AIDS and Related Research IRG [AARR] 
The AIDS and
AIDS-Related Research [AARR] IRG reviews all - basic, translational,
clinical, and behavioral – aspects of HIV/AIDS research. This includes studies of: the
molecular and cell biology, immunology, pathogenesis, and epidemiology of HIV
and related viruses, as well as AIDS-associated opportunistic infections; the
development of drugs, vaccines, and other therapies; complications of
therapy, as well as behavioral and social science approaches to preventing
and evaluating the consequences of HIV/AIDS.
The following study sections are included within the
AARR IRG:
Molecular
and Cellular Biology Study Section (AMCB) (Formerly AARR-1)
AIDS Immunology and Pathogenesis Study Section (AIP)
(Formerly AARR-2)
AIDS Discovery and Development of Therapeutics Study Section
(ADDT) (Formerly AARR-3)
AIDS-associated Opportunistic Infections and Cancer Study
Section (AOIC) (Formerly AARR-4)
NeuroAIDS and other End-organ Diseases Study Section (NAED)
(Formerly AARR-5)
AIDS Clinical studies and Epidemiology Study Section (ACE) (Formerly AARR-6)
Behavioral and Social Science Approaches to Preventing
HIV/AIDS Study Section (BSPH) (Formerly
AARR-7)
Behavioral and Social Consequences of HIV/AIDS Study Section
(BSCH) (Formerly AARR-8)
HIV/AIDS Vaccines Study Section (VACC)
AARR Small Business Activities
All AIDS-related
applications are reviewed on an expedited cycle due to a Congressional
mandate, and are hence reviewed by one of the following study sections within
the AARR IRG or by Special Emphasis Panels. AIDS-related applications that
are appropriate for review by any of the other CSR study sections cannot be
referred there due to the differences in the receipt and review dates within
the review cycle. The VACC study section formerly reviewed all
vaccine-related applications. However, the reorganization of the Immunology
[IMM] IRG and the establishment of the Vaccines Against Microbial Diseases [VMD]
study section has changed this referral pattern. Only applications with
research directed to HIV/AIDS vaccines are assigned to AARR/VACC.
Applications focusing on vaccine development for other infectious diseases
are assigned to the Immunology IRG.
AIDS
Molecular and Cellular Biology [AMCB] Study Section
(Formerly AARR-1)
[AMCB
Roster]
AIDS Molecular and Cellular
Biology [AMCB] Study Section reviews applications focused on the molecular,
structural, and cellular biology of HIV and related
lentiviruses/retroviruses. These areas of research encompass studies of the
biochemistry and genetics of HIV and viral infection, replication, and
regulation. This Study Section also reviews applications related to viral aspects
of pathogenesis, non-immune host responses and factors, and identification of
viral/host targets for gene-based and other therapeutics and diagnostics.
Specific areas covered by AMCB:
· Molecular biology, cell biology, and virology of HIV
and related lentiviruses
· Molecular basis of lentiviral pathogenicity
· Biochemistry of HIV and related lentiviruses
· Regulation of viral and cellular biochemical processes,
including tissue-specific effects of HIV
· Role of host gene products in virus infection and
replication
· Variation in host factors and impact on virus
infection and replication
· Mechanism of action and structure-function studies
of viral and gene products
· In vitro and in vivo activity of viral gene and gene
products in different cell types
· Genetics of HIV and related viruses
· Mechanisms of host resistance, with emphasis on
non-immune mechanisms
· Mechanisms and regulation of viral replication
· Molecular biology of gene therapy and ribozymes
· Molecular and cellular biology of the impact of
cofactors on viral pathogenesis
· Design and development of new molecular-based
diagnostics and assays
· Basic virology of animal models, including
non-primate lentivirus systems
AMCB has the following shared interests within the AARR IRG:
· Applications with emphasis on virology are reviewed
in AMCB; those with emphasis on the host and host response to the virus are
reviewed in AIP.
