Using Archived Data and Specimen Collections to Advance Maternal and Pediatric HIV/AIDS Research (R21 CT Not Allowed) | RFA HD 27 007

Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA HD 27 007

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is offering a discretionary grant opportunity titled "Using Archived Data and Specimen Collections to Advance Maternal and Pediatric HIV/AIDS Research (R21 CT Not Allowed)" under Funding Opportunity Number RFA-HD-27-007. This program is designed to meet ongoing needs in the maternal and pediatric HIV research community by accelerating research data translation and improving data sharing through the reuse of existing resources rather than launching entirely new prospective studies. In practical terms, the funding supports secondary analyses that draw on already archived HIV/AIDS datasets and stored specimen collections, with an emphasis on generating new knowledge efficiently by leveraging materials that have already been collected in prior studies or clinical cohorts.

The scientific scope is centered on maternal, pediatric, and adolescent populations affected by HIV, and it encourages investigators to use archived data and specimens to address high-impact questions across several major domains. These include HIV epidemiology (such as patterns of infection, transmission, and outcomes in mothers and children), pathogenesis (mechanisms of disease progression and immune response), treatment (including antiretroviral therapy-related questions and real-world effectiveness), and clinical manifestations (how HIV presents and evolves in these populations). The opportunity also explicitly highlights HIV-associated co-infections and co-morbidities, which can include conditions that commonly complicate HIV care and outcomes, and which may differ in important ways for pregnant/postpartum people, infants, children, and adolescents. Overall, the aim is to encourage broader and more creative use of existing HIV/AIDS archived datasets and biorepositories to answer questions that are difficult, time-consuming, or expensive to address through new collection efforts.

This funding opportunity uses the R21 grant mechanism, which is typically intended to support exploratory or early-stage projects. A key restriction in the title is "CT Not Allowed," meaning clinical trials are not permitted under this announcement. Applicants are expected to focus on secondary analyses and research activities compatible with reanalysis of existing data and specimens rather than initiating new interventional clinical trial work. The program is positioned to produce findings that can quickly inform future research directions, clinical understanding, and potentially public health approaches for maternal and pediatric HIV, especially by translating underused archived resources into publishable results and actionable insights.

Eligibility is broad and includes a wide range of domestic applicant organization types such as 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. The opportunity is also open to Native American tribal governments (federally recognized) and other Native American tribal organizations, public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, nonprofits with and without 501(c)(3) status (as long as they are not institutions of higher education in those nonprofit categories), for-profit organizations other than small businesses, and small businesses, as well as other eligible entities described in the NOFO. International eligibility is somewhat nuanced: non-U.S. entities (foreign organizations) are eligible to apply, and non-U.S. components of U.S. organizations are also eligible to apply. However, "foreign components" as defined by the NIH Grants Policy Statement are not allowed, so applicants need to pay close attention to NIH definitions and structure collaborations accordingly.

From a funding and competition standpoint, the award ceiling is $200,000, and NIH expects to make about three awards. The opportunity was created on 2026-05-19, and the original closing date is listed as 2028-10-20. The program is categorized under the health activity area and is associated with CFDA numbers 93.242 and 93.865, reflecting NIH program cataloging. Applicants are directed to consult Section III (Eligibility Information) of the official Notice of Funding Opportunity for detailed rules and conditions, especially given the international participation constraints and the clinical trial prohibition.

• The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Using Archived Data and Specimen Collections to Advance Maternal and Pediatric HIV/AIDS Research (R21 CT Not Allowed)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.242, 93.865.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2026-05-19.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2028-10-20.
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $200,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 3 candidate(s).
• 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 HD 27 007

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