The purpose of this announcement is to inform potential applicants to the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS) of an area of special interest in HIV/AIDS-associated comorbidities that are within the NIAMS mission.

The HIV/AIDS pandemic has been a challenging US public health issue. The NIH has provided the largest public investment in HIV/AIDS research globally. In line with overall NIH efforts, NIAMS would like to promote observational, translational, and basic/pre-clinical research focusing on how the presence or treatment of HIV/AIDS impacts systemic rheumatic, musculoskeletal and skin disease progression and pathogenesis with a focus on utilization of existing HIV cohorts and repositories.

Applications should meet the NIH HIV/AIDS Research Priorities and Guidelines: https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-15-137.html. NIAMS is interested in supporting studies focused on, but not limited to:

• delineating the impact of viral or host factors or interaction of these two factors, or anti-retroviral therapy (ART) in people living with HIV (PLWH) on accelerating or worsening or early-onset of comorbidities.
• studying the prevalence and risk assessment and management of HIV/AIDS-associated comorbidities in PLWH.
• identifying etiological targets or biomarkers along with mechanistic action for diagnosis or preclinical candidate therapeutic evaluation/development.

Examples of HIV/AIDS-associated comorbidities that are within the NIAMS mission are:

• Musculoskeletal pain
• Muscle diseases (e.g. Sarcopenia, Cachexia, Muscular dystrophy)
• Cartilage degeneration (e.g. Osteoarthritis)
• Bone diseases (e.g. Osteoporosis, Osteopenia)
• Bone fracture
• Arthritis and other rheumatic diseases (e.g. Reactive arthritis, Psoriatic arthritis, Septic arthritis)
• Dermatological manifestations

This notice applies to due dates on or after December 2, 2019 and subsequent receipt dates through January 10, 2023 (per NOT-AR-22-13)

NOT-AR-20-005