 93.856), reflecting NIH program and institute alignments that can support research across infectious diseases, immunology, and related biomedical areas.

Eligibility is broad and includes a wide range of domestic and international applicant organizations. Eligible applicants include state, county, and local governments; special district governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; federally recognized Native American tribal governments; Native American tribal organizations that are not federally recognized; public housing authorities and Indian housing authorities; nonprofit organizations with or without 501(c)(3) status (other than institutions of higher education); for-profit organizations (other than small businesses); small businesses; and other entities. The FOA explicitly calls out additional eligible groups such as 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); eligible federal agencies; faith-based or community-based organizations; regional organizations; non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities and foreign organizations; Indian/Native American tribal governments other than federally recognized; and U.S. territories or possessions. This wide eligibility reflects the global and cross-sector relevance of HBV/HIV co-infection research and encourages participation from institutions serving populations disproportionately affected by these diseases.

Key administrative details provided include an original closing date of 2019-01-07 and a creation date of 2017-05-12. The award ceiling and expected number of awards are not specified in the provided data, which often means budgets and award counts may depend on NIH institute priorities, available appropriations, and the scientific merit and fit of applications received.

In summary, this FOA is designed to address a bottleneck in HBV/HIV co-infection research by funding the development of more faithful in vitro and small animal models and leveraging those models to uncover the immune and disease mechanisms that drive co-infection outcomes. The long-term payoff NIH is aiming for is straightforward: stronger experimental platforms that make preclinical testing more predictive, shorten timelines for therapeutic discovery and development, and ultimately improve prevention and treatment strategies for people living with HBV/HIV co-infection.

• The National Institutes of Health in the education, health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "In Vitro and Animal Model Studies on HBV/HIV Co-Infection (R01)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.273, 93.393, 93.394, 93.395, 93.396, 93.399, 93.855, 93.856.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2017-05-12.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2019-01-07. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• 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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