· Applications using animal models to study the growth
of the virus are reviewed in AMCB; those with emphasis on the host response
are reviewed in AIP.
· Studies of host factors for viral growth and how
these can be co-factors for resistance or enhancement of infection or disease
progression are reviewed in AMCB, whereas studies of immune-based factors are
reviewed in AIP.
· For viral genes and gene products, AMCB reviews
mechanisms of action, regulation, and means of interaction with host factors,
whereas ADDT reviews applications that use this information for assays and
screens in therapeutics discovery.
· AMCB reviews the regulation of viral and cellular
biochemical processes in general, while grants dealing with CNS-specific
aspects of viral regulation are reviewed by NAED.
[Back to Top]
AIDS
Immunology and Pathogenesis Study Section [AIP]
(Formerly AARR-2)
[AIP
Roster]
The AIDS Immunology and
Pathogenesis [AIP] Study Section reviews applications related to the
immunology and pathogenesis of HIV and related lentiviruses/retroviruses. Research
includes cellular and humoral responses to HIV(and related lentiviruses), and
mechanisms of transmission, initiation, and establishment of HIV infection at
a cellular and tissue level, including animal models. This Study Section also
reviews studies of immune mechanisms of host resistance, mechanisms of
vaccine-induced immunity, and the effect of various infectious and other
co-factors on pathogenesis, immune responses, and disease progression.
Specific areas covered by AIP:
· Innate immunity to HIV and related viruses
· Cellular and humoral immune responses to HIV and
related viruses and mechanisms of host resistance
·
Studies of mucosal immune
responses to HIV and other lentiviruses
·
Mechanisms of HIV antigen processing,
and methods to augment particular immune responses and effector cells
·
Mechanisms of HIV-mediated
impairment of host responses, including HIV-related bone marrow dysfunction
· Immunological studies of transmission, initiation
and establishment of HIV infection
·
Immunopathogenesis and
immunoregulation of HIV and related viruses
·
Clinical immunology of HIV
disease
· Molecular, cellular, and tissue-based studies of
interactions between noninfectious [e.g., alcohol or other substance of
abuse] or infectious co-factors [e.g., HIV and AIDS-associated opportunistic
infections, with emphasis on HIV and disease progression]
AIP has the following shared interests within the AARR IRG:
· Studies that emphasize virology are assigned to
AMCB; those with an emphasis on the host or host responses to the virus are
assigned to AIP. Also, studies of animal models that emphasize the growth of
the virus are reviewed in AMCB; those with an emphasis on the host response
are reviewed in AIP. Studies of host factors for viral growth and how these
can be co-factors for resistance/enhancement of infection or disease
progression are reviewed in AMCB, whereas studies of immune- based factors
are reviewed in AIP.
· NAED focuses on the interaction between HIV and
[non- infectious] co-factors and how they combine to affect end-organ
pathology, while AIP focuses on how these factors and co-factors combine to
affect viral replication.
· Epidemiological studies that address questions of
pathogenesis using molecular or biochemical assays are reviewed in AIP;
population-based epidemiological studies that address more traditional
epidemiological questions are reviewed in ACE.
·
Applications that focus on animal
models or vaccine development against HIV are appropriate for VACC study
section.
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AIDS
Discovery and Development of Therapeutics Study Section [ADDT]
Formerly AARR-3
[ADDT
Roster]
The AIDS Discovery and
Development of Therapeutics [ADDT] Study Section reviews applications
concerned with the design, discovery, and development of therapeutics for
HIV/AIDS. The science encompassed includes preclinical development of
gene-based therapeutics and diagnostics, traditional drugs, targeted drug
design and modeling based on structure, pharmacology, toxicology, drug
delivery, and assays to measure drug/therapeutic levels. This Study Section
also reviews applications related to the development of vector and cellular
aspects/components of gene-based and immune reconstitution therapies for
HIV/AIDS, viral resistance, and interactions of drugs/therapeutics used to
treat/prevent HIV infection and associated complications, as well as other
used/abused agents.
