HIV/AIDS and the Tumor Niche (R01) | RFA CA 17 030

Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA CA 17 030

The HIV/AIDS and the Tumor Niche (R01) funding opportunity (RFA-CA-17-030) is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) discretionary grant that supports research aimed at clarifying how the tumor niche, also called the tumor microenvironment, shapes cancer risk and outcomes in people living with HIV or with AIDS. The central scientific focus is not only on tumor cells themselves, but on the surrounding biological context that can influence whether cancers arise, how quickly they progress, how they are detected, and how they respond to treatment. In practical terms, the FOA is interested in studies that explain why certain cancers may behave differently in the setting of chronic HIV infection, immune dysregulation, inflammation, co-infections, or effects of long-term therapy, and how those factors interact with the local cellular and molecular environment within tumors.

This FOA explicitly frames the tumor microenvironment as a key driver across the full cancer continuum for HIV-affected populations: cancer risks (why cancer develops in the first place), development and progression (how tumors evolve and spread), diagnosis (how microenvironmental features might affect biomarkers or detectability), and treatment (how the niche influences therapeutic response and resistance). By funding R01 projects, NIH is signaling interest in substantial, hypothesis-driven work that can produce mechanistic insight and potentially identify actionable targets, whether those targets are immune cells, stromal components, cytokine networks, vascular factors, extracellular matrix dynamics, microbial or viral co-factors, or other microenvironmental features that are altered by HIV infection.

From an applicant standpoint, eligibility is broad and includes many types of U.S. organizations and governmental entities, as well as certain non-U.S. participants. Eligible applicants include state, county, city or township governments, special district governments, and independent school districts, along with public and state-controlled institutions of higher education and private institutions of higher education. Tribal eligibility includes federally recognized Native American tribal governments, tribal organizations other than federally recognized tribal governments, and Indian/Native American tribal governments that are not federally recognized. The FOA also allows participation from public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities. Nonprofit organizations are eligible whether they have 501(c)(3) status or not, as long as they are not institutions of higher education, and for-profit organizations (other than small businesses) and small businesses are also eligible. Beyond these standard categories, the announcement highlights additional eligible applicant 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), and Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs). It also notes that faith-based or community-based organizations may apply, as can eligible federal agencies, regional organizations, U.S. territories or possessions, and non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities (foreign organizations), underscoring an interest in reaching diverse research settings and populations.

Administratively, the opportunity is listed under Assistance Listing/CFDA number 93.396 and falls within the education and health activity category. The FOA was created on 2017-05-26, and the original closing date was 2018-08-07. The funding instrument type is a grant, using the NIH R01 mechanism, which typically supports multi-year, investigator-initiated research programs at a scale suitable for in-depth mechanistic studies, development of models, and comprehensive analyses of biological pathways. The listing does not specify an award ceiling or expected number of awards in the provided source data, so those details would normally be confirmed in the full FOA text or NIH award information.

Overall, the opportunity is best understood as an NIH effort to close important knowledge gaps at the intersection of HIV/AIDS and cancer biology by pushing the field to look closely at the tumor microenvironment. The intended payoff is a clearer understanding of how HIV-related immune and inflammatory changes reshape the niche in ways that affect cancer initiation, progression, and treatment response, with the longer-term goal of improving diagnostic approaches and therapeutic strategies for people living with HIV who develop cancer.

• The National Institutes of Health in the education, health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "HIV/AIDS and the Tumor Niche (R01)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.396.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2017-05-26.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2018-08-07. (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.

Apply for RFA CA 17 030

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