The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is offering a funding opportunity through the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) for research on long-term cardiopulmonary sequelae following tuberculosis (TB) treatment. This program, titled "Pulmonary Outcomes and Sequelae after Treatment-TB (POST-TB)" (NOFO number PAR-23-148), supports epidemiological and observational research on the adverse outcomes and morbidity associated with post-TB lung disease (PTLD) in individuals with and without HIV. The purpose of this grant is to better understand the epidemiology, clinical manifestations, and mechanisms of PTLD and the interaction between TB, HIV, and antiretroviral therapy.

Applicants are encouraged to leverage existing cohorts of adult and pediatric TB participants for further data collection. These could include partnerships with networks like the International Epidemiology Databases to Evaluate AIDS (IeDEA) or the TB-RePORT network, ongoing clinical trials, or patient rosters from TB programs. Research should focus on long-term effects of TB treatment, with an emphasis on PTLD, to explore risk factors, biomarkers, and the host immune response, particularly among individuals co-infected with HIV.

Projects that fit within the scope of this NOFO could explore how HIV status affects the severity or type of lung damage after TB treatment, identify biomarkers predictive of PTLD, study immune system responses, and assess the burden of cardiovascular and respiratory diseases in PTLD patients. Studies might involve clinical, immunological, and case-control designs to better define risk factors for pulmonary dysfunction and potential strategies to reduce morbidity. It is important to note that this funding opportunity does not cover the cost of routine TB treatment, nor does it support studies focusing solely on the pharmacological effects of TB drugs or studies of patients with multidrug-resistant TB.

This program is open to a wide range of eligible applicants, including higher education institutions, nonprofits, for-profit organizations, and governmental entities. Foreign institutions are also eligible to apply. Applications are accepted on standard NIH due dates, with the earliest submission date starting on August 7, 2023, and deadlines recurring through May 2026. Each project may be funded for up to five years, and application budgets should reflect the actual needs of the project.

Given the complexity of PTLD and the unique health challenges it poses, particularly among HIV-positive populations, this initiative aims to fill critical gaps in knowledge and promote strategies to improve long-term outcomes for TB survivors. Applicants are expected to include a diverse team of researchers and comply with NIH’s guidelines on diversity and inclusion, as outlined in NIH notices of interest. Additionally, all applications must follow NIH’s new data management and sharing policies, as well as other submission guidelines detailed in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide.

Key review criteria for this opportunity include the significance of the research question, innovation, scientific approach, and the capabilities of the investigators. Applications will be assessed through the NIH peer review process, considering factors like study design, participant recruitment, and data management. Successful applicants will be required to submit annual progress reports and comply with NIH grant policies.