Specific areas covered by ADDT:
· Development of targeted screens for discovery of new
anti-HIV agents
· Isolation and characterization of natural products
as therapeutics/preventives for opportunistic infections
· Preclinical development of therapies for HIV/AIDS,
AIDS-associated opportunistic infections, and cancers [including toxicology
and pharmacology]
· Design and development of vectors for targeted
delivery to cells and tissues, and for in vivo use
· Preclinical evaluation of gene-based therapies
[e.g., ribozymes, trans- dominant inhibitors, anti-sense and si-RNA]
· Mechanisms of drug resistance
· Assay development for molecular-based measures of
resistance, therapeutic efficacy, and effects of therapy on immune parameters
· Chemistry, pharmacology, and biochemistry of target
compounds for HIV and AIDS-associated opportunistic infections
· Studies of drug-drug interactions
ADDT has the following shared interests within the AARR IRG:
· Studies dealing with mechanism of action,
regulation, and means of interaction of viral genes and/or gene products with
host factors are reviewed by AMCB, whereas ADDT reviews applications that use
this information for assays and screens in therapeutics discovery.
· ADDT shares interest with AOIC in studies of
AIDS-associated opportunistic infections. ADDT reviews targeted screening,
natural products isolation, and characterization and drug development after
anti-microbial/viral activity has been established, whereas AOIC covers the
microbiology of the opportunistic infections, especially their pathogenesis.
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AIDS-associated
Opportunistic Infections and Cancer Study Section [AOIC]
Formerly AARR-4
[AOIC
Roster]
The AIDS-associated
Opportunistic Infections and Cancer [AOIC] Study Section reviews applications
on opportunistic infections and cancers associated with HIV and AIDS. The
science encompasses pathogenesis, immune responses, animal models, and
molecular epidemiology and molecular characterization of AIDS-associated
opportunistic infections and cancers. This Study Section also reviews
applications that focus on the interactions of opportunistic infections and
cancers with HIV infection, and those focused on the identification and
development of targets for therapy and prophylaxis for opportunistic
infections. Proposals should address opportunistic infections in the
context of HIV infection/AIDS.
Specific areas covered by AOIC:
· Molecular, cellular, and tissue-based studies of
pathogenesis of AIDS-associated opportunistic infections, including viral
pathogens
·
Studies of interactions among
multiple pathogens
·
Studies of pathogenesis of
HIV/AIDS- associated cancers, including animal models
·
Animal models of AIDS-associated
opportunistic infections
·
Immunology of AIDS-associated
opportunistic infections
·
Molecular and genetic
epidemiology as related to opportunistic infections and AIDS-associated
neoplasms
·
Discovery/identification of
therapeutic targets for AIDS-associated opportunistic infections
AOIC has the following shared interests within the AARR IRG:
· Studies dealing with the microbiology of the
opportunistic infections, especially their pathogenesis, are reviewed by AOIC,
whereas those assigned to ADDT cover targeted screening, natural products
isolation, and characterization and drug development after
anti-microbial/viral activity has been established.
[Back to Top]
NeuroAIDS
and other End-organ Diseases Study Section
[NAED]
Formerly AARR-5
[NAED
Roster]
The NeuroAIDS and other
End-organ Diseases [NAED] Study Section reviews applications on the effects
of HIV infection and of AIDS on the nervous system and other organs and
systems, and the actions of abused substances, their cognate ligands, and hormones
on cellular immune processes. This includes neural-chemokine,
neural-cytokine, neuroendocrine, and neuroimmune relationships and similar
interactions in other organ systems. The pertinent areas of research also
include modulation of the HIV, retroviral, and related diseases by drugs and
other co-factors.
