The National Institutes of Health (NIH), through the National Cancer Institute (NCI), is offering a grant opportunity under the R01 Clinical Trial Optional mechanism for research on the impact of the combined stigma of HIV and cancer on health outcomes among people with HIV (PWH) who have been diagnosed with cancer. This funding opportunity aims to expand knowledge about how the intersection of HIV and cancer stigmas affects treatment access, adherence, quality of life, and overall survival rates in PWH with cancer. Researchers are encouraged to design projects that explore stigma reduction interventions targeting individual, provider, community, and systemic levels to improve cancer outcomes in these patients. The call is open to projects with well-developed designs backed by preliminary data, with a separate but related R21 funding opportunity available for pilot projects.

Applicants are encouraged to investigate the interaction between HIV and cancer stigmas in both domestic and international contexts where the HIV-cancer burden is especially high, such as in Southern Africa or urban areas in the U.S. The program encourages projects that examine stigma in a sociocultural context and consider the combined effect of identity-based stigmas, such as race, ethnicity, gender, socioeconomic status, and sexual identity, on cancer outcomes. Examples of research areas include developing and validating tools to assess stigma impacts on health, investigating media influences on stigma, and evaluating stigma-reduction interventions at multiple levels within healthcare systems.

Eligible applicants include public and private higher education institutions, nonprofit organizations, for-profit entities, government entities, and foreign organizations. Applicants must complete various pre-application registrations, including SAM, NCAGE (for foreign applicants), eRA Commons, and Grants.gov, which could take several weeks to complete. Proposals must address both HIV and cancer-related outcomes, ensuring at least 50% of study participants are HIV-positive. The NCI plans to allocate a total of $5 million in fiscal year 2025 for up to six awards, with a cap of $500,000 in direct costs per project per year for a maximum period of five years.

Applicants are required to adhere strictly to submission guidelines outlined in the NIH Application Guide. Submissions should include a detailed research plan, including specific aims, significance, innovation, approach, and the environment in which the project will be conducted. Collaboration with relevant community stakeholders, such as patient advocacy groups and healthcare providers, is strongly encouraged. Proposals are evaluated based on their potential impact, feasibility, and alignment with NCI’s programmatic goals. All projects must include a multilevel approach to addressing stigma and an analysis of both HIV and cancer measures and outcomes.

The application process includes submitting a Letter of Intent (LOI) 30 days prior to the December 10, 2024 deadline, with the full application due by 5:00 PM local time. Scientific merit review will take place in March 2025, and the advisory council review will follow in May 2025, with award announcements expected by July 2025. Applicants are advised to submit their applications early to allow time for corrections and are reminded that late applications will not be accepted.

Review criteria focus on the significance, investigator expertise, innovation, approach, and the suitability of the environment for the proposed research. Successful applications will be those that demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of both HIV and cancer stigma impacts on patient outcomes and propose feasible, impactful solutions to address these issues at multiple levels of influence.