Opportunity Information: Apply for PAR 15 360
The grant opportunity "Characterization of Mycobacterial Induced Immunity in HIV-infected and Uninfected Individuals (R21)" (Funding Opportunity Number PAR-15-360) is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) discretionary grant focused on early-stage, hypothesis-generating research that can clarify how the human immune system responds to mycobacterial exposures. The central scientific theme is to better define both innate and adaptive immune responses that arise after natural mycobacterial infection, after vaccination with Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG), or after immunization with other Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) vaccine candidates. A key emphasis is comparing these immune responses in people living with HIV and people without HIV, since HIV can substantially reshape immune function and may alter the quality, location, durability, and protective capacity of anti-mycobacterial immunity. The broader public health motivation behind the FOA is to generate knowledge that helps accelerate and improve tuberculosis vaccine development.
A major area of interest highlighted in the announcement is the evaluation of immune responses by anatomical location. In practice, this means studies that do not only rely on blood-based immune measurements, but also examine compartment-specific immunity in relevant tissues and mucosal sites. Because Mtb is typically acquired via the respiratory route and establishes infection in the lung and related lymphoid structures, the FOA is signaling strong interest in work that characterizes how immune pathways differ across systemic versus mucosal or tissue environments, and how those differences may be influenced by HIV infection status. Projects that map where immune cells act, how they traffic, and how local tissue environments shape anti-mycobacterial responses are particularly aligned with the intent of the opportunity.
In addition to supporting discovery-oriented immunology studies, the FOA has a secondary objective that is more technology- and methods-driven: the development of new assays and enabling technologies that allow investigators to directly compare mucosal and systemic mycobacterial-specific immunological pathways. The practical goal is to improve the field's ability to monitor and interpret immune responses in both preclinical research and human vaccine trials. By encouraging assay and platform development, the FOA is trying to fill a common gap in TB vaccine research: many studies can measure responses in peripheral blood, but fewer have robust, standardized tools for assessing relevant mucosal or tissue immunity and relating it back to systemic readouts. Tools generated under this mechanism are intended to be usable for monitoring and evaluation in future studies, rather than being one-off measurements limited to a single project.
This funding uses the NIH R21 activity code, which is commonly used for exploratory or developmental research where the work is high-impact but still at an earlier stage, such as generating preliminary data, testing emerging concepts, or piloting novel approaches. The listed award ceiling is $200,000. The activity category is health, and the CFDA numbers associated with the program are 93.855 and 93.856. The original closing date provided in the source information is 2018-01-11, and the record creation date is 2015-09-30.
Eligibility is broad and includes many types of applicant organizations. Domestic public-sector applicants are eligible, including state governments, county governments, city or township governments, special district governments, independent school districts, and public housing authorities or Indian housing authorities. Higher education institutions are eligible, including public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, and a range of designated institutions such as Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic-serving institutions, Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, and Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs). Tribal entities are also included, such as federally recognized Native American tribal governments and Native American tribal organizations that are not federally recognized, along with Indian/Native American tribal governments other than federally recognized ones as noted in the "other eligible applicants" section. Nonprofit organizations are eligible whether or not they have 501(c)(3) status (as long as they are not institutions of higher education), and both for-profit organizations (other than small businesses) and small businesses may apply. The FOA also allows participation by eligible federal agencies, faith-based or community-based organizations, regional organizations, U.S. territories or possessions, and non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities, meaning foreign organizations can apply as well.
Taken together, PAR-15-360 is aimed at advancing the TB vaccine pipeline by supporting exploratory studies that define what protective or informative mycobacterial immunity looks like in different body sites and in different host immune contexts, especially HIV infection. It also encourages practical innovations in immune monitoring methods so that future vaccine and translational studies can more reliably measure relevant mucosal and systemic immune pathways and compare them across populations.Apply for PAR 15 360
- The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Characterization of Mycobacterial Induced Immunity in HIV-infected and Uninfected Individuals (R21)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.855, 93.856.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2015-09-30.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2018-01-11. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $200,000.00 in funding.
- 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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FAQs: Characterization of Mycobacterial Induced Immunity in HIV-infected and Uninfected Individuals (R21) (PAR-15-360)
What is the official name and funding opportunity number for this grant?
The opportunity is titled "Characterization of Mycobacterial Induced Immunity in HIV-infected and Uninfected Individuals (R21)" and the Funding Opportunity Number (FOA) is PAR-15-360.
Which agency is offering this funding?
This is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) discretionary grant opportunity.
What type of NIH grant mechanism is this?
This FOA uses the NIH R21 activity code, which supports exploratory or developmental research intended to generate early, hypothesis-generating results.