Specific areas covered by NAED:
· Neurovirology, neuroimmunology, neuroendocrinology,
behavioral immunology, and neuroimaging related to pathogenesis of HIV (and
related viruses)
·
Cell and molecular biology of
HIV and glial-neuronal interactions
·
Molecular and tissue-based
studies of psychological effects of HIV disease
· Physiology and cell biology of cytokine-hormonal
interactions in CNS and other organ systems
· Modulatory effects of pharmacological factors and
their cognate ligands on neuroimmune systems and HIV infection
· Immunology, macrophage biology, endothelial cell
biology, and pharmacology of drug abuse
·
Studies of effects of used and
abused substances and neuroactive drugs on establishment of infection,
immunopathogenesis, neuropathogenesis, and disease progression
· Molecular and tissue-based studies HIV in
non-lymphoid organ systems
· Studies of HIV-induced cardiomyopathy, renal
disease, pulmonary dysfunction and other end-organ pathology
NAED has the following shared
interests within the AARR IRG:
· AMCB emphasizes the regulation of viral and cellular
biochemical processes, whereas NAED emphasizes the CNS-specific effects on
virus regulation.
· AIP emphasizes the impact of the virus and the
immune response in lymphoid systems, whereas NAED reviews applications that
focus nervous system, and other end-organ diseases such as nephropathy and
cardiomyopathy.
· NAED reviews studies of neuropathology that impact
on neuronal function at the cellular level; ACE focuses on studies of
clinical trials that may impact neuroAIDS and have neurological assessment as
an outcome. Studies of cognitive dysfunction that affect behavior and
adherence to therapy may be reviewed in BSCH.
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AIDS
Clinical studies and Epidemiology Study Section [ACE]
Formerly AARR-6
[ACE
Roster]
AIDS Clinical studies and
Epidemiology [ACE] Study Section reviews studies of epidemiology, natural
history, in vivo pathogenesis, and transmission of HIV infection in defined
cohorts, and clinical studies/trials related to HIV/AIDS and associated
opportunistic infections and cancers. This Study Section also reviews
research related to nutrition and wasting, complementary and alternative
medicine approaches, and clinical development of therapeutics, prophylactic
agents, and biomedical interventions to treat or prevent HIV/AIDS and
associated opportunistic infections and cancers. In addition, it addresses
the development of diagnostics, clinical assays, and mathematical models.
Specific areas covered by ACE:
· Population-based epidemiology and natural history of
HIV infection, outcomes of anti-HIV chemotherapy, AIDS-associated
opportunistic infections and cancers
·
In vivo pathogenesis of disease
and progression in pediatric and adult populations
·
Multidisciplinary studies of
epidemiology and/or medical interventions with biological and/or
behavioral/psychological outcomes
·
Transmission [perinatal and
adult] of infection in human populations/cohorts
·
Development, application, and
evaluation of biological outcomes of interventions to prevent HIV infections
and/or treat HIV disease
·
Clinical development of
therapeutics for treatment and prophylaxis [including antivirals, immune
restoration, gene-based therapies, opportunistic infections, AIDS- associated
cancers, and neurological consequences]
·
Development of clinical
diagnostics
·
Complementary and alternative
therapies and non-behavioral interventions
·
Metabolic abnormalities and
nutrition in HIV/AIDS
·
Pharmacological interaction,
including HIV and other therapeutics, and substances of abuse and addiction
·
Development of biostatistical
tools for epidemiological and cohort analysis and for clinical trials
·
Mathematical modeling of viral
infection, transmission, and disease progression
ACE has the following shared interests within the AARR IRG:
· Development of molecular or immunological assays for
epidemiological studies are reviewed in AMCB or AIP, while population-based
studies that address more traditional epidemiological questions are reviewed
in ACE.
· NAED has an emphasis on studies of neuropathology
that impact on neuronal function at the tissue or cellular level; ACE
addresses population-based epidemiology studies of nervous system dysfunction
or drug abuse in AIDS.
· Intervention studies that include primarily
biomedical outcomes are reviewed in ACE; those studies that include primarily
behavioral outcomes with standard virological/immunological measures are
reviewed in BSPH and BSCH. Epidemiological studies of HIV infection and
AIDS-defining illness are emphasized in ACE; epidemiological studies of HIV
risk behaviors are emphasized in BSPH and BSCH.
