The purpose of this Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) is to support multi-component, multi-disciplinary projects that address scientific questions relevant to AIDS prophylactic vaccine discovery research. Extensive evaluation of vaccine concepts in non-human primate models may be included. The HIV Vaccine Research and Design (HIVRAD) Program supports projects that address hypotheses crucial to the design of an efficacious HIV/AIDS prophylactic vaccine. An application submitted in response to this Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) should include hypothesis-supporting data that the research has advanced past the exploratory stage, including preliminary immunogenicity to justify the vaccine candidate development; and the application should lay out a research plan with clear decision points. Preclinical evaluation of vaccine concepts in nonhuman primates and/or small animal models, such as transgenic humanized mice, may be included. This NOFO will support research including but not limited to:
Approaches to elicit durable and broadly adaptive immunity against HIV and/or SIV
Identifying correlates of vaccine-induced immune protection against infection with HIV and/or SHIV/SIV in preclinical models
HIV structural studies as they relate to designing HIV immunogens
Improved animal model systems to address vaccine immunogenicity and/or efficacy
Approaches to improve the immunogenicity of HIV antigens (e.g., novel adjuvants and delivery systems)
Novel candidate vaccine design for addressing the heterogeneity of HIV
Developing or improving vaccine vectors
Determining how immune cells can be mobilized to relevant mucosal sites
Investigations into innate immunity to alter the outcome of infection
