Consortia for Structure-based Immunogen Design for HIV (CSID-HIV)

The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ National Institutes of Health (NIH), has forecasted a funding opportunity titled Consortia for Structure-based Immunogen Design for HIV (CSID-HIV). This opportunity, issued under RFA-AI-27-020, seeks to accelerate the development of immunogens that can induce broadly neutralizing antibody (bNAb) responses against HIV. The program is designed as a cooperative agreement, allowing for close collaboration between NIAID and award recipients, and it falls within the health category of federal funding activity. The assistance listing number is 93.855, corresponding to allergy and infectious diseases research. The primary goal of this funding initiative is to overcome critical challenges in immunogen design for HIV. The consortia funded under this opportunity will focus on multidisciplinary approaches that combine iterative research efforts to identify and develop HIV immunogens capable of eliciting strong and broad immune responses. The resulting immunogens are expected to be advanced into clinical testing, supporting the broader mission of NIH to foster medical discoveries that improve health and reduce the burdens of disease. Research efforts under this program are intended not only to provide therapeutic strategies using bNAbs but also to inform and advance vaccine development for both prevention and treatment of HIV. Additionally, the technological advances achieved through this initiative may have implications for other fields that face significant challenges in viral antigen targeting and vaccine design. The funding mechanism emphasizes coordinated, multi-institutional collaboration, forming consortia that can integrate expertise across immunology, virology, structural biology, and vaccine science. By supporting such consortia, NIAID aims to accelerate proof-of-concept demonstrations of therapeutic strategies and vaccines capable of inducing bNAbs against multiple HIV sites. The cooperative agreement format indicates that federal program staff will be substantially involved in technical and programmatic oversight, fostering an environment of shared accountability and continuous collaboration throughout the research process. Eligibility for this opportunity is broad and includes state governments, county and city governments, tribal governments, school districts, nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status, small businesses, for-profit organizations other than small businesses, housing authorities, public and private institutions of higher education, and special district governments. Additional eligible applicants include Indian/Native American tribal governments (other than federally recognized), federal agencies, U.S. territories or possessions, faith-based and community-based organizations, and regional organizations. This extensive eligibility scope underscores NIH’s commitment to engaging a wide range of partners in advancing HIV research. The funding forecast provides a clear timeline. The opportunity was forecasted on September 15, 2025, with an estimated post date of February 12, 2026. Applications will be due by April 14, 2026, and awards are projected to be announced on January 1, 2027. The same date marks the expected project start. The fiscal year of this program is 2027. While no specific pre-application requirements such as a letter of intent are stated in the forecast, applicants should monitor the full Notice of Funding Opportunity when released for further details. At this stage, estimated funding levels, award ceiling, award floor, and total program funding are not disclosed, requiring verification when the official NOFO is posted. Contact for this opportunity is Dr. Stuart Z. Shapiro, M.D., Ph.D., who can be reached at 240-292-6155 or via email at sshapiro@niaid.nih.gov. Applicants with questions regarding program scope, application requirements, or eligibility are encouraged to reach out directly. This forecasted opportunity represents an early engagement stage, giving potential applicants time to prepare collaborations, consortia arrangements, and preliminary planning in advance of the official release of the funding announcement.