The National Institutes of Health is seeking applications for the Global Infectious Disease Research Training Program.

This Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) encourages joint applications for the Global Infectious Disease (GID) Research Training programs from U.S. and low- and middle-income country (LMIC) institutions. The application should propose a collaborative training program that will strengthen the capacity of a LMIC institution to conduct infectious disease research not including HIV/AIDS.

FIC will support research-training programs that focus on major endemic or life-threatening emerging infectious diseases, neglected tropical diseases, infections that frequently occur as co-infections in HIV infected individuals or infections associated with non-communicable disease conditions of public health importance in LMICs.  Training related to prevention, treatment or public health approaches to any technical area of basic, epidemiology, clinical, behavioral or social science health research may be supported.

Research Training programs should incorporate didactic, mentored research and professional development skills components to prepare individuals for careers that will have significant impact on the priority health research needs of LMICs.

This Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) allows support of trainees as the lead investigator of an independent clinical trial; or a separate ancillary clinical trial or proposing to gain research experience in a clinical trial led by another investigator, as part of their research and professional development.

Objectives

The objectives of the Global Infectious Disease Research Training program are:

• To develop research training opportunities and professional development activities for a cadre of LMIC scientists and health research professionals to strengthen the capacity to conduct independent, sustainable infectious disease research at a LMIC institution.
• To provide mentored training-related infectious disease research experience that is directly relevant to the health priorities of the LMIC.
• To strengthen the capabilities of trainees at LMIC institutions to lead, manage and train others in infectious disease research.

Each program should provide LMIC trainees rigorous research training i.e. relevant advanced coursework, mentored research experience and appropriate technical and professional skills development.  Research training should provide each LMIC trainee with:

• A strong foundation in research design, methods, and analytic techniques appropriate for the proposed infectious disease research area;
• Enhancement of their ability to conceptualize and think through research problems with increasing independence;
• Experience conducting infectious disease research using state-of-the-art methods as well as presenting and publishing their research findings;
• Opportunities to interact with members of the scientific community at relevant scientific meetings and workshops; and
• The enhancement of their overall understanding of the health-related sciences and the relationship of their research training to health and disease.

The Global Infectious Disease Research Training programs should be designed to move beyond training a number of individuals for the next career level to demonstratively increasing sustainable, independently resourced infectious disease research capacity at the proposed LMIC institution. It is expected that the training strategies employed will contribute to measurable enhancement of explicitly defined infectious disease research capacity outcomes.

The proposed institutional infectious disease research training program may complement other ongoing research training and career development programs at the LMIC institution, but the proposed program must be clearly distinct from related programs.

Funding Information

• Application budgets are limited to $230,000 per year for new awards and $276,000 per year for renewal awards (total direct costs).
• Duration: The maximum project period allowed is 5 years.

Eligibility Criteria

• Higher Education Institutions
• Public/State Controlled Institutions of Higher Education
• Private Institutions of Higher Education

The following types of Higher Education Institutions are always encouraged to apply for NIH support as Public or Private Institutions of Higher Education:

• Hispanic-serving Institutions
• Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs)
• Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs)
• Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions
• Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs)
• U.S. Territory or Possession

Other

• Non-domestic (non-U.S.) Entities (Foreign Institutions)

The sponsoring institution must assure support for the proposed program. Appropriate institutional commitment to the program includes the provision of adequate staff, facilities, and educational resources that can contribute to the planned program

For more information, visit Grants.gov.