[Back to Top]
Behavioral
and Social Science Approaches to Preventing HIV/AIDS Study Section [BSPH]
Formerly AARR-7
[BSPH
Roster]
Behavioral and Social Science Approaches to
Preventing HIV/AIDS [BSPH] Study Section reviews studies of behavioral and
social science aspects of HIV transmission and infection in the individual,
group, and community. Specifically, it reviews studies of risk factors,
antecedents, and correlates of HIV infection, as well as basic behavioral,
epidemiologic, and social science studies of mechanisms and factors at the
individual and community levels. In addition, it reviews research on the
development and testing of the efficacy of psychosocial interventions to prevent
HIV infection in at-risk populations.
Specific areas covered by BSPH:
· Epidemiologic and ethnographic aspects of the
incidence, prevalence, nature, and extent of HIV risk behaviors, their
correlates, and antecedents; the settings in which risk behaviors occur; and
the impact of co-occurring substance abuse and mental disorders
· Basic behavioral and social science aspects of HIV
risk behaviors, behavior change, maintenance of behavior change, and relapse
to risky behaviors
· Development and testing of interventions to reduce
risk behaviors, and efficacy of intervention strategies to reduce HIV risk
behaviors
· Development of HIV/AIDS educational products and
programs regarding prevention
· Multidisciplinary studies of epidemiology and/or
interventions with predominantly behavioral/psychological outcomes and some
standard biological outcomes
· Recruitment, retention, and adherence in a
clinical/cohort setting
·
Epidemiological and ethnographic
studies of HIV risk among the seriously mentally ill and other vulnerable
populations, such as the homeless, prisoners, and chronic substance abusers
BSPH has the following shared interests within the AARR IRG:
· Epidemiologic studies of HIV infection and AIDS-defining
illnesses are emphasized in ACE; epidemiologic studies of HIV risk behaviors
are reviewed in BSPH.
· Evaluation of interventions based on information
from previous epidemiological studies may be reviewed by either BSPH or BSCH.
BSPH reviews studies focusing on the prevention/transmission of infection
while studies focusing on behavior change in an infected population are
reviewed by BSCH.
[Back to Top]
Behavioral
and Social Consequences of HIV/AIDS Study Section [BSCH]
Formerly AARR-8
[BSCH
Roster]
Behavioral and Social Consequences of
HIV/AIDS [BSCH] Study Section reviews studies of behavioral and psychosocial
aspects of HIV infection, disease progression, and sequelae in the
individual, group, and community. In addition, it reviews epidemiological,
survey, health services, and other social science research of psychosocial
factors of HIV disease. These outcome studies include the effectiveness of
interventions, the consequences of infection, and the effects of HIV
infection and AIDS on the individual, family, and community.
Specific areas covered by BSCH:
· Effects of HIV infection and AIDS on behavioral,
cognitive, and social functioning
· Behavioral and social aspects of recruitment,
retention, and adherence in a clinical/cohort setting
· Effectiveness of intervention strategies to reduce
HIV risk behaviors among infected populations
· Improvement of qualitative and quantitative
assessment of behavioral and social factors associated with HIV infection and
disease progression
· Behavioral and social impact on quality of life in
HIV/AIDS
· Depression and other psychiatric disorders, and
substance abuse in HIV/AIDS
· Caregiving and family-based studies
· Development of HIV/AIDS educational products and
programs [re: adherence]
· Interventions to prevent social stigmatization of
children and adults who are at risk of HIV infection
· Health services, including caregiving, access,
utilization, linkage, cost effectiveness, and economics
BSCH has the following shared interests within the AARR IRG:
· Epidemiologic studies of HIV infection and
AIDS-defining illnesses are reviewed in ACE
· Behavioral and psychosocial studies focused on
uninfected individuals/populations are reviewed in BSPH; those focused on
infected individuals/populations are reviewed in BSCH.
