Influenza Transmission Research Consortium (P01 Clinical Trial Optional)

The Department of Health and Human Services, through the National Institutes of Health and specifically the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), has reissued a Notice of Funding Opportunity titled Influenza Transmission Research Consortium (P01 Clinical Trial Optional). This program, under the Research Program Projects activity code (P01), is identified as RFA-AI-25-035. It is a continuation of earlier initiatives such as RFA-AI-20-008, designed to deepen understanding of the mechanisms and drivers of human-to-human transmission of seasonal influenza viruses. The new effort expands the scope by supporting multidisciplinary centers that can investigate influenza transmission and develop new or improved resources to advance research in respiratory virus transmission. The background of the initiative highlights the critical role influenza transmission plays in shaping both annual epidemics and the potential for global pandemics. Despite decades of research, many uncertainties remain about the modes of transmission, the relationship between symptoms, viral shedding, and infectivity, as well as the influence of host, viral, and environmental factors. This program responds to renewed scientific interest in respiratory transmission, fueled by recent advances in aerosol research and the heightened attention to respiratory pathogens following the COVID-19 pandemic. The initiative explicitly links to NIAID’s broader strategic goal of developing improved vaccines, including universal influenza vaccines. The program’s objectives are to establish a network of Influenza Transmission Research Centers that collaborate within a consortium. Each center must propose two to three research projects around a shared theme and establish required cores, including an Administrative Core and a Resource Development Core. These structures are intended to ensure efficient coordination, scientific innovation, and development of widely accessible tools such as animal models, assays, devices, reagents, and computational models. Additional optional scientific cores may be included if relevant. Clinical trials are permitted only under specific conditions, such as controlled human influenza virus infection studies or non-pharmaceutical interventions, but vaccine and therapeutic trials are explicitly excluded. Funding for this opportunity is significant. NIAID intends to commit $8 million in fiscal year 2026 to support two to three awards. Each application may request up to $2.5 million in direct costs per year, for a maximum project period of five years. These funds must be justified based on the actual needs of the proposed projects. Costs can include resources for annual consortium meetings, cross-center collaborations, publications, and other activities central to program goals. NIH grant policy requirements apply, and cost sharing is not required under this program. Eligibility for this program is broad. Applications may be submitted by higher education institutions (both public and private), nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status, for-profit organizations including small businesses, a wide range of government entities at state, county, city, township, and tribal levels, as well as independent school districts, housing authorities, faith-based and community organizations, and regional organizations. Foreign organizations are eligible to apply directly but may not receive funding for foreign subawards or subcontracts. This reflects NIH’s updated policy as of May 2025, which prohibits monetary foreign subawards under domestic or foreign awards. However, unfunded collaborations and the procurement of unique foreign resources remain allowable. Applications must be submitted electronically through NIH ASSIST, Grants.gov, or an institutional system-to-system solution. The earliest submission date is October 7, 2025, and full applications are due by November 7, 2025, at 5:00 PM local time of the applicant’s organization. A letter of intent, while not required, is requested 30 days prior to the deadline, by October 8, 2025. Scientific merit review is scheduled for March 2026, with advisory council review in May 2026, and the earliest possible start date in July 2026. The funding opportunity expires on November 8, 2025. Applicants are strongly encouraged to allow time for correction of errors during submission and to comply with all multi-project application requirements outlined in the NIH Application Guide. Applications will be evaluated on their overall significance, investigator qualifications, innovation, methodological approach, and the scientific environment. Special emphasis will be placed on the integration and synergy of the research projects and cores, as well as the quality of proposed resources and their accessibility to the wider community. Contact persons for scientific questions include Dr. Brooke Bozick, Dr. Kate Plimack, and Ms. Sonnie Kim of NIAID, with Tamika Boyd serving as the financial and grants management contact. General application submission questions can be directed to the NIH eRA Service Desk, GrantsInfo email, or Grants.gov support.