HIV/AIDS Vaccine Scholars Program (K01) | PAR 16 347

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the HIV/AIDS Vaccine Scholars Program (K01) opportunity?

The HIV/AIDS Vaccine Scholars Program (K01) is an NIH career development grant designed to help early-stage investigators build skills, research experience, publication output, and mentorship support needed to become independent HIV vaccine researchers. The funding opportunity number is PAR 16-347, and it uses the Mentored Research Scientist Development Award (K01) mechanism.

What does it mean that this is a K01 (Mentored Research Scientist Development Award)?

A K01 is structured around intensive, supervised career development. The award emphasizes mentoring, structured training, and protected time for research and professional growth, rather than functioning as fully independent research funding.

Who is this program intended for?

The program targets early-stage investigators who are within 10 years of completing a terminal degree or finishing residency training and who are pursuing a career trajectory focused on HIV/AIDS vaccine research.

How long is the period of support?

The award provides three years of support, intended as an immersive career development period to help scholars progress toward research independence.

What kind of support does the award provide?

The opportunity combines salary support with dedicated research funds. The intent is to help awardees protect time for career development while generating publishable research results.

What is the central scientific requirement of this K01?

Both the research plan and the mentorship environment must focus on HIV/AIDS vaccine development using nonhuman primates (NHPs) as pre-clinical models. Applicants are expected to propose work that clearly depends on NHP-based vaccine model research and produces findings relevant to human vaccine development.

Does my proposed project have to use nonhuman primates (NHPs)?

Yes. The opportunity requires that the research plan be centered on HIV/AIDS vaccine development using NHPs as pre-clinical models, and that the mentorship environment also be aligned with NHP vaccine model expertise.

How does NIH describe the translational expectation for NHP-based work?

NIH expects the NHP-focused research and training plan to be positioned to generate findings with relevance to human vaccine development. The mentorship team is also expected to be knowledgeable about translating NHP findings into human-focused research, strengthening the bridge from pre-clinical evidence to clinical or translational next steps.

What does NIH expect from the mentorship team?

NIH expects a mentorship team that is experienced in building and using NHP vaccine models and also knowledgeable about translating NHP findings toward human vaccine research. The mentorship environment is a central requirement, not an add-on.

What is the career goal NIH expects scholars to reach by the end of the award?

The stated goal is to move scholars toward independence so they are competitive for major NIH research project grants, such as an R01, by the end of the three-year project period.

How does this opportunity align with broader NIH HIV research priorities?

This initiative aligns with NIH priorities described under the FY 2017 Trans-NIH Plan for HIV-Related Research. It supports two objectives: (1) advancing the development of active and passive HIV/AIDS vaccines, and (2) promoting and supporting HIV/AIDS-related training. The program is intended to strengthen both scientific progress and the HIV vaccine research workforce pipeline.

What types of organizations are eligible to apply?

Eligibility for applicant organizations is broad and includes many domestic U.S. institution types across government, academia, nonprofit, and industry. Examples listed include state, county, and local governments; special district governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; federally recognized Native American tribal governments; tribal organizations that are not federally recognized; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status (as long as they are not institutions of higher education in those categories); for-profit organizations other than small businesses; small businesses; and other eligible entities.

Are minority-serving institutions and community-based organizations included among eligible applicants?

Yes. The announcement highlights inclusion of specific institution categories such as Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic-serving Institutions, Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, and Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs). It also notes eligible federal agencies and faith-based or community-based organizations.

Are foreign institutions or non-U.S. entities eligible to apply?

No. Non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities and foreign institutions are not eligible to apply.

Can a U.S. organization apply if it has a non-domestic component?

No. Non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are not eligible under this opportunity.

Are foreign components allowed in the project?

No. Foreign components, as defined by the NIH Grants Policy Statement, are not allowed. The supported work is intended to be conducted entirely within allowable domestic institutional and project structures.

Which federal agency administers this opportunity?

The opportunity is administered by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) as a discretionary grant in the health category.

What is the CFDA number associated with this program?

The program is listed under CFDA 93.351.

What is the listed award ceiling?

The source information lists an award ceiling of $350,000.

What was the original closing date for the published announcement cycle?

The source information lists an original closing date of January 11, 2018, reflecting the timeline for that particular announcement cycle.

Is this program mainly about producing experimental results, or about training?

It is explicitly both. The program is designed to produce publishable, translationally relevant results in NHP pre-clinical vaccine models while also providing structured training, sustained mentoring, and protected time that builds an investigator into an independent HIV vaccine researcher.

What is the simplest way to describe this K01 to a potential applicant?

It is a targeted, mentored career launchpad for early-stage investigators committed to HIV vaccine development in nonhuman primate pre-clinical systems, with a strong emphasis on mentorship quality, translational relevance to humans, and readiness to compete for later NIH funding such as an R01.