CRDF Global RFPs: 2018 Indo-U.S. Joint Program on HIV/AIDS and STI Prevention Research Collaborative Awards

Deadline: 2 July 2018

CRDF Global is accepting proposals from U.S. and India based investigators working jointly in the field of HIV transmission , prevention, and treatment, and HIV-associated comorbidities, coinfections, and complications, for the 2018 Indo-U.S. Joint Program on HIV/AIDS and STI Prevention Research (Joint Program) Collaborative Awards.

This initiative is jointly conducted by CRDF Global, utilizing funds provided by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR). The Joint Program aims to expand the pool of researchers engaged in Indo-U.S. HIV/AIDS research cooperation. It focuses on fostering new research collaborations and supports training and mentorship for early-career researchers in India and the U.S. Under this engagement, U.S. investigators will receive funding from CRDF Global, and Indian investigators will receive funding from ICMR.

Scope and Purpose

Investigators from the India and U.S. are invited to jointly apply for funding for collaborative research projects focused on the areas of research listed below and other related topics:

Reducing the incidence of HIV/AIDS: HIV transmission and prevention
Next generation therapies: HIV/AIDS treatment and care continuum
Develop a cure for HIV infection
Prevention and treatment of HIV-associated comorbidities, coinfections, and complications
- Tuberculosis
- Hepatitis
- Cancer
- Neurologic
- Drug and Alcohol Use and Abuse
- Mental Health

Goals & Objectives

The primary goals and objectives of the initiative are to:

Support scientific and administrative skills building for outstanding Indian and U.S. scientists who are early in their research careers (within 10 years of completing their PhD, MD or other qualified health professional degree), have some research experience and are interested in conducting collaborative HIV/AIDS research in India;
Engage mentoring expertise in India and in the U.S. for these investigators who are in the early stages of their careers with the goal of providing training, enhancing career development, and fostering long-lasting scientific research partnerships between India and the U.S;
Enhance the HIV/AIDS research environment in India through India-U.S. partnerships;
Conduct well-designed HIV/AIDS research projects, that respond to Indian public health priorities, are considered high priority by NIH, and advance global knowledge about prevention and treatment of HIV and the most significant HIV co-infections and co-morbidities.

Award Information

At least four awards will be made, each not to exceed $240,000USD in total budget (U.S. sub-team budget + Indian sub-team budget) for up to three years.

Eligibility Criteria

All proposals must meet each of the following eligibility criteria:
- Each proposal must include at leastone Principal Investigator (PI) that is an early-career investigator from India. Each proposal must include at least two mentors, one Indian mentor and one U.S. mentor. Proposals may also include an early-career investigator from the U.S. as a Co-PI. Co-PIs will share overall responsibility for the project and coordinating all project participants and institutions. The institution at which each PI is employed will serve as the individual team’s Principal Institution designated on the proposal. Additional investigators and institutions may be included as secondary collaborators on each individual team at the discretion of the PIs.
- Each PI must:
  - Possess the degree of Ph.D., M.D., or the equivalent research experience
  - Demonstrate scientific capacity and research experience
  - Be employed at an institution that can serve as the Principal Institution on the award.
- On each application there must be an early-career researcher from India. The Indo-U.S. team composition could include:
  - Early-career investigator in India partnered with experiencedinvestigators in India and the U.S., or
  - Early-career investigators in India and the U.S. partnered with experiencedinvestigators in India and the U.S.
- Both the Indian and U.S.sub-team budgets should demonstrate clear focus towards accomplishing the research plan and the development plan of the early-career researchers.
- Each proposal is evaluated independently and therefore should not be part of, nor depend on the success of other proposals submitted to this program.
- U.S. sub-team only: The U.S. PI and participants on the U.S. team may be foreign nationals (U.S. permanent residents or visa holders),but must reside in the U.S. for at least 50% of the award period. Graduate students on the U.S. team may be foreign nationals, but they must be enrolled in an accredited degree program at a U.S. institution during the period of their participation in the project. Scientists employed by the U.S. federal government may apply for this program, however the U.S. PI and affiliated federal agency are not permitted to receive funding under this Program. All award funds are intended to support the non-federal U.S. institutions and investigators or Indian sub-team(s).
- INDIA sub-team only: The Indian PI and participants on the Indian team must have regular employment in the universities, medical colleges, postgraduate institutions, recognized research and development laboratories or NGOs (documentary evidence of the recognition should be enclosed with the application).
For-profit companies are not eligible to apply for support through this RFP.