Overview
While the success of antiretroviral therapies continues to improve the life expectancy of people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA), both aging and HIV-treatment are associated with the early appearance or greater risk of comorbidities that affect the musculoskeletal system and skin. In order to address the mechanisms underlying these changes and understand the pathogenesis of these comorbidities in PLWHA, NIAMS is committed to promoting research efforts to this field of research within the mission areas of systemic rheumatic, musculoskeletal, and skin diseases.
NIAMS supports and encourages observational, translational, and basic/pre-clinical research focused on how the presence or treatment of HIV/AIDS impacts various disease areas. Below are examples of HIV/AIDS-associated comorbidities that are within the NIAMS mission:
- Musculoskeletal pain
- Muscle diseases (e.g., sarcopenia, cachexia, muscular dystrophy)
- Cartilage degeneration (e.g., osteoarthritis)
- Bone diseases (e.g., osteoporosis, osteopenia) or bone fracture
- Arthritis and other rheumatic diseases (e.g., reactive arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, septic arthritis)
- Dermatological manifestation
NIAMS is supportive of projects utilizing existing HIV/AIDS cohorts and repositories or leveraging resources from clinical research studies to conduct ancillary studies that investigate the effects of HIV infection and/or antiretroviral therapy on diseases and conditions within the NIAMS mission. Areas of interest include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Delineation of the impact of viral and/or host factors or interaction of these factors, or anti-retroviral therapy (ART) in people living with HIV (PLWH) on accelerating or worsening or early onset of comorbidities.
- Studies on the prevalence and risk assessment and management of HIV/AIDS-associated comorbidities in PLWH.
- Identification of etiological targets or biomarkers along with mechanistic action for diagnosis or preclinical candidate therapeutic evaluation/development.
Current Funding Opportunities
- NOT-AR-23-004: Notice of Special Interest: Promoting research opportunities on HIV/AIDS in NIAMS
- PA-20-185: NIH Research Project Grant (Parent R01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
- PA-20-195: NIH Exploratory /Developmental Research Grant Program (Parent R21 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
- PAR-23-025: Ancillary Studies to Ongoing Clinical Projects (R01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
- PAR-23-026: Ancillary Studies to Ongoing Clinical Projects (R21 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
- PAR-21-053: Clinical Observational (CO) Studies in Musculoskeletal, Rheumatic, and Skin Diseases (R01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
- PA-20-272: Administrative Supplements to Existing NIH Grants and Cooperative Agreements (Parent Admin Supp Clinical Trial Optional)
- PAR-21-068: Multidisciplinary Studies of HIV/AIDS and Aging (R01 Clinical Trial Optional)
- PAR-21-069: Multidisciplinary Studies of HIV/AIDS and Aging (R21 Clinical Trial Optional)
- PAR-21-246: HIV-associated Non-Communicable Diseases Research at Low- and Middle-Income Country Institutions (R21 Clinical Trial Optional)
Applications submitted to NIAMS should meet the NIH HIV/AIDS Research Priorities and Guidelines as indicated in NOT-OD-20-018: NIH HIV/AIDS Research Priorities and Guidelines for Determining AIDS Funding.
Additional HIV/AIDS Research Resources
- Strategic Plan for Trans-NIH Plan for HIV-Related Research
- NIH HIV/AIDS Online Resources
- NIH HIV/AIDS Research Priorities and Guidelines for Determining HIV/AIDS Funding
- NIH Workshop on HIV-Associated Comorbidites, Co-infections, & Complications: The workshop aimed to foster a better understanding of HIV-associated comorbidities, coinfections, and complications as well as identify scientific opportunities. Following the meeting, working groups continue to identify gaps, challenges and opportunities within the various disease areas. View the workshop summary for more information.
For additional questions, please contact the NIAMS HIV/AIDS Coordinator, Dr. Heiyoung Park.