The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) within the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has announced the reissuance of the AIDS-Science Track Award for Research Transition (A-START) under the Small Grant Program (R03). This funding opportunity aims to facilitate the entry of early-career investigators into research that integrates substance use and/or substance use disorder (SUD) with HIV/AIDS. The program welcomes research projects that can be completed in a short time frame with limited resources and encourages innovative approaches to address the challenges faced by people who use substances and are affected by HIV/AIDS.

This program targets newly independent investigators and early-career researchers without R01 funding or those who have an R01 but are new to researching the intersection of SUD and HIV/AIDS. Projects may span a wide range of research areas supported by NIDA, including basic research, clinical trials, epidemiology, prevention, and health services. Studies involving both domestic and international populations are eligible, and a variety of research methods, such as pilot studies, secondary data analyses, and intervention research, are welcomed. This FOA encourages investigations into topics like HIV prevention and care among people who use substances, the impact of SUD on HIV treatment adherence, and the role of substance use in HIV-related inflammation and neuroimmune function.

NIDA plans to fund approximately 12 awards with a total budget of $1,000,000 for fiscal year 2022. Applicants may request up to $100,000 in direct costs per year for a project period limited to two years. The application process involves standard NIH procedures, including submission through Grants.gov and adherence to the NIH application guide. Clinical trials are optional, and applicants must specify whether their research includes human subjects. The earliest submission date was December 7, 2021, with multiple deadlines continuing through January 7, 2025.

Eligible applicants include higher education institutions, nonprofits, for-profit organizations, governments, and foreign institutions. Registrations in systems such as the System for Award Management (SAM), eRA Commons, and Grants.gov are mandatory prior to submission. Applications will be reviewed for their significance, innovation, and approach, as well as the qualifications of the research team and the suitability of the research environment. The review process will consider the project's potential impact on both HIV/AIDS research and the field of substance use.

This FOA represents an opportunity for researchers to contribute to high-priority research areas, including understanding the epidemiology of HIV among people who use substances, developing novel interventions, and exploring the biological mechanisms linking SUD and HIV. Successful applicants will be expected to use the results from their A-START projects to build towards larger, independent grant applications, such as R01s, to further advance this critical area of research.