[Back to Top]
HIV/AIDS
Vaccines Study Section [VACC]
[VACC
Roster]
The HIV/AIDS Vaccines [VACC] Study Section is
focused on the review of developmental activities for vaccines against HIV
and related retroviruses. Occasionally, applications for development of
vaccines for AIDS-associated opportunistic infections may also be reviewed.
The area of "vaccinology research" is both broad and
application-oriented as it relates to crosscutting issues encountered in the
refinement and development of vaccines. These include the design and
development of effective immunogens, delivery and formulation approaches, methodologies
to assess vaccine responses, and the assessment of safety and efficacy of
candidate vaccines in animal models and human subjects.
Specific areas covered by VACC:
· Studies to modify and/or optimize HIV components
[e.g. antigen[s], gene product[s]] as targets for vaccine development
· Impact of HIV polymorphism on vaccine design and
development
· Studies of vector/vaccine expression of vaccine
component[s] for stimulating/maximizing a protective immune response
· Studies on the improvement of methods for maximizing
production of candidate vaccines or vaccine products
· Development or optimization of vaccine delivery
systems
· Use of adjuvants and other immunostimulatory
approaches to augment or modify immune responses
· Development of new approaches to improve safety or
immunogenicity of existing vaccines
· Development of new approaches to improve safety or
immunogenicity of candidate vaccines
·
Development of methods to assess
functional measures of protective immune responses
· Evaluation of immune protection to challenge in
appropriate animal models, including the improvement/retooling of animal
models for vaccine testing
·
Comparative studies of immune
protection with different vaccine designs/candidates in animal/humans
·
Evaluation of vaccine candidates
in animal models for safety [including potential for immunopotentiation of
disease], immunogenicity and protection
·
Early (Phase I/II) clinical
testing of candidate vaccines in human volunteers for all aspects of safety
and/or efficacy.
·
Evaluation of specificity, type,
and duration of human immune responses to candidate vaccines
VACC has the following shared Interests within the AARR IRG:
· Studies of discovery and design of viral vectors where an HIV/AIDS vaccine is not in development should be reviewed in AMCB and the appropriate
virology Study Sections; other vector discovery should be reviewed in the
appropriate microbiology Study Sections. Development and/or optimization of
vectored vaccines are appropriate for the VACC Study Section.
·
Studies of immune responses to
HIV, antigen processing, and mechanisms of protective immunity may also be
appropriate for AIP, while immunology of AIDS-associated opportunistic
pathogens may be appropriate for AOIC.
·
Epidemiological and large
clinical trials of vaccine efficacy is appropriate for ACE, while vaccine
acceptability studies are appropriate for BSPH.
[Back to
Top]
AIDS
and AIDS-related research Small Business Activities Special Emphasis Panels
The AIDS and
AIDS-Related Research Small Business Activities Special Emphasis Panels [AARR
Small Business SEPs] review small business applications including Small
Business Innovation Research [SBIR] and Small Business Technology Transfer
[STTR] grant applications concerned with biological sciences, vaccine
research, and social/behavioral sciences in the area of HIV/AIDS.
AARR
Small Business SEP - AIDS Biological Sciences [AARR 10]
The AARR 10 special
emphasis panel reviews SBIR and STTR applications that focus on the
development of diagnostics, therapeutic agents and other biological aspects
related to HIV/AIDS Research.
AARR
Small Business SEP - AIDS Vaccine Research [AARR 11]
The AARR 11 special
emphasis panel reviews SBIR and STTR applications that focus on the
development of reagents and technologies relevant to HIV/AIDS Vaccine
Research.
AARR
Small Business SEP - AIDS Social & Behavioral Sciences [AARR 12]
The AARR 12 special
emphasis panel reviews SBIR and STTR applications that focus on the
development of tools and technologies relevant to HIV/AIDS Behavioral and
Social Science Research.
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