What is the main scientific focus of the FOA?
The FOA focuses on characterizing how the human immune system responds to mycobacterial exposures, including immunity after natural mycobacterial infection, after vaccination with Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG), or after immunization with other Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) vaccine candidates.
Why does the FOA emphasize comparing HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected individuals?
A key emphasis is comparing immune responses in people living with HIV versus people without HIV because HIV can substantially reshape immune function and may change the quality, location, durability, and protective capacity of anti-mycobacterial immunity.
What kinds of immune responses are of interest?
The FOA highlights both innate and adaptive immune responses that arise following mycobacterial infection or vaccination/immunization.
What is the broader public health motivation behind this opportunity?
The stated motivation is to generate knowledge that helps accelerate and improve tuberculosis (TB) vaccine development.
What does the FOA mean by evaluating immune responses by anatomical location?
It means studies are encouraged to go beyond blood-based measurements and examine compartment-specific immunity in relevant tissues and mucosal sites, not only systemic (blood) immunity.
Why are mucosal and tissue sites especially important for this topic?
The FOA notes that Mtb is typically acquired via the respiratory route and establishes infection in the lung and related lymphoid structures, making mucosal and tissue immunity particularly relevant to understanding protective responses.
What types of projects are particularly aligned with the intent of the FOA?
Projects that map where immune cells act, how they traffic, and how local tissue environments shape anti-mycobacterial responses, especially when comparing HIV-infected and uninfected populations, are described as well aligned with the opportunity.
Is this FOA only for discovery immunology studies?
No. In addition to discovery-oriented immunology, the FOA includes a secondary objective focused on developing new assays and enabling technologies to directly compare mucosal and systemic mycobacterial-specific immunological pathways.
What kinds of assay or technology development does the FOA encourage?
It encourages tools, assays, and platforms that make it easier to monitor and interpret immune responses in both preclinical research and human vaccine trials, particularly for assessing mucosal or tissue immunity and relating it back to systemic readouts.
Why is assay and platform development considered a need in TB vaccine research?
The FOA points out a common gap: many studies can measure immune responses in peripheral blood, but fewer have robust, standardized tools for measuring relevant mucosal or tissue immunity and comparing those results to systemic measurements.
Are the methods and tools expected to be broadly usable?
Yes. The FOA indicates that tools generated under this mechanism are intended to be usable for monitoring and evaluation in future studies, rather than being one-off measurements limited to a single project.
What is the award ceiling listed for this opportunity?
The listed award ceiling is $200,000.
What activity category is associated with this funding?
The activity category is health.
What CFDA numbers are associated with the program?
The CFDA numbers listed are 93.855 and 93.856.
When was the record created and what was the original closing date listed?
The record creation date is 2015-09-30, and the original closing date listed in the source information is 2018-01-11.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is broad and includes domestic public-sector applicants, higher education institutions, tribal entities, nonprofits (with or without 501(c)(3) status, as long as they are not institutions of higher education), for-profit organizations (other than small businesses), small businesses, eligible federal agencies, faith-based or community-based organizations, regional organizations, U.S. territories or possessions, and non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities (foreign organizations).
Which domestic public-sector organizations are eligible?
Eligible domestic public-sector applicants include state governments, county governments, city or township governments, special district governments, independent school districts, and public housing authorities or Indian housing authorities.
Which types of higher education institutions are eligible?
Eligible institutions include public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, and designated institution types such as HBCUs, Hispanic-serving institutions, Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, and Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs).
Are tribal governments and tribal organizations eligible?
Yes. The FOA includes federally recognized Native American tribal governments and Native American tribal organizations that are not federally recognized, and it also notes Indian/Native American tribal governments other than federally recognized ones under other eligible applicants.
Can nonprofit organizations apply if they do not have 501(c)(3) status?
Yes. Nonprofit organizations are eligible whether or not they have 501(c)(3) status, as long as they are not institutions of higher education.
Can for-profit organizations and small businesses apply?
Yes. Both for-profit organizations (other than small businesses) and small businesses are listed as eligible applicants.
Are foreign (non-U.S.) organizations eligible to apply?
Yes. The FOA states that non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities, meaning foreign organizations, can apply.
Does the FOA specifically encourage studies that only use blood samples?
No. The FOA signals strong interest in studies that do not rely only on blood-based immune measurements and that also examine immune responses in relevant tissues and mucosal sites.
How does this FOA connect to TB vaccine development?
It is aimed at advancing the TB vaccine pipeline by supporting exploratory studies that clarify what informative or potentially protective mycobacterial immunity looks like across different body sites and host immune contexts, and by improving immune monitoring methods for future vaccine and translational studies.
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